MISCELLANY NO 24
TRAVELLING BY TRAIN PART 5
HOW TO ACT IN
CASES OF THREATENED ACCIDENTS.
Presence of mind
is essentially demanded in all the accidents of life, but in none more so than
accidents by railway. Also, when accidents are imminent, but do not actually
occur, coolness and judgment are necessary. When the train comes to a sudden
standstill at an unaccustomed stopping-place, it is usually a sign that there
is something amiss; but this something may be of very trivial moment. At all
events, do not vex yourself with the idea incessantly that catastrophes are
about to occur, nor pester the guard with questions only to receive ambiguous
and evasive replies. If an absolute stoppage takes place, the best plan is to
quit the carriage, and then whatever may occur you will be safe. In cases where
the carriages are felt to be overturning, there is but one method, and that is
to jump from the upper side as the carriages go over, and in taking this jump
the feet should be placed close together, the arms held close to the side, and
the body inclined forwards.
Many concussions
give no warning of their approach, while others do, the usually premonitory
symptoms being a kind of bouncing or leaping of the train. It is well to know
that the bottom of the carriage is the safest place, and therefore, when a person
has reason to anticipate a concussion, he should, without hesitation, throw
himself on the floor of the carriage. It was by this means that Lord Guillamore
saved his own life and that of his fellow-passengers some years since, when a
concussion took place on one of the Irish railways. His lordship feeling a
shock, which he knew was the forerunner. of a concussion, without more ado,
sprang upon the two persons sitting opposite him, and dragged them with him to
the bottom of the carriage; the astonished persons at first imagined that they
had been set upon by a maniac, and commenced struggling for their liberty, but
in a few seconds they but too well understood the nature of the case; the
concussion came, and-the upper part of the carriage in which Lord Guillamore
and the other two persons were was shattered to pieces, while the floor was
untouched, and thus left them lying in safety; while the other carriages of the
train presented nothing but a ghastly spectacle of dead and wounded. If a
person be buried among the debris of the carriages, and is still in possession
of life and limb, he should endeavour to make his way out of his perilous
position in an upward direction, and in the event of the windows being blocked
up, force a passage in the best manner he can by the aid of a stick or
umbrella. If the accident occur in an open part of the line, a person on
escaping from the carriage should remove himself as far from the scene as
possible, until all immediate danger is over, and he is permitted to return and
assist his fellow-passengers in distress. If the accident occur in a tunnel,
then a person should grope his way along by the side of the wall, feeling with
his hand, and keeping his body as close to the brickwork as possible.
In numerous
cases of concussion, severe and fatal wounds have been caused to the heads of
passengers by the hard, sharp brim of the ordinary hat, which, when impelled
forward, would appear to cut like a knife ; this hint is worth attending to. On
the same principle, it is obvious that the softer the body a person has to
oppose, the greater are his chances of escape, and bearing this in mind, a seat
in a first class carriage, opposite one that is unoccupied, is the safest,
because the body is then opposed to the padded back of the carriage, and, under
these circumstances, seldom sustains serious injury. Although it is perhaps
easier to lay down rules of conduct in such cases than to follow them, yet the
following incident will show that foresight and presence of mind, as in the
case of Lord Guillamore, work to the greatest advantage. In the terrible
accident that occurred on the North London line, at Camden Town, one of the
passengers at the moment of concussion spread out his arms and inclosed with
them as many passengers as he could. A mass being thus welded together offered
substantial resistance to the shock, and the whole of those persons escaped
with only a few slight bruises, while others around them were killed or
severely injured.
Railway
accidents are rendered less terrible by the presence of lamps. On some lines
the second and third classes are unprovided with lamps, but on all lines lamps
are provided for first-class passengers; if, therefore, a person on entering a
carriage find there is no lamp, he should call the attention of the guard to
the omission, and insist on its being rectified previous to starting.
TREATMENT OF
RAILWAY SERVANTS.
At every station
there is an officer, termed a stationmaster, or superintendent, who has under
his control all matters connected with both the passenger and goods traffic at
that particular point of the line. To him all communications should be made in
reference to any special arrangements that a person desires to make. To him,
also, representations should be made of any irregularities, shortcomings, or
neglect on the part of his subordinates.
The porters at
the various stations have to take charge of the luggage of passengers arriving
and departing, and to render such other assistance as may be required. These
porters are usually attired in a suit of dark-coloured corduroy, and will
always be found in and about the station. When a passenger desires to have his
luggage removed or conveyed from one place to another, he has only to mention
his wish to one of these men, and it will be instantly attended to. In order to
insure their prompt attention, care should be taken to address a porter who is
disengaged, not one busied in loading or wheeling baggage, or otherwise
obviously preoccupied.
