THROUGH THE UNITED STATES

Evening Star, Issue 18336, 25 July 1923, Page 8

THROUGH THE UNITED STATES

RAILROAD TRAVELLING.

GRAND CANYON OF ARIZONA. [Written by Ernkst 0. Nees, for tlio ‘ Evening Star.’] In mv last article I gave my impressions of the beautiful city of Los Angeles; and now I have just finished (except for a break of ten hours) a railway journey of five days and four nights on the Sanle Pc Company’s express passenger train (the California Limited). I. did not originally intend to travel this* way, as my idea was to stay over fur a, couple of days in Salt Lake City (the homo or Mormonism) ; but I was persuaded that there was nothing really outstanding in Salt Lake Lily, and it would be a pity to miss the sights of Hie Grand; Canyons. 'I he cost of travelling in an ordinary first class seat _is about £1 per 100 miles; but there is still a more expensive way if you reserve a- compartment of a drawing room. This charge is not so bad. but it is rubbing it in when they charge you an extra £2 per night for your sleeper. This is a bed: made up from your seat and the seat opposite, and the occupant oi the other seat lias his (or her) berth above you, as they swing a bed from the root, the charge for the upper berth being only about 5s cheaper. I hey make no distinctions in regard to separating the sexes in the sleepers. You just get into your bed behind the curtains, and imcress and dress as best you can. Uf course, tbey_ undoubtedly try to male© you as comfortable as possible, and in so doing are not afraid to charge yon. There is a negro porter in charge of each Bull man car, who makes up tlio beds and attends generally to keeping the car dean. In regard to these porters, I must say that the American is an easily-satisfied person, as a more autocratic, disobliging body of men it would bo pretty hard to find. One would naturally think, in this land of tips, that trey would be exactly the opposite; but my experience for five days was conclusive. I had an extremely unpleasant experience at a town called Newtown, where, according to tlio time-table, we were to stay ten minutes. Accompanied by an Englishman, an Australian, and another Now Zealander, 1 alighted and went into the refreshment booth for a cup of collcc. Wo were not, live minutes away from, the train when a, gentleman passing through the booth asked ns if we were passengers on the California Limited express. We replied, Yes. when he. calmly informed ns that she had received the signal to start. Wo left our coffee, only to see that she was already under way. Enrtunatel.v one of the railway track bands saw our plight, jumped aboard while she was going, and pulled the alarm cord, and wo were a, sorry-looking lot when we bad finished running and were helped aboard. Now, this negro porter in charge of our ear knew wc were not aboard, and lie also knew wo were late in arriving at Newtown (a fact wo were not aware oil, as you have to change your watch every day ; but wc had not been told bow much to put it on that day. There is no indication given when a train is ready to leave —■ no bell or the like. 'They simply say

“All aboard/’ ami in a lew seconds slic is a wav.

The astute railway company sees that you do not get much chance to have anything at the refreshment booths while they have n dining ear service on I lie train. One of the principal objections to the dining car is the evening meal at 6 o'clock, at 'which you have no choice of an a la carte meal, but have tt>- sit down to a. table d’hote dinner, a meal flint is practically impossible to cal, .lacking exercise. There is a set charge—vi/., 7s 6d (ami a tip on (op of this to Iho nigger waiter), so that even if you had only a little sou)), fruit, and. a cup of tea., you would pay just the same. You never sit in the same scat twice it they can avoid- it. Every waiter has his turn at you. Savvy? After travelling a day and -a. night from Los Angeles you reach the t'anyons in time to' have'a table, d'hote breakfast at Iho Canyon Hotel (managed by the caterer of the dining car on the train) : again--7s 6d. The Grand Canyon is a series ot tremendous chasms 6,000(1 in depth, probably caused by volcanic eruption. -I he color effects in the various chasms are indeed wonderful, but outside of this I. failed to see anything to rave about. It is hilled by the advertising specialists of the Saute Fe Bailway Company as a. resort in which the visitor could easily stay for weeks instead of clays; hut personally my visit of one day was sullicic-iil. 1 was also very disappointed in the country through which the. train passed. The majority of it is practically deserl. ket the guide book tells you that the desert has a fascination for you that the s-ea has for the mariner. Well, that sort, of stuff might be swallowed by the American, but I am afraid a New Zealander would not want a second dose.

In previous articles I have given you my impressions of the American character, and 1 have come to the conclusion that there is still -another side, and that is that while, on the one hand, h-e is all life to get the dollars, yet, on the other hand, lie ia the most gullible person you can meet ; and lie will pay through the. nose for his pleasures (although he is aware that he is being exploited) without a murmur. There is no doubt he is a- great spender. Why on earth they adopted such sayings us “ Veeow,” “Ya,” “ Vay,” for the simple English word ‘‘Ales” it is hard to understand. 1 have never heard the word “Yes ” uttered by an American, and there are many more plain words they have twisted about which do not sound nearly so nice as the plain -English way, 1 wonder what sort of a. job the Americans would make of the scenic beauties of New Zealand! If the Grand Canyons of Arizona arc one of the show places, they would be in their glory extolling the virtues of Rotorua in the North island and Queenstown and the Cold Lakes in the South Island of New Zealand. In my next article I inl-end to_confine myself to a description of what is stated to ho tlio largest, mod- colossal, and remote of access, clinic in the world, with its train of special hospitals—viz., the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota, U.S.A.