The morning times., 1896-12-25
NURSERIES ON TRAINS.
OF Benefit Not Only to Mothers and
Children, But Bachelors as Well.

Ae,g York ErelriRg Telegram.
nursery compartment has been devised
for railroad trains, and it is TO be hoped
that soon all the great railroad systems
OF the country will he as luxuriously equip
ped for the comfort of babies as any
.niIlonaire's house in the land. For the
new compartment is not only a cozy nook,
padded, carpeted, curtained and eotted,
but is furnished with every possible ap-
pointnent for baby comfort.
That this innovation Will be hailed with
delight by every traveller who has ever
been annoyed by the crying OF tired or
frightened infants during railroad Journey
goes without saying. Even people of the
soundcst nerves find them severely tried
by the incessant walls OF the little travel
ers while to the average human being
these Iugubrious sounds are positive tor
ture.
Nomatter how good natured a child MAJ v
be, ii is almost sure TO become cross when
travelling, and II i $ much for the COM
fort of the tots themselves as for the relief
OF the victims that a certain Brooklynite
doubtless a man of experience, well quail
fled for his task-has Contrived this nursery
annex to railroad trains. According to
his design, the travelling nursery viii take
up about the same amount of space as
the private staterOom, which is found IN
all sleeping cars.
There Will be a saving of space of several
feet, however, as the wide seats On the
sides OF the stateroon below the berths are
notneeded inthe nursery, being replaced by
ottomans and tiny easy chairs scattered
over the floor. In this way any danger
from sudden starts or sharp curves is
oiviated. As a further protection against
injury to the little ones the walls Of the
nursery are heavily padded and the flCo or
is thickly carpeted, so that bumps and
bruises Will be altogether avoided
At each end OF the compartment, ard
firmly secured, are two C0Zy cots, in
which the smaller children may lie and
watch the games OF the older ones Each
car containing the nursery attachment
will carry a matron or nurse. who will be
selected with special reference to her
ability to amuse and care for her little
charges; and she will have at hand sup
plies OF milk, cookies and other edibles
and drnkables dear to the infantila heart.
She will also have charge of a medicine
chest containing a fun assortment Of the
A miniature toy Stop is another adjunct
of the travelling nursery, and it viii con-
tain everything from baby rattles to
picture books and fairy tales. Nothing, in
short, VIII be missing that would add to
the comfort or amusement of the Young
travellers.
To no one is the adoption OF the nursery
compartment more welcome than to PAS
sengcrconduCtorS. Thislong sufferingClass
is soften called uEOn to assume, temporarily,
the place Of nurse, parent, or guardian, as
the shipping Of children from one part of
the country to another has of late years
become quite common.
I'VE have troubles enough" said
veteran conductor, in discussing the lat
est improvement in passenger service,
without having child or so on our minds
all the time. My run is Il very heavy one,
and as have been on the road long time
and know a great many people, often
have children placed in my charge hy
parents who are unable TO accompany them.
Besides, it has become common practice
for immigrants from Europe who have
settled here to have their children follow
them after a home has been prepared.
All these youngsters have TO be looked cut
for in transit by the conductors and brake
men and you may believe that the Ic-
sponsibility is by no means Il light one
Nobody understands children as women
do continued the Old conductor, ''and that
is another reason why I am in favor of the
| nursery annex The matron, having moth
ing else to do. can look after their childish
wants, relieve their mothers of a lot of
yuhn tb.s1 hay r hnr
along, save the conductor from strong temp
tation to use badlanguage and the necessity
| for Keeping himself posted in the latest
st yles of baby talk
1t is not intended that every sleeping or
parlor car be provided with the nursery
attachment. Large as is the number of
children passing, it would be necessary
to have but one such car in every through
train running between the larger cities.
The expense of equipment, matruns wages,
etc. would De thus kept down to rea SON.
able limit.
Although child travellers are numerous
now, and the sending of them alone from
one city to another is increasing each
year, railroad officials who have examined
plans for the new compartment anticipate
an increase in business through their adop-
ton.
AS soon as parents learn that on GER
tain routes comfortable provision has been
| made for their Children said one pas
senger agent, they will naturally travel
on these in preference to less considerate
lines, and persons whose peace has been
disturbed by fretful youngsters will gladly
avail themselves of a road which has the
forethought and enterprise TO protect its