Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-10-23
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ONE WAY TO CROSS THE COUNTRY.

The Second Glass Tourist Parties That Now
Go Quickly, Cheaply and Merriiy.
1t is now possible to cross the conti-
nent to San Francisco and make friends
ON the way and have as jolly time as
when you cross the Atlantic on fast
liner in the same number of days. That
used not to be so. The old way was
to take a numbered seat in a sleeping
car and go through with the chance
that no one but the conductor and the
train newsboy would ever speak to you.
The new way is by means of what are
called tourists excursions. They are
run at second class rates, but on the
fastest time and with special cars. The
conductors will take a first class passen
ger If such one should offer himself
There are at least two of these compa-
nies running personally conducted excur-
sions over opposition lines, and both ad-
vertise. very low rates and quick time.
The cars are plenty good enough for
anybody, but are not as ornate as the
regular palace cars. In them the people
start at New York or Boston and go
through without change, eating their
Gil Bluffs, if they want to, and stopping
at dining stations along the rest of each
route. A great many who push to the
farthest extreme that economy which
is the distinctive characteristic of such
carloads, carry their own fare with them
in baskets and either buy nothing but
tea and coffee or even make that for
themselves on the road.
The passengers in the first class coaches
on the same trains are quickly made
aware of the fact that their trains carry
these tourist parties, for they hear the
laughter and singing and romping of the
tourists, who by the end of the second
day out are all acquainted with one
another and bent on having jolly and
fraternal time. They share their deli
cacies, their paper covered novels and
their hopes and fears with one another,
stream out of the cars in great parties
when there is a long stop to gather flow
ers or to "take in a new town." and in
all ways fraternize as though they had
all known each other for years.
The circular of one of these excursion
companies announces that it guards its
patrons against the presence of the i'm
migrant and the untidy" and against
the intrusion of the way passenger.
Everything that will contribute to the
general pleasure is welcomed, but moth
ing offensive is tolerated. Some of the
cars have smoking rooms, but if there is
one without it the men must go forward
to the regular train smoker to enjoy
their pipes and cigars. A special con-
ductor goes with each party and saves
the tourists the annoyance of being
awakened to show their tickets during
each night.
The tourist cars look like regular
sleepers in the raw, being built on the
same plan, but not finished with the
same elegance. Unlike the immigrant
sleepers, they are equipped with car
pets, curtains, mattresses, blankets,
sheets, pillows, pillowcases, towels,
combs, brushes, etc., requiring nothing
of the kind to be furnished by the pas
senger. Each car has a stove for the
making of tea and coffee, and each Sec
ton can be fitted with an adjustable
table. A uniformed colored porter ac-
companies each car to make up berths,
keep the car clean and to make himself
useful.-New York Sun.