The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-04-22
The Palace Car.
From the Philadelphia Times.

1t costs only $50 day to hire COM
pletcly furnished and palatial dwelling
house on wheels, containing seventeen beds.
In front is an observation ROOM. Next
come two drawing rooms both fairly spac-
ious. Behind these is dining room
twelve feet long. The middle part of the
car is occupied by berths, which are eoG,-
Portable sofas during the day In the rear
are good sized kitchen, a china closet,
pantry, bathroom and cold storage
closet. All linen for table and BEDS table
ware, crockery and every other necessary
are supplied. Three servants are provided
also without extra Charge skilled cook,
waiter and a porter, who are under the
orders of tenant. Heating and lighting
are threwn in. After ten days the rental
is five dollars less per diem Thus luxu-
riously housed, the occupant can travel
wherever he wishes all over the continent
by paying the railways eighteen fares for
transportation. However, if more than
eighteen passengers are carried in the car,
so many extra fares must be paid. He can
stop at whatever points hedesires and have
his ear side tracked, making his homeinit
during his stay.
IF he chooses he can bring along his
own servants, linen, tableware and wines
He is at liberty to furnish the commits
sariat himself, or the company will supply
everything in that way for him, charging
only 10 per cent over and above cost and
rendering to him the bills The latter is
by far the better plan; inasmuch as trouble
is saved and affairs are attended to more
satisfactorily by the company, which un-
derstands the business and can buy food
cheaper besides. The cook is always
capable person, and havinga tine schedule
for a journey across the continent, he will
telegraph ahead to various points for such
luxuries as may be obtainable at the
markets in different cities, thus arranging
for fresh fruits, butter and eggs, and even
for newly cut bouquet to be put on the
table every morning at breakfast All of
this is susceptible of variation. One can
engage an ordinary sleeping car for $40,
sleeping car with buffet for S45 or dining
and observation car combined for $40. A
hunting car, provided with kennels for
dogs, racks for guns, fishing tackle, etc.,
costs only s35 a day. Service and all incl
dentals are 10 every case thrown in.
But one can do better than this if he
has plenty of money to spare. He can
hire complete travelling hotel for S2lO a
day, in the shape of an entire train,. con-
sisting Of four sleeping cars, dining car
and buffet smoker. An observation car
may be added at an expense of $40 more.
The buffet smoker represents in some res
poets the highest development of the mod
ern parlor car 1t includes bar, a barber
shop, bathroom and library, wherein
can be found books, writing materials and
the newest magazines and pictorial and
daily papers.
In short, it is small club on wheels
There is no other country in the world
where luxury in travelling is so highly
appreciated as it is in the United States.
Abroad it is said that the only people who
90 by rail ''first class are the nobility and
the Americans. OF course the person who
charters a whole train must pay the rail-
ways for transportation at least eighteen
fares per car, through west of the Missis-
sippi the minimum rate is usually fifteen
fares. No car can be rented for the prices
above given for less than three days.
Il has recently become the fashion for
actresses to travel in private cars. Now
adays a conspicuous star usually insists on
being provided with such conveyance as
part of the contract for the tour which she
signs with her manager Bernhardt always
carries small menagerie with her, which
could not very well be accommodated in q
public vehicle. Theatrical companies very
commonly hire one or more cars while trav-
cling, that being a convenient and agreeable
method of transportation.
Dining cars are usually owned by the
railways and are managed by the palace
car companies. Ordinarily they are run
at considerable less, being attached TO
trains merely as an attraction TO passengers.
The expense Of conducting them is enorm-
Gus.
Arrangements made between the palace
car companies and the railways regarding
sleeping cars vary very much Sometimes
/ the latter pay rs much as two or three
cents mile for the use of each sleepeT,
where, as is particularly apt to be the
case in the south, the passenger traffic is
not sufficient TO repay the car companies. In
such cases railroad is often obliged to pro
vide the necessary convenience at a loss to
itself. The item of washing is very
cestly one in the running of sleeping cars,
inasmuch as no piece of linen is ever used
twice without going to the laundry. A
sleeper, on leaving New York for Chicago
or St. Louis, receives ''stoek' Of l2O
linen sheets, pillowslips and 12O towels.
This gives change for two nights. Fifteen
or twenty clean towels are always kept on
the washstand. The washing is done in
New York, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, St,
Louis and other cities, being given out in
great quantities at the low rate Of one dol
lar per hundred pieces. An equipment of
linen-I.ssts about one year. at the end Of
which it must be renewed Il IS purchas-
ed by wholesale -S5O, 900 worth at time,
Glycerine.
Do you know for how many different
uses elycerine is really invaluable. Il