The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-11-09
THE PRIVATE CAR HABIT.
NOT SO EXPENSIVE A LUXURY AS
MIGHT BE THOUGHT.
Many More Used Now Than Formerly, But
Most OF Them Rented, Not Puc based
Lively Demand For Refitted PuIImans
From Theatrical Companies.

Lively Demand For Refitted PulImans
From Theatrical Companies.
So many people from time to time
have wondered what becomes of old
Pullman palace-cars after they have
been supplanted by cars of modern con-
struction in which both decoration and
luxury run riot that popular question
seems answered by the circular of a new
company which has Offices in this city
and Chicago. Briefly, it sets forth that
the business of the concern is to make 1t
possible for every one to own private
car; not every laboring man, bit every
one in that state of life suggested by
the ownership of a steam yacht, New
port cottage, or even an automobile, for
the private car is a cheaper luxury than
any of these, especially if one counts the
money paid out by the automobile owner
in the shape of damages caused by his
sometimes unruly machine in the way
of collisions and runaways.
The life of a Pullman car is not a
long one-that is, in the service of the
Pullman Company. This is not because
they wear out or go to pieces like the
"one-hoss shay" though this they some
times do under the stress of railway
smash-up. Their life is determined by
the Style" in the sleeping and parlor-
car world. The elegant and unsurpassed
coach of five years ago is to-day con-
sidered trife out of date so many are
the improvements in the way of greater
comforts, better space arrangements,
richer hangings, and upholstery, wide
vestibule platforms, and the like, being
incorporated in the car of to-day The
lot of the old car is to do duty on
some obscure Western railroad or to
go into the hospital-yard, there to await
its Ultimate fate, that of being broken
up for salvage or being sold to some
railroad for conversion into an "offi-
Gals car"
Under this new company's plan, there
is still another life for the old coach,
and wider market. 1t makes a special
business of buying up these cars from
the Pullmans, tearing out the interior,
and refting them entirely anew for the
use of theatrical companies. The time
was when private coaches were used
only by two or three very large Shows"
such as circuses and spectacular pro-
auctions. Now it is estimated that in the
height of the theatrical season there
are several hundred on the road. Even
small minstrel companies travel in them
from town to town. For shows" this
secondhand car company has three
standard styles. One provides ten upper
and ten lower berths for the players.
office and sleeping room for the manager
and a kitchen. Another style provides
place for baggage at the end and still
another includes also stable, eighteen
feet long, for the accommodation of
such animals as may be necessary to
complete the company's outfit. This last
provision is made especially for the dom
keys and the bloodhounds of the va
rious Uncle Toms Cabin companies.
These rebuilt cars are either sold out
right or rented to theatrical agents From
1900 to $500 is the price charged, &C
cording to the interior fittings, size of
car; from SIS week upward is the
weekly rental, the average company pay
ing about 500 or SIS week for a sea-
son on the road. The members of the
company are fed and housed aboard
during the entire trip, and with no hotel
bills and small salaries to pay, the man.
ayers find the private-car scheme a very
profitable one As to transportation,
charges, the railroads give low theat-
rical rate and an additional reduction
to the companies having their own cars,
SO instead of being more expensive it
is really much cheaper to travel in this
way
DO many rich men now own their
private cars?" was asked the second
hand car dealer.
"Oh, yes. far more than you would
think; only l rent many more than /
sell. Private cars for pleasure travelling
are fitted UP more handsomely than the
theatrical cars, and there is quite brisk
rental dmand for thin, but not for pur-
chase, because generally the man with |
$1,000 or $4,000 to spend would rather
have his car built to order, which he
can easily do for that amount of money. |
Private-car travelling is more expensive |
than the ordinary way unless a man has
eight or ten in his family, in which case
it is really cheaper for him to hire a
whole car, though very few seem to
realize this At any rate the custom is
growing, and, after awhile, / expect to
see rich men thinking no more of own
ing private car than steam yacht
Ney York Post.