Of this road leaves Chicago in the afternoon, and as all first-class
tickets are accepted on this train without extra charge, it is a
favorite with the traveling public. In the season of summer travel, it
is a popular tourists’ train, on account of its timely arrival at
Niagara, allowing the excursionist to spend the entire day at the Falls,
and take the evening train for the St. Lawrence River, which is reached
at Clayton the next morning. From this point, the elegant day boats of
the ST. LAWRENCE STEAMBOAT COMPANY make the trip down the river to
Montreal, _via_ Round Island Park, the celebrated Thousand Islands, the
famous Rapids, and past the most lovely scenery of this beautiful river,
which stoutly contests with the Hudson the claim to the title of the
“Rhine of America.” The entire journey is by daylight, the boats
reaching Montreal at 6 P. M. This trip, which will be more fully
described in its proper place, constitutes one of the delightful
features of the excursion “to the sea,” and has been immensely
popularized by the efforts of the ST. LAWRENCE STEAMBOAT COMPANY, which
is the only line down the St. Lawrence running boats exclusively for
passenger service. It has won its way to the favor of the traveling
public in the two past years of successful operation, being popularly
known as the NEW AMERICAN LINE.
But to return to the point of digression. Leaving Chicago by any of the
express trains of the Michigan Central, the tourist has at his service
all the facilities which make pleasant a journey by rail. The celebrated
Wagner drawing-room and sleeping cars are run through to New York and
Boston without change, dining cars are attached to the trains at
convenient hours for meals, and courteous and attentive conductors,
train men, porters, etc., contribute to the comfort and pleasure of the
traveler as occasion presents for their services.
The ride out of the city and through the suburbs for a considerable
distance is along the shores of Lake Michigan, presenting views of the
lake craft, with their white sails, or clouds of smoke and vapor from
their stacks, as far as the eye can reach. The government pier, with its
protecting wall, stretches along the shore, and in the distance may be
seen the “crib” of the water-works.
On the other hand, the Douglas monument and park present themselves to
view, together with numerous interesting objects peculiar to the suburbs
of a great city, until, increasing its speed, the train passes fairly
into the open country, which is here and there dotted with a suburban
residence, or the buildings of some thrifty farmer, or perchance a
pretty village, whose inhabitants have their business interests in
Chicago, but their homes in the quiet suburbs of the bustling city.
Fifteen miles out, we pass the charming town of PULLMAN, a model
settlement, sometimes called the “magic city,” with its elegant
buildings, all of brick, in the most approved styles of architecture.
Its important industrial enterprises are largely connected with the
interests of travel, comprising the Allen paper car-wheel shops, the
Pullman car manufactory, and various other establishments which
contribute to the prosperity of this flourishing town.
At about this stage of the journey, if on board the Fast Express, or the
later train known as the Atlantic, the tourist is greeted with the
welcome announcement, from a man in white cap and apron, looking as
though he had just stepped in from the Palmer House café,
[Illustration]
“DINNER NOW READY IN THE DINING CAR.”
Among the modern comforts of railway traveling, the dining-car system
takes a prominent place. The hasty scramble for refreshments at a
wayside restaurant, with the constant fear of “getting left,” and a
consequent bolting of half-masticated food, with dyspepsia in its train,
now gives place to a leisurely eaten meal, served in elegant style, with
all the appointments and conveniences that can be suggested by the most
refined taste. The Michigan Central was among the first to adopt this
innovation, and so popular has it become as an adjunct to their already
long list of popular features, that they have recently constructed four
of these elegant hotels upon wheels, and placed them upon their line
between Chicago and Niagara Falls. These dining cars are models of
taste, elegance and convenience, with spacious kitchens, store rooms and
lavatories, large plate-glass windows, folding or opera chairs, and in
fact every convenience that taste and experience could suggest for the
comfort of their patrons.
A glance at the _menu_, which is as complete as that of a first-class
hotel attests the fact that the gratification of its patrons, and not
profit to its treasury, is the first great aim of the company in
operating the dining-car system. Indeed, it may well be questioned how
such elegant meals can be furnished for the sum of seventy-five cents,
when a similar repast at many a hotel in the land would cost from one to
two dollars. Perhaps a solution of the problem may be found in the
remark of a shrewd Yankee, who once sat opposite the writer at table in
one of these cars. He had evidently fasted for many hours previous, as
his voracious appetite clearly indicated. On rising from the table, he
soliloquized thus: “Well, I guess this concern han’t made much out o’ me
this time, but I shall _allus come by this route hereafter_.”
