THE PULLMAN CAR.

North Otago Times, 2 December 1911, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE PULLMAN CAR.

ITS RISE AND PROGRESS, In the year 1854 a Mr, Theodore Woodruff conceived the idea of fitting up an American car with sleeping accommodation, by means of bunks arranged in tiers, steamboat fashion. Two years later he. was allowed to place such a car in Bcrvlce between Albany and Buffalo. Woodruff personally managed the car, charging each passenger 50 cents, for Its use, but he himself had to pay full fare while conducting, In 1858 Mr. George Mortimer Pullman joined the train to which this "sleeper" was attached, and decided to test the new form of luiury by passing the night in a berth, Ho was tossed about in a manner ndt very conductive to the "folding of the hands to sleep," and he turn:d out before daylight and took refuge upon a seat at the end of the car. He now began to ponder upon the subject, and before tbe journey ended he had conceived a. notion that, in a country of magnificent distances like the United States a great boon could be offered to travellers by the construction of canj easily convertible into comfortable and convenient day and night coaches. In 1864 Mr. Pullman perfected his plans for a car which was to be a marked and, radical departure from any one over before attempted, and that year invested his capital in the construction of what may bo called the father of the Pullman cars,

He built it at Chicago at a cost of £36oo—hitherto no car had exceeded £BOO in cost-and named it the "Pioncer," It was known to him that tbe dimensions of the bridges and station platforms would not admit of its passing over the line, but he was singularly confident in the belief that an attractive car would find its way into service against all obstacles, In the spring of 1865 the "Pioneer" was requisitioned to convey (he body of President Lincoln from Chicago to Springfield, and thereafter the line was in a condition to put the car into service). In 1867' Mr. Pullman formed the Pnllmnn Oar Company, and devoted it to building up a system by which passengers could be carried in luxurl-. ous vehicles, adequate' to the wants of day or night travel, and in which meals could be served en route.

Both the travelling public and the railways wefo prompt to avail themselves ot its' advantages.-"Globe."