Evening star., 1895-07-27

| gossip is sure 10 1ol-
low. The cars are usually occupied by
| superintendents, general managers, and so
on up to the presidents. When either of
these officials move about the country it
is a foregone conclusion, in the mind of
the average railroad employe, that some
| thing very important in the railroad world
| is about to happen. President Roberts
| car lately "tied up at the 9Th street depot,
| and as a result rumors were floating
| around thick as the sand bugs around
| an electric light.
writer for The Evening Star came
across an old acquaintance in the depot
who fills the position of conductor on one
| Of the through trains, and learned from
him much that was interesting in regard
to private cars Of the different railroads.
He said:
That car of President Roberts came
| over on my train last night empty, but
| notwithstanding that fact 1t has caused
more talk among the railroad men than a
! contemplated strike. The men Immediate
| ly started stories suited to their own views
| one said Roberts had come over to see
about building new bridge over the Poto-
| mac to replace the old worn-out Long
| bridge Another said it was the depressing
| OF the tracks on Maryland and Virginia
| avenues that brought him over, while a
| third insisted that union depot for Wash
| 1ngton was the cause of the trip AS said
| before President Roberts did not come in
| the car, but it was sent here for the ac-
| commodatic1 of one Of the high govern
| ment officials. Talk like that generally
comes from the oil house. and does very lit
tie harm but l suppose you reporters have
quite hustle running down these false
reports.
Cost vs.. Comfort.
ITO my mind the improvement in private
| or Pullman cars has about reached its ze-
! NTH. OF course the matter of good taste
,far- ;,,<o
up these cars. Here and there we run
/ against cars that have cost more than
others, but while they are gorgeous in ap-
pearance, they lack very often the comfort
that goes with good taste and refinement
THAT car there Of President Roberts is
same time tastefully equipped of any in the
+ country. The Goulds and Vanderbilts have
private cars that are marvels of the car
builders skill, but. while they cost more
for interior furnishings. The general YER
dict of railroad men places this car at the
head of the procession.
How many private cars are there IA
this country? That is hard question.
but. in my opinion, they will not reach far
beyond the one hundred mark. At a recent
meeting out in St. Louis of the general
managers of the railroads OF the west there
were something like forty private cars,
but of course this did not include the cars
OF the big men of the east, of whom there
are many. There has of late been a howl
ol COHSIueTdDle SfBnlncalCe gong up over
the abuse Of this private car business, but
as 1t appears to be the style, the objectors
will get very little chance to have their
opinions adopted. One thing is overlooked
by great many people, and that is the
1 entail obtained from these cars when not
in use by their supposed owners.
Take wealthy man. for instance who
wishes to take an extended western trip,
and who does not wish to associate with
the general travelling public. Money is no
object to him, and he enters into negotia-
tions for one of these cars, with the result
that enough money is made out of the trip
to keep the car in commission for a year
without costing the company penny. The
car is rented with all the attachments and
is coupled on to the express trains at so
much mile. It carries tine occupants from
Boston to San Francisco and back, # need
be- without a change of habitation and
without the bother Of hunting up hotels or
chasing connections.
Even Trained Servants.
These private cars are of every concefv-
able style, shape and color. Each car has
a head porter, who acts as chef and he has
an assistant, whose duty it Is to keep the
interior clean and in order, while the brass
and nickel trimmings on the outside are
kept FURNISHED by the men employed In the
yards for that exclusive purpose. This por-
ter and his assistant are generally paid by
the month, and when not on the road will
be found at the homes of the officials fill
ing similar positions, though OF station
ary character. They are the best of their
class, the positions are easy, the pay is
ample, and they know 1t. consequently few
changes occur.
AZ have frequently gone into these cars
on their first trip out of the shops, and the
splendor of the surroundings has made my
eyes open to their fullest extremity. They
continued to increase in luxury until, as
have said before, 1 think they have about
reached the limit. If you can recall the
strike of 1877 it will be remembered that
these private cars played an important
part in that great difficulty. The discon-
tented employees would point the finger of
scorn at the head officials riding around
the country in these grand cars. and then
compare the beggarly wages they were be-
ing paid, whereby the salaries VI these men
could be paid. If they kicked then on these
cars, 1 wonder what they would do now.
The private cars in use in 1877 were by
comparison a cottage to a mansion.
I'm the last century, 1 think. there was
a law passed in Venice governing" the dec
orations of gondolas, as rivalry existed
among the princes and princesses of that
time to see who could get up the most gor-
geous boat. If this interior decoration of
private cars continues, perhaps the stock
holders of the different roads will cry
enough as the law of this country Is too
liberal to interfere with private ideas or
rights. If there is still more improvement,
electricity will play an important part in
their equipment. This mysterious fluid has
already contributed great deal toward
the comfort of travellers, and in the future
who can tell what will be forthcoming?
An Open Fireplace.
''As to description Of some of these
cars, originality plays an important part
which makes each one interesting. General
Superintendent Miller who has charge of
the Pennsylvania lines west of Pittsburg,
has car that is one Of the handsomest,
and shares honors with the finest in the
east. 1t is very similar in it's interior ar
rangements to the others, but there are a
few little extra comforts that the rest do
not boast OF.
For instance. in the smoking and obser-
walton room there is very pretty oak
nantel, while underneath is cozy open
fire CRATE. with highly polished brass and
irons, upon which are placed several logs
and the kindlng arranged so that a match
applied is all that is necessary to start a
bright, cheerful fire. How is that for in
genuity? Then there is a small library of
handsomely bound volumes, and a writing
desk standing in the dining room, and also
cupboard containing over a hundred
pieces of cut glass. rich in design and of
the very latest patterns. The china service
is exquisite, all the plates being hand
painted, and none are duplicated in design.
The upholstery is in green plush, with rugs