The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-12-06
PRESIDENTS TRAIN.
Description of the Cars in Which He
and His Party Travel.
pnIatInI Appointment of the Draw
Ing Room and Sleeping Coaches
Culinary Department and
Servants.


great country of which he is the chief
executive, there is nothing that creates
as much comment or arouses the same
amount of curiosity as does the mag
aificent train in which he travels. The
car which is at the rear end of the train
and which is the presidents car"
called the "Campania," was exhibited
at the worlds fair in Chicago, as was the
great dining car Gilsey. Both these
cars have but recently been placed in
service on the road, having been re-
served for exhibits of q national char
acter. The cars comprising the train
include the Campania, Chill, Omena,
Gilsey and IXone.
Naturally most interest centers in the
Canpania, used by the president, Mrs.
Mckinley and Miss Barber, the latter
the niece of the president. 1t is unlike
either the ordinary sleeper or compart-
ment car, in that it has three drawing
rooms and kitchen. The drawing
room at one end of the car has large OBJ
servation windows, the one in the CEN
ter has two small windows and is up
holstered, almost walls, roof and floor.
Then there is the kitchen, so hermetical-
ly sealed that not an odor can escape
into the car, although every Wand
served the president is prepared there.
The prevailing colors in the presi-
dents car are green and gold, although
the tone is very subdued. The decora-
tions are largely in gold, and the little
woodwork to be seen is polished rose
wood. There Is some magnificently
carved woodwork and some pretty fret
work. Carved pillars in the partial
partitions give look of massveness,
while panels of beveled-edge glass mir
rors caught in frames of silver or gold
plate do not detract from the elegance
of the whole. The greater part of the
day is spent by the president in the
observation end of the car. He is so
frequently obliged to step out to ac-
knowledge ovations given him en- route
that it saved him time and exertion
to be on hand ready to step into the
vestibule at the rear end of the rap
idly-moving train, where he bows or
waves his handkerchief as the Train
dashes past platform where thou
sands Of people gather and cheer, while
|
started to booming.
There are few places en- route where
Mrs. Mckinley is not presented with
flowers. In consequence, the compart-
ments have bouquets of rare and fra
grant flowers in every nook and corner,
and it may be said that hooks and cor
ners are specialties in the cars Of the
train. The special car in which the
members of the cabinet ride and sleep
are something like the compartment
cars run on the big through trains
Of the trunk lines, except that the dec
orations are much more rich and elab-
crate and the compartments are double,
really like two small rooms, the win
dows being covered with silk of the
finest texture and the floors being COW
cred with moquette with nap that al
most reaches to the ankles when you
walk over it.
The Gilsey is the dining car used by
everyone on the train except the pres
. ident and his immediate party. There
are ten tables in this, and four persons
} may sit at each of them. The decora-
tons of this car are as elaborate as any
other in the train. The seats are of
: plush, the springs and plush making
rare seats, and the finest of cut glass
and siIverware are used in the decora-
ton of the tables. None of the meals
have less than five courses. Each indi-
, vidual is given a menu card which was
, engraved on steel by the company in
. the east, which has an international
reputation for work of the kind, and
there is a different card and menu to
each meal. Everything is prepared in
a the kitchen. The doors leading into
> this kitchen are thick and as closely
= Joined as those leading into a big re-
= frigerating plant. In the other end
r of the car is the big ice chest, where
c the wines, milk and other perishahle
5 stuffs are kept.
The Ixone Is the big parlor car where
= all the folks lower in rank than cab
y lnet officer meet. 1t is the clubroom
: of the train. At the end is beautiful
. cherry bookcase and writing desk. In
the case are the latest novels and maya
=. zines, and on the writing desk is to
= be found specially engraved writing
: material furnished by the Pennsylvania
1t Railroad company for the trip, ana also
d letterheads of nearly all the depart
ments at Washington. At the other end
h Of the car there are two big plush Turk
: ish couches, and scattered through the
~ car are easy chairs in plush, cane and
e leather. There is sideboard in an al
: cove formed by an angle in the fret
work of private parlor, and on this are
nil sorts and brands Of cigars and liquid
t refreshments. A portion of this car,
It about ten feet square, is used for a
o storage room, where the extra supplies
= are stored. In the presidents car there
> are two cooks and a waiter, also maid
:, for Mrs. Mckinley and Miss Barber and
10 valet for the president In the Gil
= sey there are four cooks and five walters
v and dining car conductor. The com
,r posite cars, in which the members Of
70 the cabinet ride, are furnished with two
N nor+ers each and each of the other ears