The guards are
those men who are specially appointed to certain trains, and who have a train
under their charge from the moment it commences taking in its freight of
passengers and luggage, until it arrives and is cleared at the terminus. They
usually wear a uniform of blue or green cloth, and are distinguished by a small
whistle hanging at their breast The guard is the proper person to make
inquiries of respecting the train previous to starting, or to prefer any
complaints to during the journey. In addition to their strictly defined duties,
they will undertake such other little oflices on behalf of passengers or their
friends as will not interfere with the usual routine.
Every railway
servant has a distinctive number affixed either to the collar of his coat or to
his cap, so that when a complaint is made of any of them, this number should be
stated. All representations of misconduct or neglect of duty, which are made in
writing, should bear the name and address of the accuser. An anonymous
communication only serves to raise a. vague kind of prejudice against the accused
person, while it is inoperative in redressing the particular grievance to which
attention is called. While we are on this point we think it right to impress
upon the railway traveller how essential it is that he should be not only
charitable but circumspect in preferring complaints. Some persons are exacting,
and require too much to be done; others are hasty, and demand prompt attention
to their desires; others again are captious, and imagine rudeness and
incivility where none has been intended. Added to these special fault-finders,
there are a number of grumblers and objectors who are continually giving vent
to incoherent utterances depreciatory of all persons and all things. As a rule,
the various railway employés are civil, intelligent, and obliging, and in this
spirit any request courteously and distinctly made will be duly responded to.
All railway servants are strictly prohibited from taking any fee or reward, and
persons who act in contravention of this wholesome regulation lay the
foundation of an incalculable amount of mischief. Another foolish custom is the
treating the guards with drink while on the journey; this is usually done, from
ostentatious motives, by those who consider it a fine thing to take railway
guards under their patronage in the matter of brandy-and-water. To such a
mischievous extent was this pernicious custom carried on a certain railway,
that a terrible accident was clearly traceable to the inebriety of the person
in charge of the train, and the inebriety was occasioned by drink with which he
had been plied by some of the passengers in the course of the journey.
ECONOMY IN COMPANIONSHIP.
Individual
charges are considerably lessened when they are divided between two or more
persons. A cab or fly for two is little more expensive than for one. The same
candles and firing will equally as well serve a company as a solitary
individual. Two persons may call for a pint of wine between them at an hotel
without being considered mean; whereas one person ordering half a pint would be
regarded as stingy. A double-bedded room is much cheaper in proportion than two
single ones, especially if accommodation be scarce; and so on through the whole
catalogue of travelling charges. From these remarks it is obvious, that, where
practicable, it is not only a great saving, but considerably more pleasant to
travel in company than alone. But companions are sometimes not readymade. We
saw an advertisement in the Times a short time since, where a gentleman
advertised for another to accompany him to the Continent, on the share and
share alike principle. And although we do not counsel the cultivation of
acquaintanceship with strangers except with the utmost discretion, yet, from a
casual meeting on the road, many companionships are undoubtedly formed which prove
mutually advantageous and economical.
TREATMENT OF
UNPLEASANT TRAVELLING-
COMPANIONS.
Railway
travellers are occasionally thrown into company with persons who know not how
to behave themselves, or rather those who consider it the height of manliness
and propriety to insult inoffensive and quietly-disposed passengers. These
monsters are especially fond of molesting females, well-knowing that for the
time being the unfortunate objects of their persecution are in their absolute
power. A few words decidedly and firmly addressed to such individuals will
sometimes have the desired effect, but this only seldom. Another method is to
lodge a complaint to the guard, and insist on the offender being removed; but
inasmuch as the officials frequently exhibit great tenderness on behalf of the
culprit, and are apt to imagine that the other passengers are over-squeamish,
the guard usually contents himself with administering a few words of mild
reproof, without attempting removal. A case of this kind once occurred on the Eastern
Counties line. A big hulking fellow, with bully written on his face, took his
seat in a second class carriage, and forthwith commenced insulting everybody by
his words and gestures. He was asked to desist, but only responded with
language more abusive. The guard was then appealed to, who told him to mind
what he was about, shut the door, and cried, “all right.” Thus encouraged, the
miscreant continued his disgraceful conduct, and became every moment more
outrageous. Filling one part of the
carriage there were four farmers sitting who all came from the same
neighbourhood, and to whom every part along the line was well known. One of
these wrote on a slip of paper these words, “Let us souse him in Chuckley
Slough.” This paper was handed from one to the other, and each nodded assent.
