Evening journal., 1898-11-25
RAILROADS IN SPAIN.
The Mileage Is Small and the
Travelling Hard.
The Entire system II No Larger Than
one of Our western Roads
Difficulties OF Pas
sengers.


anything in Spain this year, but II
there was, she might celebrate the
semi-centennial anniversary Of the
opening OF the first railroad in that
kingdom. In ls4s the Barcelona rail
road, so called, extending is miles from
Barcelona to Mataro, was opened 20
traffic. Mataro is q small town on
the Mediterranean northeast Of Bar
celona, and these is miles of road con-
stituted at that time Spain's only con-
tribution to the railroad mileage OF
the world, the neighboring country,
France, having at the same period a |
railroad mileage of 1900 and Great |
Britain 5000. Since then there has |
been slowly intermittent increase of |
what is sometimes grandiosely called |
"the railroad system" of Spain, two |
obstacles to the development Of which |
have been the unbusinesslilSe methods
of the inhabitants and enormous en-
gineering difficulties. Spain has been
wholly denuded of forests at the head
waters OF rivers, and as a consequence
there are frequent overhows, carrying
with them railroad bridges, trestles
and entertainments. to the constant
peril and annoyance of passengers.
There are now in Spain 1850 miles
of railroad, less than one-third of the
number in Great Britain, France or
Russia, and less than one-fourth OF
the number in Italy, The relative in
significance Of the Spanish railroad
System" appears best in comparison
with American railroads, single line,
the Chicago, Burlington g. Quincy,
having an aggregate mileage of 7,4o0,
owned, operated or controlled, or
nearly as much as all the railroads
of Spain combined. Spanish railroads
are proverbially slow, the rate of EEK
\ press" trains being 25 miles an hour
and of way passenger trains from -
to IS. They seldom run on schedule
time, and it is the testimony of all
n travellers that they never make con
nections. The amount of baggage al
lowed each first-class passenger on
Spanish railroad is &C pounds, but the
railroads are not responsible for its
loss, nor are their officials responsible
for its Identification.
The railroad lines of Spain were
built partly by private capital, partly
a from the proceeds Of governmental
, subsidies. These subsidies have
/ amounted to over S2OO,0O0,O0O Q,000,-
100000 pesetas). Although the rail-
roads Of Spain are directly under the
p control of the government, and all
though about one-third of their con-
struction was paid by the government,
they are owned by private companies.
. and about three-fifths of the stock of
the Spanish railroads is owned in
France. French investors have grad
ually absorbed the securities, which
sold at a depreciation, pay a high rate
2 of interest. French and English en-
gineers supervised generally the con
q struction of Spanish railroads, bat
the stations" or terminal facilities
! Of the companies, are the products oil
h domestic industry, as any observant
o but forbearing traveller will admit.
Y The railroads of the United States
e carry in a year about 6O0,O0O,000 pas
n sengers, and they transport about 800.
e OO0OO0 tons of freight. There are 3,
per cent. more tons of freight car
e ried than there are individual passen
2, gers. The Spanish railroads, despite
E. the inferior facilities which they Offer
to travellers, depend more upon pas
n senger than upon freight traffic car
-c rying in year a much larger number
of passengers than they do tons o
e freight. In 1897 the Spanish railroads
\. carried $1,000 coo passengers, but they
carried only 100000 tons Of freight
The difficulties of passenger traffic
on Spanish railroads are enhanced il
j some particulars which are rattle
w amusing than serious. Passengers arr
D. expected to arrive at the station a
least half an hour before the trail
IT, leaves in order that sufficient allow
?! ance may be made for The dilatory pro
ceedings Of the railway officials. Dur
- ing part of each day land in SOM
y cities the larger part of each day
~ the railway stations are closed and tn
c ticket Offices do not open until an hou
!, before the time scheduled for the de
- perture of the train, closing a quartz
~ Of an hour before it is due.
I'd The hapless tourist, in compliance
o. with Spanish railroad custom, mus
have his ticket before he is permitte
to enter the waiting-room, and a
this ticket must be bought IS min
Il. utes. at least, before the train start:
and as the train may be anywhere fror
&c an hour TO three hours late, his OF
n portunities for reasonable complain
de are numerous and are not diminishe
m by knowledge of the fact that he
l. paying more for his ticket, accordin
IN to the distance travelled, than is tn
id rule on American or English railway,
g, One popularity of railroad travel i
ms Spain is TO be found IN the fact tina
er employees Of the railroad company ar
IL entitled, as a matter of right, to IN
OF best seats, even regardless Of the ticA
eu cts sold passengers. In what is some
le times called "cheap" railroad travel {
"a Spain many of the passengers ride o
as the roofs Of the cars. but whether
~ is to enable them TO see the eountr
IL to bettar advantage or TO enjoy Beate
com So. AID better ventilation is no
known. In some Spanish railroad sta
4s,rr A.,rf4 a - % 81 ft,rr fa ma Cd no fr,r