Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-22

press anu IOEes8AO<9 W0hueF. 1HiS year
there appears to be perfect epidemic of
stolen luggage. Yhef luggage thief IL a
recognised person. among the hitting
brotherhood. and the apathy OF the railway
companies certainly makes his calling
The directors saS that English people do
not like the trouble ef registering their lug
1age. preferringaf The risk Of loss to the in
convenience" ofaRrliving In time to register
or check their trunks. Yet In cases where
1t must be done people take the small
amount Of trouble without complaint The
nightly departure d the continental trains,
with their vans sof registered luggage.
proves the possibility; the system works
we'll on the continent
The proposal ;4hat the American system
should be introduced in England is gen.
orally secuted by the managers OF railways
over here. But these pessimists usually
disregard the circumstances necessary to
insure the success of the check system
An American writing in the Times draws
an odious comparison between this country
and his own In this matter. HIS object at
present is merely. he says, Ito relate as
an American an experience I am now UNI
dergoing. which is not possible in our coun-
try. Last Thursday evening /. with my
family. changed cars ut the Rugeiey sta
ton of the London and Northwestern Rail-
way Company for Chester Three pieces OF
hand luggage were put in the van of the
Chester car, and saw them there There
was but one stop between the stations-i.e.,
Crewe. On arrival at our destination the
luggage was not to be found. For five days
1 have been tracing the lost pieces by tele-
gram and otherwise On the Sd instant.
hearing nothing, went to Crewe ana there
found one piece, but the other two are still
missing. l gave the agent at Chester a
description that would enable any one to
pick out the packages. but the tracing
system Is evidently very poor; While AT
Crewe l was amazed at the vast number of
inquiries for lost luggage, showing that my
experience is very common instead or the
exception. The British public must 1ndeed
be patient This is only one OF hun
dred experiences. The English suffer the
railway fools gladly and live year after
year under a rotten baggage system that
is really no system. Americans are al
ways amused to see passengers mere rush
out of the train and rush wildly TO the
luggage van to claim their trunks before
others get them. Seine day their patience
will wear out and We may get something
better.
Opening Of the Tabernacle.
The late Charles Surgeons Tabernacle
has been rebuilt and will be opened next
week The event will be a great one to all
interested in the work of the great preach
er. The insurance on the old tabernacle,
amounting to about 10000 was some f2o,-
600 below the actual cost and owing to the
increased expense OF labor and material the
new structure has cost f44.5I6. Inc con-
gregation. consequently, has had to raise
about f24.OO0, and this task is now success.
fully accomplished. so that the place WIZ
be reopened free Of debt. Externally the
is unchanged, and in the in
terror very little difference will be noted.
The shape remains oval: there is the pulpit
platform, with the lower platform where
the baptistry Is constructed, and there are
two spacious galleries. The main alteration
is the lessening Of the length of the sane
tuary by thirteen feet. and the space thus
the vestry accommodation. which will be
much improved. The tabernacle Is de-
signed to seat 800 people in the area, LOCO
in the lower gallery and 800 In the upper
gallery; and, under. the requirements OF the
London county council, there are exits back
and front. The reopening ceremony Is fixed
for Wednesday, week and the celebration
services will fnepd practically over
take part being Lord, Kinnaird, Sir George
Williams, Mr.. George Cadbury. the Rev.
DR.. Alexander MacfAren tvice president of
the Baptist Union). the Rev. J. H. Jowett,
the Rev. DIR. Newman Hall and many other
leading non-conformist divines, while there
will be singing by Mr.. Sankey. The chill
dren Of the StOckwell Orphanage and the
students Of the Pastors College. two inst-
tutions Intimately associated with the name
of Sturgeon. will also participate in the
eelebra ton.
VIII Discuss Problems.
tremendous program has been issued
for the international socialist congress,
which meets in Paris at the end of the
month. IT includes papers and discussions
on such questions as the limitation Of the
working day, a minimum wage. the organ
ization OF the proletariat as class party
the abolition Of standing armies, a general
strike and direct legislation by the people
Great Britain will be strongly represented
at the congress. though some of the social
list bodies have not completed their ar
rangements. 1t Is interesting to note that
the weeks expenses for a delegate will not
exceed f5.
The following Westinghouse have reg
istered at The Stars London office in Ira
falgar Square: Mrs. NJ. J. Hunt, Mr.. and
mrs; Geo w: Weber. James Van Allen
Shields. Mrs. Catherine C. Messer Mr.. John
Taylor Arms. Prof; Isaac Winston. Mrs
Isaac Winston. G. Otis Winston, John L.
Love, DR.. and Mrs. G. wythe Cook. Mr..
Richard L. Cook, Miss Catherine Mcdaniel.
Miss Catherine McSweeney. DR. Jesse B.
Schafhirt, Thomas w. Gilmer, Mrs Thomas
w: Gilmer, Geo. H. Hill. Mrs. Geo. H. Hill,
Miss A. d. Hill. Miss Con H. HILL
l.. n MOARE