The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-04-12
IN MOO YORK, B'GOSH.
a Country Editor From Ell Dorado,
Kansas, Tries a Modern Hotel

Kansas, Tries a Modern Hotel
1T. B. Murdoch in the Ell Dorado Re
publican.1
From Kansas to Chicago or ST. Louis,
IS but a nights ride; from Chicago to
the Atlantic seaboard, but twenty-four
hours
Formerly it required four days of con-
tinuous and uncomfortable travel. To-
day the trip is not only a comfort, but a
pleasure.
The Pennsylvania railway, out of
chicago and st. Louis, is by all odds the
most satisfactory line to take for an
eastern trip 1t is one of the greatest
roads in the country. The most sub
stantia1ly built, the best equipped and
comfort are the things one desires on
the cars, and that these are to be had,
In all their perfection. on the Pennsyl-
Vania lines, is not questioned by people
who go away from home.
Not many years ago one left Wash
lnSton In the evening and it was count
ed quite run to climb the mountains
and hear the brakeman cry out: Tween
~ minutes for breakfast" at Altoona
the next morning. Now one is whisked
out OF Washington on an evening train
IS In Baltimore in As minutes, at Harris
ourg, for dining car dinner; over the
mountains, down to Pittsburg and over
to Columbus, half way across the state
OF Oh1o, for o'clock dining car
breakfast, and at in the evening, it is
all out for Chicago"
Then there is another thing. By tax
ing the Pennsylvania line you arrive at
your destination on time. When my
friends go east 1 can tell them more
about it.
There is hotel in this country with
Z,fOO rooms; 700 of which have baths
1t takes 2,400 people to run this cara
VanSary; and it can accommodate 5000
guests. 1t costs from 81 per day for a
room to $500 day for suite 1 entered
one of the big hotels of the country last
week and before registering INQUIRED the
price. Two dollars up, European plan"
replied the clerk. How high up, 1 ask
ed. Nineteen stories" he said. Co
ing to one of the half dozen elevators.
l was shot up to XII The letters
commenced with "a at the top floor.
so 1 was IL stories below the sky par
lor. When the bell boy turned the bolt
in the lock to open my door, it turned
on the electricity, started a patent gas
fire in the corner chimney, turned on
the hot water in the bath room, raised
the window curtain, brought boy with
a pitcher of ice water and started a
fine concert on banjo, guitar and man
dolin, in an elegant upright oak and
glass case in one corner of the room.
1 was dumbfounded, but the music
kept going, changing from 1.-The Wa
bash Moonlight to all sorts of tunes.
When I went out of the room and lock-
ed the door to go to dinner, everything
went out or stopped. At II o'clock I
re-entered ''K---'' to retire There was
no way to put out the inc2ndescent
lights, stop the fire and shut off the mu-
sic.
I locked the door from the inside, but
that didn't work. Then 1 thought to
call a bell boy; but that would show
my ignorance of things. So concluded
to get into bed and let the lights, the
fire and the music perform all night.
Getting into a very luxurious bed ev-
erything went out, stopped or collapsed,
except one little shaded burner behind
the dressing case. So / was happy. A
minute afterward the faintest sounds
of far away music came to my ears. It
about the sweetest sounds ever heard,
and in a moment it played Home,
Sweet Home And-I was-asleep.
The next morning when I got out of
bed, a bell boy rushed in with a morn
ing paper and a small cup of coffee. All
this for 81 10, for one day only.
This is a rushing country, and one
must not be surprised at anything. In
all the big cities some of the theaters
open at II in the morning and run till
IL at night with a continuous pro-
gramme of all sorts of things. And the
places are crowded with men and wo-
men.
Prices are very much the same in all
the hotel restaurants. 1t costs from
40 to 60 cents for fish, meat, fowl or
game order; 10 to Is cents for a pot of
coffee. So one gets a very modest meal
80 cents a dozen up. Eggs, two for 10
cents. A great many travelling people
take their meals on the pay for what
you order" plan; but it is not always
satisfactory.
This country is steadily forging ahead
-Clerkships in Washington formerly
commanded $500 to 5000 per year; then
$500 or $500; now the demand is for ST.
200 and 81, 500 Living is more costly
than formerly and families complain
that they can not get along in a city for
less than 800 month. What were
once considered as luxuries are today
the ,necessaries of every home; and
there are a hundred dollars spent in
this country today where there were