"We never get in writing on one of these complaints," he says. "We send a man every time to make the matter right, and the man must be a diplomat. He must understand human nature, and so well does he understand it, that he makes the matter right in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred--turns an enemy into a friend, a liability into an asset, makes a firm patron for our road." "Liabilities into assets!" That then is the work of the general passenger agent and his remarkable department. "Liabilities into assets!" In these days of cold judgments upon the managements of the big railroad properties, such a man is worth his weight in gold to a big system. He measures his worth in the assets that he brings to it. CHAPTER XVIII THE LUXURY OF MODERN RAILROAD TRAVEL SPECIAL TRAINS PROVIDED--PRIVATE CARS--SPECIALS FOR ACTORS, ACTRESSES, AND MUSICIANS--CRUDE COACHES ON EARLY RAILROADS--LUXURIOUS OLD-TIME SLEEPING-CARS--PULLMAN'S SLEEPERS MADE AT FIRST FROM OLD COACHES--HIS PIONEER--THE FIRST DINING-CARS--THE PRESENT-DAY DINING-CARS--DINNERS, TABLE D' HÔTE AND A LA CARTE--CAFÉ-CARS--BUFFET-CARS--CARE FOR THE COMFORT OF WOMEN. If a man stops you in Nassau Street, New York, in the late afternoon, and you miss your favorite eighteen-hour train; if it is imperative that you be in Chicago the next morning at ten o'clock, and (this a most important "if") if you are willing to spend your money pretty freely, the railroad will accomplish it for you. If you are well known, and your credit accomplished with the railroad folks, it is highly probable that you will find your special, ready to accomplish an over-night run of nearly 1,000 miles, standing waiting in the train-shed when you hurry to the station. Even if your credit is not so established, the sight of several thousand dollars in greenbacks will accomplish the trick for you. The train will be ready in any event almost as soon as you. If you are planning a novel outing, you may ring for a railroad representative and he will bring to your house or to your office tickets on any train and to any part of the world, or he will be prepared to arrange a special train for a night's run or for a three months' swing around the country. Your train may be of any length you desire and are willing to pay for. You can hire a car and it will be handled either as regular express trains or with special engines. You pay the bills and you have your choice.