The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1900-05-24
ROADS LEAD TO TOLEDO.

.I.U.isd City Which spanish Historic
lie r-s.r.bc a. The Crown of Spain and
- .5. I.l of The World" Peculiarities of
..,1, fraNeling i'll the Land of Manana.
t,H...i.u~ al the Merinos.
correspondence of The journal
.ro, SPAIN. April u, 1900. 1t is
a~ Journey from Merida to this
Ntuguished Light of the
p... with little to recommend it of
Wuty. and nothing of comfort
...y rhoose between two routes
owing the Guadiana river most
..a-0ay. the other the Tagus, both
.--sj ing many changes of cars.
- ronte of the Guadiana. though
retraced our steps over the
a 'oaous plains so lately traversed.
Dr. pleasant English family with whom
.....rrd forces at Cadiz for the tour
epuu preferred the roundabout
..r. lu Toledo, via BadaioZ and Cacer-
..- ,- i, led through unvisited territory.
r.. ll ing arrangement was that we,
aHi .,,rrcted to arrive at least a day Ill
.u.. Of the others. should secure
.5.te~ for all in the Fonda lmperi-
-Dd to be the best hotel in TOle-
ui have apartments waiting for
,r ,Ipd friends. When we finally
0..u-. IKE ultima thule, some seventy
.- ater bedraggled and worn from
bolt upright two long nights i'll
comfortable day cars-we We're
.H. r station by the English party
~ U.d trim after nights rest in
they having arrived the pre-
ttra0un. However, this expert
0r~ Not establish a rule to 60 by,
lHgest way around" is by no
WAYS ''the SureSt' in this land
uWa.
ut the spanish railways were
French capital. at enormous
10 All who have suffered from
N agree :that they are about
.. .r.t constructed and mismanaged
,Di the face of the earth. They
pe run solely for the amuSe-
I've employees. tarrying long III
..trl places for no discoverable
ld paying not the slightest
U3king connections. And the
-Iayatng thing to the toreiglel
nobody cares the least little hit
troubles. Native passengers
uAing known amy better service,
t.r unnecessary delay quite as a
# course and utterly fail tC
l@nd why any traveller should
umpUS over so triting an incl
missing the through train
having to sit up another night
common coach-merely because
tl waited couple of hours at q
lads junction for some powerful
t. -ots 5 wife to get her children
.0. t1ra ride to the next town.
nypn the creeping pace of tel
houl-the average speed" OF
alns, if one may SO misuse a
Is better than the old way OF
eo1 oAck transit in crossing Suc}
.0rs regions as the plains of CASTLE
ld Mancha; and in the pleasantel
I&' ot the country the traveller
Dresses the slowness that enables him tt
-Qr0 the prospect longer. The rate OF
Ioete,s is usually restricted by law, OF
ny.ur of the danger incurred by the
>pieadNg of rails exposed to the full
.ra Of the sun on sandy plains: bu
.0ah the law vigorously Discourage
'94r4 II las nothing to say i'll regard tt
ss'Ul- mp with schedule time and full
HG contracts with ticket-buyers
years ago, there were only twent,
a.ne'leS of railway in the who'll
Al Now about nine thousant
utres are in operation and half a:
"tN more under concession. The bes
a'us are extremely poor, and tn
ness Of every place to which rail
VA. wants and Spanish passengers o
Hy riaSs have access, is notorious
N' Trains have one better and some
a' r.Dauer coach, labelled "Reserva
ail Nenoras" reserved for ladies
'~'~l singular feature is a small
" Disadvantage, attached to som
e containing two tiny compart
set side by side, marked Par
'tr and Para Senoras.' AL til
anyway officials, from guards to brake
"'| idle 'lirst-class," often occupyin
''I lIIe available space in the carriag
" always the best seats, whateve
"'' become of the poor passenger
"N nave paid extortionate oh arge
eDN are packed like sardines in a box.
and then the eternal trouble wit
"Sgdqe would cause an archangel t
"SIay his temper. Indeed, the leas
''lfarrY about of either commodity
ssage or temper-on joume
rough Spain, the better for you
"s'Sute. Each passenger is permitte
axe with him into the coach on
'"hel, or bundle, and the rest of hi
"sgage is relegated to the van. d.
a'S at the stations in getting baggag