United States -- Description and travel; United States -- Social life and customs
In England we have first, second, and third class, to suit the means
of passengers. In America some lines have first and second class,
some first and emigrant class, but some again only first! The second
class avails nothing for long distances, inasmuch as you have no room
to lie down, and if you go second, as I said above, you cannot, even
if ready to pay the charge, get a bed in the Pullman car. You are
therefore, unless prepared to go emigrant, practically driven into
the first class. On those lines where there is only first class, you
are, of course, still more helpless, and can simply elect between
rail and any other conveyance. I later bought a ranch in Colorado,
close to a railroad. On that line there was only first class. I there
wrote the following letter to a local newspaper, and I give it here,
as it elucidates much of what I have said.
A RANCHMAN'S PLAINT.
_To the Editor of the_ DAILY GAZETTE.
Sir,--I am an Englishman. I have lately bought a
ranch near a station on the Denver and Rio Grande
Railway. I naturally thought when I did so, that
being near one of the iron roads would be a great
advantage in many ways, but experience has shown
me I was mistaken, inasmuch as the rates for
passengers, goods, and live stock are so high, no
benefit whatever is conferred by the said
railroad.
First, as to the said rates. On all the railroads
I have seen in all the many countries I have
visited, and I have travelled much, there are
different classes for passengers. Here, on this
railroad, there is only one, and that first-class.
Where the justice, nay the policy, of this, even
in the interests of the railroad? Is it fair to
make a poor man travel in a velvet bedecked and
gilded carriage and pay for the same, when economy
being the one important point to him, he would
rather pay less for ruder accommodation? Of course
the only object the railroad directors can have by
this unique and singular arrangement is to
increase the receipts. But does it do so? I say
no; many times no. How empty the carriages are! In
my own case, had there been a cheap class, I
should, since I have been here, have once or twice
a week visited Denver or the Springs. Instead of
perhaps twenty trips, I have made three (my family
none), and the last time there were only two other
passengers with me in the carriage. None of the
ranchmen around use the rail. If they have to go
anywhere on the line they drive, and all say it is
far cheaper to do so and pay livery for the team
than incur such high rates. Is not this an
absurdity? The rate is, I believe, six cents a
mile, which is just about three times that for
the third class in England. A railway should
increase and foster travel. It always does so. No;
one exception: the D. and R. G. Railway does not.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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