The sun., 1897-05-09
LIKE HOTELS ON WHEELS.
PERSONALLY CONDUCTED TOURS IN
GROWING FAVOR.


Country Every Year ON Special Trains
Conveniepces or the systcm-Some Long ana
Costly Trips-Whore the Tourists Como From.
Tho growth Of personally conducted tours on
railroads in America has been very great Of late
years. Thousands OF people sec the country in
this way, and II thcy go out under the manage.
ment Of q first-cass company thcy get their
moneys worth. This business started in very
small way. In 1876 a certain man said to him
self, Somebody is always conducting parties
of tourists over the seas; what's the mattor
with showing them over our own land I" To
say was to do with him. and in short time A
company was organized and engaged in sending
people on short summer trips. Gradually the
business increased until to-day this company
sends out an average of 10000 persons a year.
and they are nearly nll people OF wealth living
in the Eastern and Middle States, too
Since then companies and individuals who ad.
vertise to personally conduct parties have
sprung up like mushrooms. Most people havca
horror Of being pointed out In foreign lands as
"a Hoopencacklos tourist" No such risk is
run when one joins railroad party in This
country. Every man, woman or child is as FREQ
and independent as IL he or sho travelled in a
private car. A member of the original company
referred to, who has himself conducted many
tours. said, in speaking OF the business:
This plan OF travelling gives people What
they cannot get in any other way. and they are
waking up to this fact all around these paris
We hate that word tour. Ours is merely sys.
TEN of trains to take passenger where they want
to go and back and to give them advantages
which they could not possibly get unless travel.
ling in private car. Once in place. the pas.
sengers are free TO come and 10 when and where
they please. The cars are httod up with
smoking rooms, barber shops, bathrooms. and
t.,
nof"fios' III aau'l'on " 'ne regular sleep.
all trains arc run on special time 1t is iu,po,.
sible to go across the continent and take in tho
scenery on an ordinary train. There places
in Colorado which require twenty.four hours 10
be seen thoroughly, and it is always prearransod
that these special trains shall stop whenever
and VIII crever the managers please
"heFe uo n'oS' vi inc people eo' asked mo
reporter.
10 .e 1ns~etea the ,uihoFy
:, n. certain aa.e 10 SEND out train and
20, but the business has grown so that eyerv
train is aiIod The ,,oint 7 go, o. ,ta.
we don't wait 10 get up a crowd. and person
going out ON one train can come back on ano,bcr
~ o,,r snso,a,S ~ - ho doonn. o' aIonvt
vi our speciais' Or II nc docsn want 10 walt
for that. can return on any regular train. The
number of tourists is always Iimited IN IN.
ninety at the most Now, about where most
peoplo 20. We have sent fourteen ,r,ir.
10 california thia ~;nser anG si1, trans
nj least four more before the fiscal year ends
Then three e to Mexico during the months ot
only time when one can travel there in nerfere
comfort. One tour is to Cslifornia % and iasta
then we do Colorado very thoroughly. We also
make runs to- Florida. which include a trip S'i TO
are not nearly so nonular o tbnv eSe f
years ago. In fact since it has come TO be The
in Fiorids AZ vepv ep mmcb business mas taieh on
MY favorite trip is to Mexico. and great
MANY literary peonle and nIavwrabis sI sgrSs
win me Bronson Howard has maSa !, 1Se.ioo
with us and no doubt nickel nm waInab,c t~o ,n.'
terial An ordinary traveller going bv The main
for he doesn't gel ont of The beaten natb ~,
trains are prsc,icay hotels on wbepes psh so 1I Ws
can stop at the most ppimi,iVe nlsces Wbere
there is nothing but adobe hu,s and eniov ths
luxury Of View York market at the G same iime ne
eettinp into forriSn ,nmS,r anu nS I'm IN
does It quickly in going TO- Mexico SnH
ask a porter 10 take YOUR trunk to
half mile with il. and YOU see the oeonle nIon9h.
ing with oxen hitched to I old @ Wopdep de popsRs. pSSR
lively restfuI to busy man In many Mas
white man is never seen. The trip TO Mexico,
period of three months and costs Ssas' The tsin
TO Yellowstone Park. California and Alaska also
+, takes three months: and the price is ss75. We
set the price and make the trip. but make the
trip and fix the price"
do the passengers minrle much on tbesa
tours I" asked the reporter
Yes and no. answered the authority. "ot
course they get acquainted on the cars asa
rule. but once in place they are independent Of
e lch other This company is very particular aboUt
its passengers, and [ think most companies takf
this precaution. An ordinary train Is a commorE
carry all, and anybody has right 10 enGae III,
passage. When an applicant comes here 10 er&
gage passage he is told that it will be reservedS
and then we, find out where he lives and III
about not only his financial standing hui aiSk,
his social standing. We always send ono mail
TO conduct the party and often four men.
They look out for eyerythin0 Really a ncrsnn
couid leave his pocketbook al home and moi need
it once. the arrangements are so perfectIy svs.
tematized. The ticket for one of these tours 10
in the shape of a book II includes passage tick.
cts from one point to another berth tickets
meal tickets, transfer tickets for passenger and
baggage, tickets for board at the best hotels
and so on. SO that the traveller doesn't have
once to think of money. He does not have 20
supply himself with a letter of credit but merely
takes his check book along and draws
check which is cashed by our officials. 1t is ono
business men 10 rest and many ~ thcm, take