The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-28
THE EUROPEAN RAILWAY
VERY POOR SERVICE, COMPARED
WITH THAT ON AMERICAN ROADS.
Shabby Treatment of the Travelling
Public in Observation-Disclosures Conn
pounded and Prices High.
iobert P. Porter's London Letter.

Robert p. Porter'S London Letter.
There are some things besides the affec-
tions of the human heart that cannot be
measured by a two-foot rule. For instance,
it is possible to fill page of this news
paper with tabulated statements and paral-
lei columns of figures showing that for the
same accommodations the passengers on
English and even continental railways pay
double and in some cases treble the amount
paid by the American traveller. but such
statistics would in no way gauge the rela-
tive degree of comfort in travelling in Eu-
rope and the United States. There are ac-
commodations which the American public
not only expect but demand at a reasonable
cost which no service which 1 have seen af-
fords in Europe, and 1 have travelled on all
the railways Of all the principal countries.
First let us consider England as we find it
to-day The railway service may be said to
have improved in the last twenty-five years
in spots. Three or four Of the leading COM
panies-the London and Northwestern, the
Midland and the Great Northern-give the
public better third-class service than for
merly, and few third-class dining cars
have been put on between important points,
largely for advertising purposes. In speak
that the second-class has been abolished on
some of these railways, and that the choice
is offered the passenger between third
class which costs on the average about
the same as f1rst-class in the United States,
and nrst-claSS, which, roundly speaking
costs as much again as third-class. Thus. If
am going a journey, say, of two hundred
miles, have the alternative of paying 16s,
Sd (S4) third-class, or, say about 32s ($7.6S),
certainly the tirst-class would not be less
than 3Os ($I20) AS have said in former
letter. in order to secure a small stuffy bed
on the night train from London to Edin-
burgh or Glasgow | must practically pay
addition, the IS (s1.50) or IS ($1.92) for the
berth in the sleeping car
Suppose ! want to take a night Journey
say from London to Liverpool which is
about the distance from New York to
Washington. The statistics of the journey
would be as follows:
London to New York to
First-class round
Berth tFiP On car. .5 6 s1 4sS sis 1870
Total -. ....64s $3.50 $500
The relative degree of comfort would be
largely in favor of the journey from New
York 70 Washington at a cost of $3.50 less
In the one case, comnodious cars are on the
track ready for you at any time after 8
o'clock if the train starts at 10. or even If
it does not start till midnight, you may get
sound asleep when the train pulls out.
There IS no scramble for the berth, because
the entire train is practically made up Of
Pullman cars, which are twice as large as
the English carriages. and run far easier,
without jerking and jolting. The result is
you can really sleep comfortably, and get
to your journeys end in decent condition.
POOR ACCOMMODATIONS.
The unfortunate third-class passenger
who pays for his transportation from Lon
don to Liverpool about the same $3.50 to
Liverpool and return). as the American pas
senger does between New York and Wash
ington, is not allowed the privilege of
sleeping. He can only do so by paying first
class fare. Now this man, in nine cases out
of ten is the business man of England. He
answers TO our commercial men and to the
people who travel on business In England
he comprises numerically about So per cent.
of all the passengers. He is, in fact, the
travelling public To him the English rail-
Sleep as best you can in the third-class
carriages.
age enables these railroads to pay an aver
age dividend of nearly per cent. on the
investment, must fold up his aching body
tuck himself in an overcoat or rug, and en-
deavor to sleep as best he can. in a
draughty, rafting, third-class carriage AT
every station the door OF the wretched
compartment carriage Is thrown open and
the cold, damp. midnight air plays over the
candidate for sleep. Half tipsy men, going
short distances by the late train are
bundled In and at times the carriage is full.
Then YOU rnust uncurl yourself and sit bolt
upright. 1t is wretched experience. Rather
than pay out something ike 3Ss ($S) for a
stuffy berth tried this method going to
Glasgow. and shall never forget the cold.
chill air OF the Scotch highlands at day
break, after q night OF discomfort and at
along the road passengers who had been
freely imbibing something stronger than
mountain dew got in accompanied by bot
Aas- Ilega felLlMG did NOT cara 40 .laA1. -