The Meeker herald., 1895-11-09
FOREIGN RAILWAYS.
some Striking Peiats 1. which They Dss-
fer From Ours.

fer From Ours.
After the freedom Of an American rail-
way train. telscoped so as to be one
long, magnificent corridor. the English
| tra1n, which persistently reminds one Of
row of little coops set on wheels,
strikes the traveller us being primitive
and prepOsterous.
1t Is probably true that American
travellers make practice OF poking fun
at the English railway trains, for as
soon as the conversation with an Eng
iishman gets around to the subject Of
railways he hastens to say that the
trains in the states are doubtless hand
somer, but that the British system IL
Dest adapted to the needs of English
travel
1t Is familiar saying In England that
only fools and Americans travel first
class"
Flrst-class Is high and the compart-
ment Is more comfortable than that of
the second-class. Third-class is counted
good enough by nine out OF every ten
travellers, even when there are women
IN the party. The third class compart-
ment Is of the same size as the other,
but is more plainly furnished.
On the continent second-class accom-
modatlons are good enough except In
Italy, where even in flrst-class compart-
ments are not always attractive.
A "circular ticket" such as n travel
er usually buys, is small book, each
Side being represented by coupon.
These circular tickets are exceedingly
convenient for any one who has mapped
out definite line of travel. He can
stop almost anywhere along the route
and resume his journey when he sees
ut. The circular ticket is cheaper than
the accumulated fares would be, and II
purchased at tourist agency 1t is print
ed in English as well as in the language
of the country in which it is to be used.
Nearly all travellers in Europe use
either the Cook or Gaye tickets. Only
the most experienced travellers or those
totally inexperienced disdain the assist.
ance furnished by the tourist agencies.
Some tickets, on the other hand, are
models of simplicity and brevity.
The Northwestern railway. controlling
great lines of travel throughout the Brit
ish Isles, sold a small bit of pasteboard
which read: ''From London to Queens
town.
This ticket, which carried no eXplana.
tory notes, carried one by rail to Holy
head, thence by steamer to Dublin,
thence by rail TO Cork, and thence by
ia lllil " NSuttHStoNhs
In the United States ticket providing
for these different lines and permitting
half-dozen or more stop-overs would
have been at least foot long.
The rule at any European station Is
to show any ticket before being admit.
ted to the train platform. Usually the
conductor or guard comes around and
examines the tickets before the train
starts. This is Il happy provision for the
foreigner who is never certain that he Ia
aboard the right train. The conductor
punches the ticket at the starting point
and the ticket is taken mp at the desti-
nation.
Everywhere in Europe the tram-car
and railway signals are given by tho
footing of a horn. The conductor has n
horn, every switchman has one and
some of the supertiuous men in uniform,
who do heavy standing about at the sta
tons. cnc,.n n.tl,4....-I-----,,-e--- -. :
starts up there Is enough squawking
and footing to suggest an election night
or a football victory.
After tile blowing OF horns the engine
emits weak but sllrlll whistle and the
wheels tIrn.