The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-29

pie. The outside doors were not locked.
On our train the guard or the brake
man went with us. but. as rule,
neither conductor. nor guards. nor any
tralnmen, were seen by us except at the
stations. The general system was one
of station conductors who came along
the platform to examine our tickets as
the train passed.
Our commandments were marked first
class, but the accOmrnO datiOnS were no
better than those marked third class.
which we occupied later in going from
London to Edinburgh. About the only
d1frerence we could distinguish was IN
the nature of the upholStering the first
class being in leather and the third
class in tapestry. In some instances
we observed that the seats for both
classes were in tapestry, but one of
brown and the other of red.
There is lack of uniformity about
the different class compartments on the
several railways in England. On GER
tain trains we found no second class
accommodations and upon others the
third better than the second. 1t is said
that the abolition of the second class
as a rule on the British railways was
brought about by custom which the
royalty followed of taking the first class
for themselves and giving the second
class to their servants. The well-to-do
people, not caring to ride with the maids
and Wallets of the rich. took to the
third class which brought the latter to
a standard practically equal to the
first.
There are some rules about English
railways which are hard to understand
and one of these is the enormous differ
ence in the tickets. almost double, be-
tween the third and the next higher
class, the first, with little perceptible
difference in the actual comforts, but
with this provision that no one can ride
in a sleeping car without possessing
first class ticket in addition to paying
q c10 60 f-fo Of
three hundred miles this difference III
price, merely to secure a nights ride,
amounted to thirty dollars for three
people. We Travelled by day.
Our dining car was also used as
coach. An Indifferent meal was served,
with good mutton. poor dessert; the pay
three shillings, that is, seventy-1ve
cents and an additional sixpence, or
twelve cents. for coffee. The service and
food did not compare with that given
American travellers by Fred Harvey.
1 was strongly impressed with the
substantial structure and character of
everything pertaining to railroad:
roadbed, entertainments, cuts, bridges
and enclosures. The track. of course.
was thoroughly ballasted: the rails set
upon chairs about an inch above the
ties. The block system of signals was
in vogue as upon American railroads
The right of way was fenced by neat
ly trimmed hedges in Southern Eng
land and in Northern England and
Scotland by dressed stone fences laid
up in cement.
the cutters at the base paved with
stone. There were no grade crossings
of either railways or highways. The
tracks and driveways ran either under
or over and the bridges and viaducts
were invariably of stone arches. Where
the country was level long incline on
either side led up to and over the
arches spanning the track.
We reached London, Paddington Sta
ton, about o'clock in the afternoon,
five hours ride from Plymouth Here
picked out our trunk. no checks. and
a youg man (sixpence) carried it over
to cab which l had engaged to drive
us with all of our belongings. includ-
ing the trunk. to the Hotel Cecil. two
or three miles distant. For this the
charge was only three shiIlings. rs
cents. to which i added a tip of four
cents. and the, cabman's hand went to
his cap as he left us at the hotel.
The Cecil is large hotel on the
banks of the Thames, between the
Westminster and Waterloo bridges.
Although not equal to the Waldorf, in
New York. it was first class in all re-
spects and quite satisfactory. Indeed
there was little difference in the way
of customs and charges than at the
good American hotels.
We were assigned a beautiful, large.
double. outside room on the fourth
floor, for which the charge was four
teen shillings. $3.50, including light and
attendance: meals extra, of course.
Here breakfasts were of the type found
everywhere we went in Great Britain
and on the continent, namely, coffee,
bread and butter and jam or honey.
nothing more; and the price was two
shillings. so cents. The addition of eggs
or meat and a cereal that would make
what is kOwn in the limited States as
light breakfast was somewhat expen-
SiV0
After the first evening meal in the
grill room / noticed an item which is
familiar to those who go abroad, name
~, a charge for convert. one shilling
and sixpence- AS we had not ordered
CONVERT and could not remember
eating anything which came under that
name. 1 was at first disposed to ask
an explanation from the waiter but it
suddenly flashed over me that the
word meant cover and was a term
which stood for table money and COW
cred the plate and napkin and
bread and butter. In connection
with the meals which we afterwards
took in the hotel this is the only
instance in which a charge was made
for covert. which led me to think that
the regular guests of the hotel Sc
cured their bread and butter and knife
and fork without specific charges, al
though they undoubtedly paid for these
under the other items.
We soon learned that the economical
way to eat was in the restaurants
apart from the hotels. We frequently
patronized those called the Lyons
Cafes" which were to be found every
where in London. a few blocks apart
where the food was good. well cooked,
and the charges moderate. Here quite
good lunch could always be secured
for shilling each and a satisfactory
evening dinner for two shillings, or a
trifie more.
At these restaurants gratuities were
prohibited, a provision which apparent
ly placed the waiter on higher and
more independent scale of society and
saved the small change of the guest
We discovered an excellent place near
the hotel, called the American Restau-
rant" 1t was always well filed with
ladies and gentlemen. The cafe occupied