The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-12-01
RAILROADS IN SPAM.
The Mileage Is Small and The
Travelling Hard.
The Entire system 10 No Larger Than
Oae of Oar western Rsads-
DtMcalties Of Pas.
sengePA

there was, she might celebrate the
semicentennisl anniversary Of the
opening Of the frat railroad in that
kingdom. In is4s the Barcelona rail-
road, 80 called, extending Is miles from
Barcelona to Mataro, was opened TO
traffic. Mataro is small town on
the Mediterranean northeast OF Bar
stituted at that time SpaIn's only con-
tribution 10 the railroad mileage of
the world. the neiehboring country.
France. having at the same period a
railroad mileage Of l,3Oo aud Great
Britain 5000. Since then there has
been slowly intermitten, increase Of
what Ia sometimes grandiosely called
"the railroad system" OF Spain. two
obst aeles 10 the development, OF which
have been the unbusinesslike methods
OF the inha bitants and enormous en-
giuecrng difficulties. Spain has been
wholly denuded Of forests at the head
waters OF rivers, and as consequence
there are frequent overhows. carrying
with them railroad bridges, trestles
aud embankments. to the constant
peril and annoyance OF passengers.
There are now in Spain 1880 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. u single line,
the Chicago. Burlington & Quincy,
having an aggregate mileage of 7,40O.
owned, operated or controlled, or
nearly rs much as oil the railroads
Of Spain combined. Spanish railroads
are proverbially slow. the rate Of "eX
press" trains being 2j miles an hour
and OF way passenger trains from II
60 IS. They seldom run on schedule
time, and it Is the testimony of all
trevelors that they never make con.
nections. The amount OF baggage al
lowed each frst class passenger on a
Spanish railroad Is Go pounds. but the
railroads are not responsible for its
fSSo' nv tiS N6Nil
for its Identification.
The railroad lines OF Spain were
built partly by private capital, partly
from the proceeds Of governmental
subsidies. These subsidies have
amounted to over $2oOOOO,O0O l,OO0.-
0o0,so0 pesetas). Although the rail-
roads Of Spain are directly under the
control OF the government, and al
though about One-third Of their con-
strxc,ion was paid by the government,
they are owned by private companies,
and about thres-ffths Of the stock OF
the SpantAh railroads is owned in
France. French Investors have grad
ually absorbed the securities, which,
sold at depreciation. pay high rate
of interest. French and English en-
gipeers supervised generally the con-
struction Of Spanish railroads, but
the stations" or termnSl facilities
OF the companies, are the products OF
! domestic industry, as any observant
but torbe airing traveller will admit.
The railroads Of the United States
carry In q year about 60o,OOO,OOO pas
sengers. and they transport about soO,-
100000 tom OF freight. There are 80
per cent, more tons of freight car
ried than there are indYidua! passen-
gers. The Spanish railroads, despite
The inferior facilities which they offer
TO travellers, depend more upon pas
seuger than upon freight traffic, oar
rytng In a year a much larger number
OF passengers than they do tons OF
freight. In 1897 the Spanish railroad,
carried 100000 passengers, but they
carried only 100000 tons of freight,
The difficulties Of passenger traffic
on Spanish railroads are enhanced in
some particulars which are rather
amusing than serious. Passengers are
expected to arrive at the station at
least half an hour before the train
leaves in order that sufficient allow
ance may he made for ,he dilatory pro-
ceedings OF the railway officials. Dur.
ing part OF each day (and in some
cities the larger part Of each day
the railway stations are closed and the
ticket offices do not open until an hour
before the time scheduled for the de-
parture of the train, closing quarter
of an hour before it Is due.
The haplcss tourist. in compliance
with Spanish railroad custom, must
have his ticket before he is permitted
to enter the waiting-room, and as
this ticket must be bought Is min
utcs. at least, before the train starts,
and as the train may be anywhere from
an hour to three hours late. his OPP
portunities for reasonable complaint
are numerous and are not diminished
by knowledge OF the fact that he is
paying more FOR his Sckct, according
to the distance travelled, than is the
rule on American or English railways.
One popularity Of railroad travei in
Epain is TO be found in the fact that
employees of the railroad company are
entitled, as matter OF right, to the
best seats, even regardless of the tlck-
eta sold passengers. In what is some
times called cheap" railroad travel In
Spain many of the passengers ride on
the roofs of the cars. but whether it