New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-21

That the traveller shall be conveyed In sate1g
and with all possible speed to his destination Is
the first duty of every railway. But In the case
of railway that aspires to be an agent Oh 0f@'ei
IN the fullest sense of the word its duty Is nOO
wholly comprised in the mere mechanical trans
rort Of passengers. 1t has also obligations IN Vne
nrovision of travelling comforts en- route, and Oh
tooa and refreshment at the starting-place and
intermediate stations or, in the case OF long OLE
+ance Journeys on the train itself. as DENTS
railway that was first suggested and planned 40
weekly dinners at the Sun Inn at EASTWOOD
where Nottinghsmshire coal owners met 10 COM
bins business and pleasure, the Midland Railway
has AWAY, made an especial study of the refresh
nent and entertainment Of its passengers. as
IL was the first railway seriously to consider the
question Of comfortable carriages, so it was tho
first to improve upon the rough and ready-uhe
often Observation-Disclosures offered to passen-
CARS This department, retained under the
direct management of the Company, has been
developed equally with its passenger traffic. to
which, indeed, it must be accounted q valuable
accessory. The 7a-iety and freshness OF the
food offered make it contrast pleasantly With
the conventional fare for railway travellers.
In the course Of his investigation OF the Midland
system the writer was struck by the excellence
OF the refreshment rooms at even relatively snail
stations, while the dining rooms on the platforms
at Sheffield and Nottingham are In accommodation
and service superior to those Of most hotels
Handsome. private, aud we'll appointed, they
infinitely surpass the ordinary railway dining
rooms known to the writer. Instead Of the Gus
tomary restriction of the traveller TO table
d'h5te meal or cold meats. they permit personal
selection from varied and excellent carte Gsi
iour. while in the wine list the diner finds choice
rintages at prices which put those OF West-end
restaurants to the blush. Attached to these
dining saloons are comfortable smoking rooms
where one may wait at ease for ones train. On 10
other railway has the writer ever encountered
such provisions for the man and the smoker. The
one possible Improvement is the provision OF
writing materials In these smoking rooms, and that
the writer strongly urges upon the Company, for
at railway stations there Is often the time and
the necessity for dealing With ones letters, but
no means Of doing 50. To these comfortable
smoking rooms for men the Company might
well add cosy tea room for ladies. This,
indeed, would be in direct continuation of
the B1idlands policy in bringing IT'S station
refreshment rooms to THAR present refine
ment which enables ladies TO feel quite at home
in them. But since the Company has given man
snugiy-furnished rooms where he may sit and
smoke at his ease, the same provision would be a
graceful concession to ladies, by whom dainty
reeting-place with light refreshments would be
appreciated more than anything else on a Journey.
In this conne1ion IT may be mentioned that the
travelling buffet or tray Of refreshments wheeled
along the platform for the service Of passengers
seated IN the trains was first introduced by the
Midland, to whom the sincere hattery Of imitation
in this as in many things-has been paid by
many railways But In the excellence and fine
cuisine Of the meals served on board its trains the
Midland achieves distinction attempted but not
attained on other lines Travelling by the Mid |
Land to Manchester, Scotland, or elsewhere one
may truly lunch dine on the cars, and there is
difference between that and merely feeding
which needs no insistence. One vital reason for |
terize the refreshment arrangements Of the |
Midland line throughout Is that It is associated
under one head With the management of the Com |
pany's hotels
Serving practically the whole Of England, and |
being enphstically the railway of the great towns
it has been wise feature Of the Midland's policy
to provide not only for the expeditions and COM
Portable transport Of its passengers, but also for
their lodging and entertainment when arrived CT |
their destination In the dignity and grace of its
architecture the Midland Grand Hotel at ST. |
Pancras is the most beautiful hotel in London. |
Is it is also one OF the finest Of modern buildings,
public or private. To compare it with the
nonstrous stolGty and hybrid architecture Of the
new War Ones is to reflect how much better
things are done in England by private enterprisa
than by the State. This pre-eminence from an
artistic standpoint is the Mdland's characteristics
an hotel Il is not railway hotel in the zsosa
OF being merely refuge for stranded passengers.
To these IL offers every convenience and luxurv
of modern hotel, combining as IL does the co-,-
forts desired by the traveller of moderate mean,
with the utmost requirements of the wealthy. T
Is one OF the great hotals Of London. It's mbl;.
rooms are surpassed by none; its splendid
restaurant has its complement in the Francb
saloon with Parlsian cudAine of the highest class
either "a carte or pri= E-e, and the orchestra
plays every evening during dnner and Afterwards
IN the Lounge. The st. Pancrzs is also ,ssi-
dsutiai hotel with nne suiten OF rooms which cor,
bine for gentlemen and families the privacy Of n
fat with the perfect service, refinement. and
luxury of Lie in a modern and o--sak h.4y IN, =,