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Show THE FIRST DINING CAR. Said to Have llean Iinprnvltefl from an Ordinary Day L'uach. A (Trent tlcnl of illsputo has nrlsoii nt dliTcrcnt times concerning the flrnt iIIiiIdiT cant, ami when they were lint used anil on wliatroads.JTha I'lttaburKli I'ost nlvci the following no hnvlnff been derived from a man who Is represented ni a well known electrician and elirtnUt, hut whose nntno, unfortunately, unfortunate-ly, Is not fflvcn: "Tho first dlnlnir cars run In this country, or any other for that matter, were run between New York ud Clil cngovintho Northern Central, drum! Trunk and Michigan Central In tho year 1653. Tho ofllcers of thcao different differ-ent companies met In New York In tho aprlntf of thnt year, and among other things discussed was tho feasibility at running a dining car over tho connecting con-necting lines, especially on one train then known aa the 'llghtnlngcxprcan,' which ran between New York and Chi en go. Trains as font as this one wcro compelled to make two stops for meaU while making thu run ono at Marshall's, Mar-shall's, tho other at Jnckson, twenty minutes for each meal, making forty ono minutes of valuable tlmo lost. "After dlscttMlng tho question for some tlmo It was finally decided to try It. Tho teats wcro taken out nf an ordinary or-dinary coach and tables were put nlong cither bide, with stools fastened to tho lloor, giving It thu nppearnnce of u. restaurant. The rear half of tlio' Imggago car was fitted up to answer the purpose of a kitchen, and tlicro tho eooklng was done. Some troublo was experienced In bringing the food from onu car to the other, and when crossing tho platform tho cinders would rain down on tho head of tho waiter and Into thu dlshon he was carrying. Sometimes Some-times tho waiter In trying to hurry across thu platform would strike tho sldu of the door with his tray, spilling tho dishes and narrowly nvertrug fall Ing from the train himself. Tho first nilvnnccmcnt was mado In tho natters, tho company after awhile being very particular lo get thosu of a. certain color, nil of about one slzo aud good looking. The car was a success from tho r.tnrt, tho meals being fifty cents each." "Tho gentleman who recnlled tho foregoing was nt that time," the l'ost hays, "dining car conductor ouoneol these cars." |
