The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-17

HAILROADING TRIALS IN SPAIN.
Where TeIegraphing Is n Vexatious
Process.
From The Scientific American.

From the Scientific American.
Both the railway and telegram svstema
of Spain are in a very unsatisfactory
condition and give rise to many com
plants, especially among. foreigners ana
they are both examples of the perncious
methods which run all through Spanish
AFFAIRS. The railway system of Spain
comprises about 1850 miles Of road. built
parity from private capital and partly
from the proceeds Of government subsid-
les winch up to the present time, amount
TO more than $500. 0Oo0 O0 Most of the
roads were constructed under the super
vision of the French and English enRi-
neers and the securities have been very
gradually absorbed by French investors.
The speed of the trains is very slow.
The express trains run on only few Of
the lines, and even the trains de luxe
which run only first class carriages. with
the fares raised 80 per cent. seldom run
raster than twenty-five miles an hour
while the ordinary trains never attain a
speed OF more than fifteen miles an hour.
ana are often behind time especially in
the southern part of Spain. Tourists us
ually select the first class carriages, which
are htted dp like those in France, but they
are by no means as comfortable and clean
as they should be- and on the main roads
they are often overcrowded The number
OF seats Is six or eight, and some OF these
are often occupied by the conductors of
the train and even railway laborers. who
scramble into the train between stations
much TO the disgust of the passengers
EVERY train IS supposed to have a first
class compartment reserved for ladies and
another FOR those who do not smoke. but
the latter injunction Is seldom needed by
the spanish travellers; but this is an evil
which Is by no means limited to Spain.
Tor IN Holland 1t Is almost impossible to
prevent travellers from smoking In every
compartment The second class carriages
on the Spanish railways have narrow and
uncomfortable seats for ten persons and
are generally dirty and neglected The
third class carriages are, of course. impos
sible for foreigners, and they have some
times seats on the roof which are used
exclusively by the lower classes.
In winter the carriages are heated bv
foot warmers At nearly all railway
functions there are restaurants. but those
VINO prefer 10 eat in a more leisurely man
ner may provide themselves with food to
consume in the railway carriage. but in
TINS case the Spanish custom demands
the formality of asking your fellow pas
senger 10 share the meal with you.
At the larger stations the luggage Office
parture Of the train; so this necessitates
the traveller being on hand much before
the proper time. In some cases there are no
waiting rooms, and where there are pas
sengers are not allowed TO enter either the
waiting rooms or platforms unless they
have their railway tickets The railway
officials have not seen fit to pay much at
tention to issuing return tickets which are
such a source Of revenue In Italy ana 9th
er countries. Such tickets are only avail
able for one or two days and are issued on
a few lines only, and the reduction in the
fare is generally Insignificant. Circular
tour tickets are not unknown, but these
tickets for combined tours In France and
Spain have been discontinued, owing 10 the
instability of Spanish currency
II the traveller has trouble with the rail-
roads. he will have much more with the
telegraph Offices Our conception of a tele-
gram IS a message which is sent on at
once by wire, but the Spaniards divide
their kilograms into two divisions urgent
kilograms. for which are paid thrice the
regular rate, and those which are sent in
the ordinary way. The smaller railway
stations have private telegraph offices and
the rates are higher than the regular tele-
graph offices The rate for a private tele-
gram is one peseta GO cents for Is words,
and each additional word is charged me
tenth of this sum. Messages IN the same
province have lower rates kilograms may
be sent TO foreign countries, but am addi-
tiona Zee Is paid on each foreign dispatch,
and II Is advisable to take a receipt. which
is charged for. kilograms are paid for
with postage stamps, but money is accept
ed at the railway Offices.
-s-e-s--
Teacher Go pupiD-How old are your