Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-10-27
THE CITIZEN.
RAILROADS IN SPAIN.
The Mileage Is Small and the
Travelling Hard.

Travelling Hard.
The Entire System Is No Larger Than
One of Our Western Roads
Difficulties of Pas
SenGers.
There is not much celebration of
anything in Spain this year, but If
there was. she might celebrate the
semi-centennial anniversary Of the
opening of the first railroad IN that
kingdom In 1s48 the Barcelona rail-
road, so called, extending IS miles from
Barcelona to Mataro, was opened to
traffic. Mataro is a small town on
the Mediterranean northeast of Bar
celona, and these IS miles of road con-
stitrted at that time SPANS only con-
tribution 10 the railroad mileage Of
the world, the neig ghboring country,
France, having at the same period a
railroad mileage of 1900 and Great
Britain 1000. 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 unbusinesslike methods
of the inhabitants and enormous en-
gineering difficulties. Spain has been
wholly Genuded of forests at the head
waters of rivers, and as consequence
there are frequent overfows, carrying
with them railroad bridges, trestles
1 ha . n n
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 7,4oO,
owned, operated or controlled, or
nearly as much as all the railroads
of Spain combined. Spanish railroads
are proyerbially slow, the rate of sex
press" trains being % miles an hour
and of way passenger trains from II
to Is. They seldom run on schedule
time, and it is the testimony of all
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
from the proceeds of governmental
subsidies. These subsidies have
amounted TO over S200,0OO,00O (1,OOO,-
600, 900 pesetas). Although the rail
roads of Spain are directly under the
control Of the government, and al
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 high rate
of interest. French and English en-
gineers supervised generally the con
struction of Spanish railroads, but
the Stations or terminal facilities
OF the companies, are the products of
domestic industry, as any observant
but forbearing traveller will admit.
The railroads of the United States
carry in a year about 6o0,0O0, 900 pas
sengers, and they transport about S00,-
100000 tons of freight. There are 80
per cent. more tons Of freight car
ried than there are individual passen-
gers. The Spanish railroads, despite
the inferior facilities which they offer
to travellers, depend more upon pas
senger than upon freight traffic, car
rying in year a much larger number
Of passengers than they do tons OF
freight In 1897 the Spanish railroads
carried 27,000,000 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 be made for the 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 hapless 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
utes, at least, before the train starts,
and as the train may be anywhere from
an hour to three hours late, his op-
portunities for reasonable complaint
are numerous and are not diminished
by knowledge Of the fact that he is
paying more for his ticket, according
to the distance Travelled, than Is the
rule on American or English railways.
One popularity OF railroad travel in
Spain 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 tick
cts sold passengers. In what is some
times called "chcap" railroad travel in
Spain many of the passengers ride on
the roofs Of the cars, but whether it
Is to enable them to see the country
to better advantage or I o cnjoygreater
comfort and better ventil&ion is not
known. In some Spanish railroad sta
tions, Notwithstanding the meagerness
| Of their accommodations, an admis-
sion Is charged. similar to theater,
It being the theory Of some Of the
! Spanish railroad officials that the
| eagerne8s Of some persons TO find
| Jolace on the wooden benches OF rail
way stations is an item Of available
revenue not TO be disregarded.-N. Y.
| Sun.
DR. Bulls Cough Syrup cures coughs
and colds Mothers keep this wonder
ful remedy handy for the children.