To follow further the rapid development of the railroad in America would require many volumes. As the canal building fever had seized the fancy of the American public in preceding years, so a similar enthusiasm was instantly kindled in the new railroad, and railroad travel became immediately the most popular diversion. In a relatively few years a web of track carried the smoking locomotive and its rumbling train of cars throughout the country. Crude, and lacking almost every convenience of the passenger coach of the present day, the early railway carriage served fully its new-born function. To the latter half of the century was reserved the development of those refinements which have rendered travel safe and comfortable, and the perfecting of those vast organizations that have placed in American hands the railroad supremacy of the world. CHAPTER II THE EVOLUTION OF THE SLEEPING CAR The history of improved railway travel may be said to date from the year 1836, when the first sleeping car was offered to the traveling public. In the years which followed the actual inception of the railroad in the United States, railway travel was fraught with discomfort and inconvenience beyond the realization of the present day. Travel by canal boat had at least offered a relative degree of comfort, for here comfortable berths in airy cabins were provided as well as good meals and entertainment, but the locomotive, by its greatly increased speed over the plodding train of tow mules, instantly commanded the situation, and as the mileage of the pioneer roads increased, travel by boat proportionately languished. The first passenger cars were little better than boxes mounted on wheels. Over the uneven track the locomotive dragged its string of little coaches, each smaller than the average street car of today. From the engine a pall of suffocating smoke and glowing sparks swept back on the partially protected passengers. Herded like cattle they settled themselves as comfortably as possible on the stiff-backed, narrow benches. The cars were narrow and scant head clearance was afforded by the low, flat roof. From the dirt roadbed a cloud of dust blew in through open windows, in summer mingled with the wood smoke from the engine. In winter, a wood stove vitiated the air. Screens there were none. By night the dim light from flaring candles barely illuminated the cars. [Illustration: _Car in use in 1844 on the Michigan Central Railroad. Interesting as showing the rapid improvement in passenger coaches and how soon they approached the modern type of car in general appearance._]