The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-18
INV THE PRESIDENT TRAVELS
,pro8Ts TO PROVIDE A TRAIN BE-
LONGING TO THE CHIEF MAG
IsTRATE'S OFFICE.


restless PredeccssOr-Mr. Cleve-
land. was, Even in Private Life,
cood Deal of n Stay-at-HOme--Mc-
,-inIev Has Had So Much Expert
a,ce as Campaigner That
s1ccpiue Car Berth Is as Good as a
prass bed to Him and a Rear Plat
earn, rs Comfortable for the Pres
nose of speech-MaISinE as "A Sta
tonary ROstrum.
Washington, June 16.-George Washing
a., was the original travelling President,
and In his day 1t was no small undertake
rg 70 get about the country. He set an
.varple for his successors by trying to
haeome acquainted with the country and
,s people between the sessions of Con-
eress Two summers he spent in his pri-
vale carriage going into New England and
through The South to achieve this object.
Il is only in recent years that presiden-
tal tourneying has been made spectacular
The early President could travel about
Without being mobbed. Jackson and Tay>
lar walked the streets of Washington and
other citizens, and when they travelled no
one thought of standing gazing at them
or OF forcing himself upon them for a
landshake. Then the President of tns
United States could travel as simply and
as unostentatiously as he Pleased Now
he goes in a special train and the band
at every crossroads station plays Hail
to the Chief horribly.
There was only one President who had
q private car. That was Lincoln, the
man above all others who was simple in
his tastes. 1t was not be very fine affair.
To-day it would not be used for second
/ class traffic. All the other Presidents
| have travelled in private cars offered for
their use by railroad companies or Sleep
ing car companies.
Just after the election of President Nc
Kiney some railroad men got together
and planned a special car for the Presi-
dent which was to be finer than Queen
Fctoria's. 1t was to be built throughout
Of native products and the blending of
native woods in its decoration was to sug-
gest every section of the country All
the material was to be contributed and
the labor was TO be done in the railroad
shops. This scheme was so attractive
that presently il expanded into a plan
for an entire train for the Presidents
Use, to be appanage to the executive
Office not Mr.. Mckinleys private proper
U. The elaborate plan provided for a
baggage ear to contain a dynamo for heat
ing and lighting the other cars a sleeping
coach for the Presidents secretary and
Howl E
dent and his guests. As planned, the Pres
dents car was to be 50 feet, inches
bong, or 15la feet longer tnan Queen Vic
toHas; While its width was to be feet
inches At one end was to be the kit
chen and quarters for cook and porter.
A salon in the middle of the car, two bed
rooms, bath room and an observation
room We're also in the plans
Nothing has been done toward build
ing this train and the project seems to
nave fallen through So the President
In his outings win use other persons cars
as most Of his predecessors have done.
Paying for the Journey.
Sleeping car companies put at the dis
posal of the President their finest cars,
and railroad officers tender the use Of
their private coaches, because as they go
about the country they are a peripatetic
advertisement for railroad and sleeping
car companies; and either one would be
glad, if it were necessary, to pay some
ming for the privilege TO carry the chief
| magistrate
Only one railroad man disagrees with
thls proposition, so far as is known.
lie was the general passenger agent Of
line running east from st. Louis when
PRESIDENT Harrison visited that city. The
railroad man who was managing the
wit he sal
as the general passenger agent, though
on a different line. He declined the in
Ntadon of another road to take the Pres
dents train east, through loyalty TO his
own people. And then the general pas
senger agent made him pay the fun first
class rate for hauling the Presidents spe-
eal. Ii was repaid to him later-and that
Is about as rear as President of the
United States has come to paying fare in
long time>
When President Cleveland made his first
nip West he paid fare for himself and
all ihe members of his party. The inter-
state commerce law had just gone into
eject, and he was afraid of being erti-
c'sed for violating 1t. But the five or six
hrsJ-class tickets which his private sec
rotary bought did not pay for the fine
Special train mat he used.
Hauling the Presidents special IS an
expensive undertaking. on most roads II
means side-racking all other business for
Inc time. One of the big coal railroads
once put every freight car on side tracks
all night because the President was go
ing over the line Another road side
Tracked hundreds of cars Of grain and
live stock and left the track clear be
tween the beginning and end of the Presl-
DENT journey. As an additional precau-
uoH. plot engine is sent ahead of the
residents train to see that the track II
safe
George w. Boyd's Expert Work.
To arrange the schedules for presiden7
Ual Journey Is no small undertaking.
george W. Boyd has done more or TINS
nan any other railroad man, and ne
could arrange to take the President safety
around the world on forty-eight hours no.
u'e When the President wants to MAKE
'oag Journey he usually calls Mr. Boyd
VI Tor consultation as an expert. Mi.
noyd looks up the regular schedules OF
a" NE roads 10 be covered and calculates
Ile running times of their trains. He
,'"' 70 balance everything with great nice
so as not to bring the President to
1s o'ty at IN the morning or land him