Now, Chuckley Slough was a pond near one of the railway stations, not very
deep, but the waters of which were black, muddy, and somewhat repellent to the
olfactory nerves. The station was neared and arrived at; in the meantime Bully’s
conduct became worse and worse. As they emerged from the station, one of the
farmers aforesaid said to the fellow, “Now, will you be quiet?” “ No, I won’t,”
was the answer. “ You won’t, won’t you ?” asked a second farmer. “ You are
determined you won’t ?” inquired a third. “ You are certain you won’t ?” asked
the fourth. To all of which queries the response was in negatives, with certain
inelegant expletives added thereto. “Then,” said the four farmers speaking as one
man, and rising in a body, “out you go.” So saying, they seized the giant frame
of the wretch, who struggled hard to escape but to no purpose; they forced him
to the window, and while the train was still travelling at a slow pace, and
Chuckley Slough appeared to view, they without more ado thrust the huge carcass
through the window, and propelling it forward with some force, landed it
exactly in the centre of the black filthy slough. The mingled cries and oaths
of the man were something fearful to hear; his attempts at extrication and
incessant slipping still deeper in the mire, something ludicrous to witness;
all the passengers watched him with feelings of gratified revenge, and the last
that was seen of him was a huge black mass, having no traces of humanity about
it, crawling up the bank in a state of utter prostration. In this instance the
remedy was rather a violent one; but less active measures had been found to
fail, and there can be little doubt that this man took care ever afterwards not
to run the risk of a similar punishment by indulging in conduct of a like
nature.
On starting for
a journey, do not enter a carriage where you observe rough and noisy company,
and if you are already seated, and a disorderly character attempts to enter,
try to keep him out. There are other passengers who are not absolutely
offensive, and yet disagreeable to travel with. There is the fidgety traveller,
who is continually shifting his body into every variety of position, and shuffling
about his legs and feet without the slightest regard for the legs and feet of
other people. The best plan is to remove from the vicinity of such irritating
persons. Or if you cannot do that, a slightly angular projection of the knee or
elbow may have a quieting effect. There is the inquisitive passenger, who
wishes to know more respecting yourself than you care to reveal to a stranger.
When you recognize such an individual, take up a book or newspaper, and
commence an attentive perusal of it. If this will not answer the purpose, go
off into a sound sleep, and respond to his interrogations by a loud snore. Then
there is the prosy traveller, who inflicts upon you a series of narratives of
most immaterial and inconsequential incidents which are neither interesting,
amusing, nor enlightening; to such twaddlers you may appear to be attentively
listening - that is all they require - while
in reality your mind is busily occupied with affairs of real moment and
interest. There is the staring traveller, who, in the rudest manner possible,
deliberately fixes his eye upon you, and never removes it until he has scanned
your person, features, and costume to his entire satisfaction. We said never
removes his eye, but that is the case with timid persons and those of the
softer sex, who feel abashed under the circumstances, and let fall their
eyelids. The way to meet this piece of insolence and vulgarity is to return
stare for stare, to fix your eye upon the offender at the same moment and in
the same manner that he fixes it on you, and, our word for it, he will feel the
reproot' and withdraw from the contest. There are other classes of unpleasant
travelling companions whose bare mention would only tend to needlessly burden
these pages. Of whatever kind and degree, avoid them altogether if you can; if
that be not possible, quit their company at the first opportunity; and if this
be impracticable, bring your ingenuity and philosophy to bear to lighten the
infliction.
PECULIAR
REGULATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF VARIOUS RAILWAYS.
French Railways—In
travelling by French railways all luggage has to be surrendered to the
oflicials, and a fee of two sous paid for a ticket, which the holder has to
give up at the end of his journey, to regain possession of his luggage. Sixty
pounds of luggage is allowed free of charge, any excess of weight being charged
for. On alighting from the train, at the end of the journey, the traveller has
to proceed to the platform, where he will discover his luggage among that of others,
he has then to give up his keys to the examining oflicer, and to receive a
permission to pass. The examination of luggage is necessarily tedious and
annoying, and a person wishing to escape it should leave the matter in the
hands of his servant. If, however, you have determined upon staying at any
particular hotel, you may, by pre-arrangement with the hotel-keeper, secure the
services of a confidential person, who will be sent to meet you at the station,
to take charge of your luggage, and bring it on to you at the hotel. If, by
choice or necessity, the examination of the luggage falls personally upon you,
and supposing you to be accompanied by a lady, the best arrangement you can
make is to conduct her to a fiacre
(cab) close by, there to wait until you rejoin her with the luggage.
