The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-04
American RaiIroads the nest.

| Two observant Americans, Robert p.
! Porter, formerly superintendent of the
census, and w. =. Curtis, a well known
! Washington correspondent, have lately de-
voted a good deal of attention to the rail-
ways of Europe, studying their methods
and making comparisons of them with the
railways of the United States. Both of
| them arrive at the conclusion that the
American roads are superior to those of
Europe, in equipment, accommodations,
| schedules and various other particulars.
The best roads in Europe are those of Eng
land and Scotland, where some exception
ally fast trains are run, and where, by the
way, the nearest approach to the Ameri
can system is TO be found on the other side
of the ocean. The English roadways are
uniformly well constructed and well bal
lasted-better than the average American
road; but the accommodations of the
coaches are not to be compared with those
offered on the express trains of the United
States There is nothing in the British
isles which approaches the elegance and
comfort of the modern American vestibul-
| ed train, which is virtually first-class ho-
tel on wheels. The European system of
compartment cars precludes the "vesti-
| buling'' of a whole train and thus throw
ing half dozen or more coaches into prac-
tically one elegant, moving building. en-
bracing everything desired by the travel
Ter, from bath room and kitchen to par
| lor and bed room. Lately several promi-
nent English railway engineers have Wis
tied this country for the especial purpose
of looking into the American railway sys-
tenn, with a view to making changes in the
English coaches and trains. They are said
to be much impressed with the advant-
ages of the corridor coach over the com
partment COACH and it is likely that the
American style will make it's appearance
on English roads before a great while.
The trains of France are slower than
those of England, the ACCOMMODATIONS are
less convenient and the officials are bound
with more red tape. In Germany, = where
government ownership is plainly apparent
upon all things pertaining to the roads, the
trains are positively slow The fast
trains run at about twenty-five miles an
hour. to the amusement and annoyance or
the American traveller who is used to be-
in the same length of time in his own
country. Oficialism runs riot through the
whole railway system. There are brass
buttons and red tape everywhere; notwith-
standing which the traveller who does not
personally look out for his baggage is LA
BILE to find himself without baggage at the
end of his trip. In Germany the rates of
fare for passengers are lower than in the
United States, but in that country one
does not get so much for his money as
here. Travel is cheap, but SO is time, and
so are the accommodations. The average
American would be willing to pay good
premium for the privilege of travelling at
the rate of sixty miles an hour, as against
a rate of twenty-five miles, In England
and France the difference in passenger
tariffs as compared with the United States
is not so great. Taken all in all, it is the
conviction of both Mr. Porter and Mr..
Curtis that the American railroads are the
| finest and fastest in the world, and that
they render their services, all things con-
| sidered, as cheaply as do those of Europe
even where the ownership is vested in the
| government.