New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-28
AurBICAN AND EUROPEAN RAILWAYS


The report of the German lmperlai |oinih's'
sioners who were sent to TINS co'ui'r! Soine
time ago to study the methods OF American raii-
ways is just our. and most interesting S!nop
sis of il is furnished by j. {. Mohashau' 'he
United States Consul nj Chemnltz, Germany
The commissioners travelled more tiah o'o""
miles. and they do rot hesitate 10 Si! 'hat III
n,ony respects the American railways are lar
ahead of the railways OF Europe. ana especlais
of GERMANY They mention the New-Aork Zen
tral md Hudson River Railroad Tor especla
nraise chilling 1t one of the worlds best ROADS
They give comparative figures, showing 'hal III
speed no road in Europe can compare WIFI Ils
fast trains while. as regards comfort 'he! au
,,it ,hot i'm common with other first class Amer
icon RAILWAYS il is far superior to the best Eu-
ronoon RAILWAYS which save time by running
through trains without change. Inc ordlHar!
International trains of Europe. which do not
rse the Belgian system Of through sieePns
cars. and which employ the inferior iocoiho'i'e
until recently used wholly in Europe cannot
for n moment he compared with the service OF
first-class American railways.
The Commissioners dwell on the lack OF com
fort on German railways largely Que 10 the iact
that. like all Continental railways, their pas
sencer coaches are built on England Hlouei
of an antediluvan stagecoach. These swinging
boxes, jouncing from side TO SIDE, are the quh
tessence of discomfort and even the Ehgnsh
pcople in spite Of their conservahsih' are pe-.
ginning to acknowledge the fact. lhcideh'aii9'
il NAV be added also that the Ehgllsh coih-
partment car has fallen into dlsrepute because
of the facilities ii offers for the commission oi
robbery and assault. and it is coming 10 De
felt that the privacy that in measure, IL IN
sures may be dearly bought The Ccmmis-
s,onerS compare our system OF sleeplhS-cars
with that in use III Europe, to the great advah-
toge of the former Where double Derth III
this country costs 81 80, far less com1orta-
bic single berth in Germany costs ~ ID. III 'his
country $50 pounds Of baggage are carried 1ree'
and orr system of brass checks Is adilliFaDi!
simple and safe. In Germany only % POUNDS
are carried free and that only on certain tickets.
Moreover the system of checking baggage Is
announcement and not always SAFE.
Other points of superiority in American rail-
vavs are referred TO with cordial approval
Among them may be mentioned our facilities fos
taking out accident insurance policies III rail-
way stations with little expenditure OF time or
trouble our free timetables, our bureaus OF
iuformation and our methods of selling news
napers. fruits candies and luncheons. Appar-
| emily. the railway newsboy and candy
| butcher" who sometimes tries the nerves OF
| American travellers, elected no word OF crti-
cism from the Commissioners. In Germany
tho nrica of a first class ticket Is u lJo cents per
| ki,ometre against o. 1874 cents in this country.
striking difference when the different stand
aids of wages and values are taken INTO ac-
count In the lighting o. trains. also, "e-'
many is far behind the United States. Inc
Commissioners find something 10 critclse Ill
American railways in the frequency or acci-
dents often due to carclessness; the absence or
pensions for railway employees, and the bare
ness and lack Of comfort in so many railway
stations And Americans. doubtless, VIII ad-
nit that in these points there is some ground
for criticism In the light of TINS report, which
must interest Americans quite as much as Ger
mans Mr. Monaghan suggests that now is the
time for American manufacturers of locomo-
tlvos and railroad materials to make a bid for
tho Europcan market. For the railway OIL
cols of Europe are no longe. blind to the fact
thar ,heir service could be very much improved
! hy adopting American Ideas