Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-01-17


work for a living. There are few We
hicles drawn by horses. All transpor-
tation is by taxi; and every taxi is
new and luxurious. They are coupeS
and comfortably accommodate five or
binary persons, or four heavyWeights.
They are driven at reasonable speed,
about IS miles an hour. To carry five
passengers to any single point, the
highest charge made me so far has
been 20 ore, which is equivalent to 81
cents in Rock Island money. l am
not yet ION" to the system for the
charge has been the same when there
were three as when there are seven
passengers.
The street cars would make John
Huntoon throw fit. | rode in one Of
their best today Hereafter the Tri-
City Railway company can run any
kind of car they own on the Long
View" branch. 1t is a palace COM
pared with their best over here But
the management of the Tri-City might
throw two fits if forced to operate
| their Pullman cars for the prices
cents in our money, and the conductor
is obliged to give every passenger a
receipt for his fare. Imagine the con-
ductor would prefer pulling the bell.
Transportation Inadequate.
While on the subject OF transporta-
ton it might be interesting to read
that the railways are worse than the
street car system. Compartment cars
are the rule in the class of cars in
which we are being transported. There
are no pOrters on the trains; simply
guards on the platform at the stations.
On the 350-mile ride from Christiania
to Stockholm, it was not possible TO
wash ones hands unless resort was
made TO the water bottle, which, in a
I compartment for six, contained quart
of water. There was only one toilet
to each car, and this had to serve both
men and women. To save embarrass-
ment, it was necessary to watch the
signal, which could not be relied upon
If the occupant of the little closet for
got to throw over the inside bolt
/ The compartments were equipped
with electric light fixtures, but were
lighted by kerosene lamps. ! am not
exact in this statement. The compart
ment in which six of US suffered fol
20 hours was lighted until the light
was most needed, then the oil hat
burned out of the lamp and we had tC
appeal to the smokers for matches with
which to find our luggage.
The dining car on our special was
crude in its furnishings, but the menu
was excellent. A woman did the cook
ing in a primitive kitchen, but buffers
in full dress uniform served.
Telegraph service is so poor it is
hard to run a train off the regular
schedule. The special train repeated
ly ran by stations, often having tt
back up for miles when it met the
regular" which also had gotten of
schedule because of three feet of snow
which covers the ground
1t took our train 20 hours to cover
$50 miles, where the regular schedul.
is II hours. The fare is the same al
one cent mile in our money for frs
class compartment. This designation
when compared to American railwa,
travelling, is used for descriptive pur
poses only. Second class Is about hal
this fare; third class still lower.
On the railways there is the sam.
lack OF soap found even in the bes
hotels here. Soap is an extra.
Luxurious Hotels.
The rooms in hotels are luxuriousl,
furnished as to furniture, rugs AM
bedding. IN many there is steam heat
electric lights, hot and cold water, ant
an abundance of towels of finest mate
rails, but there is no such thing as get
| ting room with private bath, and t,
secure tub" with water hot enough
to be comfortable, is as difficult as i
is to secure anything suitable TO
breakfast for a real live man who ha
been so foolish as to form the habit o
eating before 1880 p. m.
Because of Christmas services hell
yesterday at 500 a. m, and the ad
monition that since ii was given Il
honor of the expedition, every pilgrim
must be in the theatre at least on
minute before the stated hour, l or
| dered breakfast served for four a
| 700. We were On time only to fin
a dark dining room and an APOLOGIZE
butler In just one minute should W