The dining-car system is also in successful operation on the Canada
division of the Michigan Central, the equipments and appointments being
of the same character and completeness. Indeed, so popular has this
feature become, that several other cars are in course of construction to
extend the system in a manner to meet every demand of the public for
accommodation in this direction.
But while we have been thus indulging in reflections on this subject,
the train has been speeding onward, and here we are at MICHIGAN CITY, on
the extreme southern shore of Lake Michigan, and the great lumber port
of Northern Indiana. It is a railroad center of some importance, the
Indianapolis, Peru & Chicago, and Louisville, New Albany & Chicago
Railroads occupying the union depot with the Michigan Central. The
population is about eight thousand, and its principal business interests
are manufacturing and lumber. The view of the city from the car windows
gives a less favorable impression of the place than a closer inspection
entitles it to, the immense sand bluffs and unpretending buildings on
the lake shore being the most conspicuous objects near the track. The
city proper is quite an attractive and pleasant locality. Its chief
hotels are the St. Nicholas, Union and Jewell.
Ten miles further eastward, we reach NEW BUFFALO, the southern terminus
of the Chicago & West Michigan Railroad, which from this point skirts
the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, forming the shore line to Pentwater.
It is a pretty little town of about one thousand inhabitants.
Passing several stations at which the express trains make no stop,
twenty miles further on we reach NILES, a flourishing city of nearly
five thousand inhabitants.
The Michigan Central has a branch road running from this point to South
Bend, and it is also the western terminus of its “Air Line” division,
the other being Jackson. Much of the freight business of the road is
done over this division, relieving the main line for the better
accommodation of its immense passenger traffic. Mercantile and
manufacturing interests occupy the attention of the thriving people of
Niles, a superior water power furnishing excellent facilities for flour
and paper mills and other enterprises, which combine to make this an
important business center. Its leading hotels are the Bond, Pike and
Farler.
At LAWTON, thirty-one miles from Niles, connection is made with the Paw
Paw Railroad for Hartford, Lawrence and Paw Paw. The express trains do
not stop, however, but, hurrying onward, the next important station is
that so well known as the “Big Village.”
KALAMAZOO, with a population of about twelve thousand, and no city
charter, prides itself on being one of the largest villages in America.
Except in its municipality, however, it is, to all intents and purposes,
a city, with its extensive public works, its thriving manufacturing
establishments, and its important railroad interests. The South Haven
division of the Michigan Central extends westward from here to the shore
of Lake Michigan. Intersection is also made with the Grand Rapids &
Indiana Railroad and the Kalamazoo division of the Lake Shore Railway.
The manufacturing and mercantile interests of Kalamazoo are quite
extensive, and it has also acquired no little celebrity as a market for
superior agricultural products. Its leading hotels are the Burdick
House, Kalamazoo House and American House.
BATTLE CREEK, twenty-three miles east of Kalamazoo, is the next
important city on the route, and is one of the most thriving and
enterprising towns in the State. Many of its business interests are on
an extensive scale, notably the manufacture of threshing machinery and
engines, three large establishments being devoted to this industry. On
approaching the city the buildings of the _Review & Herald_ Publishing
establishment are among the first to attract attention, and just before
the train comes to a halt, it passes the shops of the BATTLE CREEK
MACHINERY COMPANY, which are on the left of the track, while the factory
of the UNION SCHOOL FURNITURE COMPANY is nearly opposite, on the right.
The products of the former company are shipped to all parts of the
world, while the “Automatic” school-seat is acquiring a national
reputation as one of the most convenient and unique articles of
furniture ever put in use in a school-room.
The intersection of the Michigan Central, the Chicago & Grand Trunk, and
the Toledo & Milwaukee Railroads, the latter just completed, renders
Battle Creek an important railroad center, and accounts for the rapid
and prosperous growth of the city. This is also the location of the