The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-11

train for first and second class passen-
gers. 1t has standard sleeping car, a
tourist sleeping car, reclining cnair car
"a day coach, and the usual complement OF
baggage and mail cars. All meals are
served in dining cars. On the Nortnern
Pacific the "doliar-a-meaP' plan preVaits,
carte. On the Burlington all meals are
served on the a la carte pian-you pay
only for what you order. Both metnods
it sse Of 'ee tSe relative
Of the two plans Is afforded:
The newest and perhaps the most beau-
tiful cars are the reclining chair cars
which the Burlington contributed. These
cars are bright and new. They nave COM
Portable chairs for about fifty people, por-
celain wash basins. separate toilet rooms
smoking room upholstered in leather.
They are lighted by Pintsch gas and are
upholstered in Nile green NO sucn cars
Of comfort have ever before been az .he
disposal of the travellers of the North
west.
The new train has already established
an enviable record for being on time all
the time Once in awhile a delay. occurs,
but for the most part the traveller who
goes East on the st. Louis Special can
confidently depend upon reaching his des-
tination at the advertised hour
How 1t Came About.
Railroad completed its northwestern line
to Billings. Mont. trafiic agreement
was made with the Northern Pacific
Railway. For twenty-four months after
of cars at Billings was necessary Travel
increased. and the Northern Pacific con-
sented to the operation OF a through
standard sleeper from 81. Louis to Butte ~,
lowed few months later by the inaugu-
ration of through sleeping car service
twice a week from Seattle to Kansas
City.
During the Klondike rush the Billings
line. as II is Familiarity called, was the
most valuable feeder the Northern Pa
cific had. Every night in the week the
Burlington turned over to the Northern
Pacific at Billings all the way from nifty
to two hundred passengers. The same
condition of affairs prevailed during the
ing the shortest route from the Southeast
to Billings, Seattle and Tacoma. again be-
came very important factor in the Alas
ka situation.
During these years passengers not oc-
cupying the tourist sleepers were re-
quired to make change of cars at Bill
lings. 1t was not always possible to give
them the accommodations to which they
were entitled. and 1t became more and
more apparent that some change In the
methods of handling the trafflc through
the Billings gateway was necessary.
In the fall OF 1899 the vice president OF
the Burlington and the president OF the
Northern Pacific met at Chicago. The
former had just returned from trip over
the Burlington lines in the Northwest and
was amazed at the extent of the traffic
through Billings. He told what he had
seen. and urged the necessity OF according
the Burlington Railroad through train
service via Billings.
The president OF the Northern Pacific
was inclined to regard the proposition
with favor. The matter was discussed
with his lieutenants and 1t was decided
that. II the Northern Pacific Railway es-
tablished double daily train service in the
spring of 1900, one of these trains should
start from st. Louis and be transferred to
the Northern Pacific at Billings, thence
running through to tide water.
Double train service was established.
and in accordance with the agreement en-
tered into In the previous fall. one Of the