Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-18
Speed and Excess Baggage Charges

In Germany and other parts OF Europe
only fifty-six pounds of baggage is allowed
on any first or second-class ticket. and on
many roads only twenty-five pounds, while
In the United States every passenger has
right to carry 150 pounds. This Is a very
important consideration, because no Ameri-
can will ever travel any distance without
his trunk, and the charges for extra bag
gage for the ordinary American lady tray-
eler are often equal to the price of her TIC
ket.
1t Is the habit also on the trains de luxe.
which correspond to our limited expresses.
to charge a supplement or extra fare, usu-
ally one-fourth of the regular rate, for
speed" From Paris to Constantinople or
to st. Petersburg or Vienna or Rome this
supplement Is quite an item. The regu-
lar first-class rate from Berlin to Constan-
tinople Is so, and you have got to go first
class If you want to keep your seat or
want a sleeping car. If you try to go sec
ond class you will have to remain in your
compartment all the time. because If you
get out at any station to exercise you are
sure to lose your place, because no seats
are reserved. In addition to the $40, you
are required to pay SIT as speed supple
ment' {although after you pass Budapest
the train never runs faster than twenty
miles hour, and your sleeping-car fare
Is SO more. which makes 1t altogethersyl02
You cannot buy berth In a sleeping car
with a second-class ticket. Therefore the
entire cost of the Journey from Berlin to
Constantinople is slO2, whereas you can 20
from Washington TO New Orleans, which is
about the same distance. for 81. so railway
fare and So for your sleeper.
You can go from Washington to San
Francisco. which Is nearly three times as
far, for SO or $12 less than from Paris or
Berlin to Constantinople.
Comparison With German Rates.
1t should be said. however that the high
rate to Constantinople Is not chargeable TO
the German government. The road passes
through Servia. Bulgaria and Turkey.
where the charges are excessive There
fore 1t Is more fair to compare rates within
the German empire. The distance from
Berlin to Metz, for example Is six miles
farther than from Washington to Boston,
while the f1rst-class rate is $7.22 more. ana
the second-class rate is 1925 more. The
distance from Berlin to Munich is fifty-one
miles less than from Washington TO Boston
and yet the 1rst-class fare is S342 more
ana second-class fare is only 20 cents less
The mileage from Washington to Chicago
IS considerably greater than from Berlin
20 Paris; the time required for the journey
Is about the same-twenty-four hours The
second-class rate Is about the same The
distances from Washington to Cincinnati
ana from Berlin to St Petersburg are about
the same but the fare Is very much higher
In Europe. That. however, is due to the Rus
sian and not to the German government.
Railway rates In Russia are higher than
In any other part of Europe although the
accommodations are altogether the best
There Is seldom an accident and the trains
are almost invariably ON time. Under the
management of Mr.. Hilikoff, the Russian
minister of communications, who. by the
way, obtained his professional education
on the Pennsylvania railroad, the Russian
service Is almost perfect.
Several things must be taken into con-
sideration In the comparisons above sug-
gested. Between 65 and 20 per cent of the
passengers in Germany travel third and
fourth-cIass. Between 20 and % per cent
second-c1ass, and only about 3 per cent
drst-class. The local trains carry very
much larger proportion of the passenger
traffic than the express trains. Most of the
travellers go only short distances, and the
number of passengers carried one mile Is
greater in Germany than In any other
country except Belgium. The population Is
very dense. In Europe there Is only 45
miles of railway for every 10000 OF the
population, while in the United States we
have 259 miles for every 10000. That Is.
every 10000 Of our population are compelled
to maintain nearly thirty miles OF railway.
while in Europe they are required to sup
port only four and one-half miles.
Comparison Of Revenues
notwithstanding these facts and the high
rates charged for frst-class the revenue Of
the European roads from passengers is
considerably less than in the United States.
The following table shows the average re-