Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-10-16
AMERICAN hotels ARE HIGH.
Sundry Pafec.iors by an Erglislmsn
4 Who Has Circlcd tho Globe.

IN Germauys says an English traveller.
The most comfortable of the worlds
steamers are those Under the German
tlag. Railway travel in the United
suites, proportionately to the immense
distances covered Is very we'll up-to-
date liz convenience and consideration
Of the passenger and American hotels
would deserve 4 vcry high need OF
praise were :hey not SO terribly eX-
pensirt
For the excellence of their accom-
moda lion and their food Pre- badly the
hotels of France. Germany, Austria
and Holland should be bracketed to-
gethcl as being tho cheapest in tile
world. the opposite pole to the Costi-
ness of hotel life in the United States.
The only fault in British inns and ho-
tells lies ia the food. In the simplest
of these, in remote country places,
the food IS at any rate wholesome,
though sinple-just plain meat, a few
Very plain vegetables, tarts and pud-
6ings
But the average hotel, in contrast
10 the inn, supplies a meal that Is not
always wholesome and is generally in
sipid because its conlponents are va
rious preserved FOODS or things out of
TINS and bottles for substances that
have laid SO long on ice that they havo
lost all flavor. or are preserved from
decay hy beracic acid. If the typical
railway hotel would apply itself to
furnishing quite simple mcals OF fresh
home produced vegetables meat, fish.
fruits and pastry. IL would attract and
satisfy much larger clientele.
Both in France and in Germany no.
tel pfoprietors are beginning - real
lie that not all or even many. guests
desire, except on extraordinary occa-
sions. meals OF many courses They
have grown tp tolerate guests who will
lunch or dine of bowl Of good boui-
lion, followed by vegetables. frmt and
Pastry. or At any rate require bat ono
meat dish. net toe complicated In It's
cooking,
cannot help thinking that il 4
congress OF tourist agencies trallwa.
and steamship companies represcntedD
We're called, something might be done
all over the world to remove the pct
h AMI atoidable discomfeg's lhe
sean.X tside-of travel ana hrlag not
only TO those who are wealthy. but to
those who are not. the chance Of find
Ing In travel and change OF air i rem
edy for many ills--of tho mind ~ OF
the body. Most Of US do not want to
be personally conducted. to he dry
nursed by an obsequious courier or led
about like a groWnup school with to-
tai strangers of facilc acquaintance
snip.
We prefer solitude run II leu&.
on n trois-and separate tahlns: NC
IKE such isolation in steamer. Jour-
heys as YOU get in the hamburg Am
fikd, the austrian Lloyd. or The Roy
nj Mall; ana no. the Yacht cruises
wheraon cvera sA4d, of privae" AMI
rrstful reserve Is torn from you. We
If may speak for kindred souls
gratefully acknowledged that tn con-
ditions Of life on the French an ital-
ian Ri8i.ras are all that the mast eN-
aggerated posters makes them out Ia
be. climate on the whole very good
railway arrangements Of tho Nard and
I. l. N. excellent. f1otvh5 cheap for thu
sound comfort Or luxury they provide.
scenery Inatehloss. But often the good
wrought by the stay on the Cote d'Az-
ur is undonc by the cXpcricnc. be-
tween Calais and Gharing Cross
1t is some years since / made use Of
the Brighton line InE- reaching Paris.
used at one tine, TO travel frequently
by this way, and liked it. But 1
changed my mind a few years ago. as
In certain ways ] did not find the
channel steamers comfortable and,
above all, after landing at Dicppe it
was difficult to keep ones seat I'm the
train except by sitting III II. and as
thus precluded the Willing away Of an
hours waiting by taking refresh
ments or walking about. It made the
Journey tedious.
Again. the St Lazarc terminus at
Paris of the state Western railways
49, or was. badly supplied with cabs
l have several times arrived there and
had to wait half an hour while a cab
was being specially fetched from out
side the station. Then again, the ac-
commodation aud the arrangements.
of the station at the st. Lazare
for the customs examinations are
far less pleasant and convenient than
they are at the Northern station.
Why cannot all railway companies
throughout the civilized world follow
the example of Germany. and arrange
that passengers on arrival shall be
handed a metal ticket with the mum
Der of cab or motor. which Is un-
ehangeably assigned TO them and
must wait for them TIL their luggage
Is ready to leave the station? Such a
convenience in Germany greatly assists
nervous and fidgety people AT most
OF the London railway termini at the
present Gay 1t Is almost due to per-
sonal favor ON the part of the porter
that one succeeds In getting a motor
cab at all.
Marseilles is a most ll-equipped
port in this respect. There are plenty
of motor cabs in this town, but they
are, | am told, afraid to approach
the quays where the steamers disem-
bark their passengers, and such pas
sengers landing at Marselles from va
rious parts of the world. though they
may by telegraphing beforehand get
an omnibus from the station tbut this
is an appeal not infrequently ignored).
can only get away from the waterside
TO the inconvenienuy placed railway
station in the most lulnble-down, mis-
cradle little yictoriaS to be found any,