The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1883-10-16
A JAPANESE RAILROAD.
A Ride on Japan's Government Rail-
way, the Toxic yokohama
Some Peculinrities of Management
A Peep nj the Passengers
Aboard---Snpanese smok-
Ing

wny) Is now nearly deserted on account Of the
Toxic okohama railroad. Close to Yoke
hama is n small town called Ranagawa, and
from this place the pilgrims now
their tramp. Kanagawa is about eighteen
miles from Toxic, and third class passengers
can ride there for about 20 cents, certainly
mich cheaper than an eighteen-mile walk
with the cost of q lunch.
The Toxic Yokohama railroad is a govern
ment affair, as everything else is here. Al
though it cripples individual enterprises, it
secures the success of a thing to have the
government control 1t. The railroad and the
telegraph systems are very satisfactory, and
the postal system is just about perfect.
Trains are run between the two stations
every hour and a quarter during the day,
leaving both stations simultaneously The
whole equipment is English. The cars are
divided into three classes. Even the first
class cars are decidedly plain. These are
divided into three compartments. The second
class cars would hardly DO used on a horse
railroad in Boston. They are as plain as
plain can be, and made just like a horse car,
having two long seats on the sides facing
each other. Tho seats are upholstered with
the same kind of mating which the Japanese
use on their floors.
The third class. cars nave simply plain
benches for seats. The exterior Of all three
II ~ n1AiI DiooCnktld
are bolted into the cars. The engines arn
smaller than the shifting engines in the Bos-
ton depots. The time required for the
eighteen miles ride is fifty-seven minutes.
Everything pertaining to the road is kept in
the best condition The road-bed is like a
floor; the cars are clean; the stations are
clean; all the officials are uniformed. l never
knew one OF them to be in any way impolite.
Passengers are not allowed to cross the track
except by the bridges overhead. Following
English custom, trains run on the left-hand
track. No baggage is allowed to go free,
save such as one can take in his hand. You
can take no living thing into the train, not
even a canary, without paying an extra price.
Posted up in the stations is n notice to the
effect that the government does not run the
railroad for the transportation Of dogs, but
II dogs must travel provision has been made
for them. So every station is provided with
boxes latticed on top, in which poodle or
mastih can be transported for a definite
sum.
Let us start on our eighteen miles ride from
the Toxic station. 1t is a fine large building,
built Of stone, having two large entrances in
front. Tho waiting-rooms are furnished
with tho daily native and foreign papers.
Five minutes before the train starts n warning
bell is rung. The ticket office is styled a
booking office and u notice tells you that
you must be booked" before you can enter
the train.
Just before the train starts the bell is again
rung in the station and the door closed, so
there is no possible chance. for a belated pas
senger 10 run for the train,n and possibly
get run over by the train. There are no side
doors either through which you can dodge
the official.
Having booked yourself. or purchased your
ticket, you areallowed to pass through a very
narrow passagewny to the outward bound
train, showing your ticket as You pass Al
though there is no gold leaf or birds-eye
maple on the cars, there are other arrange
ments that more than compensate for his
loss Of elegance.
No official goes with the train; no brake
man in dulcet tones whispers out the name OF
the next station The only break on the train
Is on n car made specially for that purpose,
and attached to the rear of the engine. Nc
conductor shouts Tickets, please" and when
he has finished his rounds sits down by the
fair mis- who goes daily for her music les
sons. Every passenger is expected to enter
the class car for which he holds a ticket. II
he doesn't do this and he is found out there is
a penalty for his misdemeanor
When 1t is time for the train to start an
official on the platform blows n little whistle,
the steam engine blows a shrill whistle, which
Ota ~ NAAbAS ~ ~ ODll pOWttlu1
enough, and off we+go. And now we SEQ one
advantage over the average American rail
road-thero is not the slightest jerk in start
ing; indeed, you never know when you are
really In motion unless you look at objects
outside the window.
Thu train glides that just expresses in; not
swiftly to be sure, for if it were swift prob
ably the Japs would condemn 1t. Nothing
upsets a native like swiftness; time is no OBJ
ject here.
The road follows the Tokaido and tho coast
Of the bay most of the distance. 1t is nearly
a dead level. On both sides are the rice
fields, where, at this time Of the year, the
farmers Stand nearly up to their knees in
mud, setting out the rice plants. There is
nothing particularly attractive to see, unless
on a bright day you watch the changing
forms Of that noble mountain-Mount Fuji-
the peerless" as 1t towers up in the distance.
Let us look at our fellow passengers in tho
car. As it is an early train there are various
officials going to Yokohama for their daily
business. These men are dressed In foreign
clothes, and many of them understand some
foreign language, English or German. They
are mostly an intelligent looking group OF
men
Besides these somewhat ~foreignized natives
we have the real, genuine native article, with
nothing foreign about him unless It is a hat.
Hats are very generally worn, except it Is a
rainy day, when they are left at home and
the ~earer goes bareheaded-
The Japs are peculiar. On a cold, rainy
day they go about with their dress skirts
caught up to their waists, and the water
streaming down their bare legs. Skin does
not cost as much as cloth, you know. In the
car we can see this native dress; a loose robe
with no buttons, out folded over the breast
and fashioned by . sash. This is the dress Of
the men as well as the women Some Of the
dresses arc very rich indeed, being made Of
beautiful silk. One-half is longer than the
other, which allows for pulling up above the
sash. and then hanging down in 'front.' max
ing a pouch. This is the pocket where
nearly everything is carried. There
are also pockets at the bottom Of the
large square sleeves. Suspended from the
sash is n little box and a leather wallet
Sometimes these articles are exquisite and
very costly. The box contains the tobacco
pipe and tho wallet contains the tobacco.
Tho box is frequently made of ivory or
bron1e, finely worked. japanese tobacco is
very, very mild The average American
smoker wcpld disdain to use 1t.
The pipes consist Of a long slender stem,
and a tiny hrass bowl not so largo as an acorn
cup. The smoker opens his wallet, takes out
avery small quantity Of tobacco and fills
his pipe; then he takes out his box Of matches.
which arc Like the "parior match" In Amer.