Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-04-02
RAILWAYS OF THE WORLD.
Nearly Half the Railway Mileage on the
Earth in the United States.
From Chatter,

of the total railway mileage OF the
world; and when it is considered that
Jour of the present gigantic sys-
tenn of the railways has Deen construct
ed since the close of the war, this fact
is the most significant. The United States
has outstripped other nations in many
things, but more than all in the matter
of it's railways, which have become the
greatest OF all other enterprises or in
dustries, and its magnitude greater than
any other interest in the world.
The operations of steam railways be-
gan in England, September, 81, 1926,
when the Stockton q darlington Line
was opened. This was single track
road thirty-eight miles in length; the
greatest speed then attained vas TWEEN
ty miles an hour. Nineteen months af-
ter the opening of the Stockton q OAR
lington Road the first line opened in the
United States, April IL, 1927, and the
beginning of 1890 sees completed in the
United States l56, 200 miles.
China up to 1875 had never possessed
single railway track. In 1915 the first
line laid in that country was along a
strip of land about nine miles in length
between Shanghai and Woosung. This
line was very popular with the natives,
but in October, 1877, it was removed in
consequence of official jealousy regard
ing it..
pleted a railway system extending six
miles, working one engine and two
cars.
In these two countries China and
Persia) with such an extent of railways,
the people may be said to be less en-
Gghtened than In any others.
Toxic Y okohama Line, eighteen miles in
length, commenced in 1869 and opened
in 1872.
Russia opened her first small line of
railway early in 1888, and now ranks
fifth country in the order of railway i'm
portance. The need of railways to her
distant and Siberian cities is becoming
more urgent every year, and, as her
lines are continually extending in every
direction, she bids soon to become the
nation of second importance in the ex-
tent of railways.
In India the first piece of railway
opened was Tin 1859 section of the
Great Indian Peninsula Railway from
that country at the present time is from
Bombay to Calcutta, l ,40S miles in sol
hours. % 3-5 miles an hour, including
stops.
ALI the railways in Ceylon have been
constructed by the government. The
main line from Colombo to Handy, sew
enty-four and one-half miles, opened
in 1867. There are now 1877 miles in
operation and ten in course of construc-
ton.
The Egyptians saw their first railway
opened in January, 1856. The line is
from Alexandria to Cairo. 100 miles.
ic ffy Low
nearly the entire distance, which fact
proves to be great misfortune, as it is
made the high road for droves of cattle,
for camels, and even for human beings
on foot. 80 that speed at times is not
easily obtained. The best expresses,
however, make thirty-seven miles an
hour, including stops, which, under the
circumstances, is very creditable per-
torrance.
From 1869 to 1882 Greece had butni ne
miles of railway. Now she has some
1858 miles.
The best express time in New Zea-
land is exactly twenty miles an hour.
at the Cape of Good Hope the fastest
train is (once week. from Cape town
to the diamond fields at Kimberly (485
miles, and makes twenty two miles an
hour, including stops.
The railways of North Germany are
nearly all under state control. They
operate there system of fourth class
cars, in which there are no seats, and
the fare Tor which is about one-quarter
that of first class.
The railways of France are controlled
by six companies, and small system
by the state. There is little or no COM
petition. except at one or two points
where the lines touch each other, each
company seeming to have the field (of
its own line) to itself.
The longest journey taken by any
European train is from Paris to Con-
stantinople, 1857 miles. This train is
run on American principles. and is or
ganized by the International Sleeping
Car Company. The extra fare is about
% per cent. above the first class rate.
The service is a fine one. The food
served in the dining cars is procured in
the various countries through which
the train passes, and travellers who
have used this route will have a lively
recollection OF the Roumanian chickens
served to them. This train traverses
six onntries-Franoe, Germany, Aus
tria-Hungary, Servia, Bulgaria and Tur-
key.
The fastest train in Ireland is the
American mail'' from Dublin to Cork,
165 miles (due at the latter place HAS
A. NJ, on Sundays only. The speed of
this train is 403 miles. including stops.
There are but two other express trains
in the whole of that land of s, OO0, 900 in
habitants.
The fastest long-distance run ever
made was on August IL, 1888, on the
London & Northwestern, from London
to Edinburgh, 400 miles. Three stops
were made, and the average speed at
tanned while in motion was 55 4-l0 miles
per hour. Four successive miles were
done in Az. Al, AZ, and AZ seconds, or
a speed of 762 milesan hour. This per-
1ormance closed series of traces" be-
tween the Great Northern and the Lon
don & Northwestern. each com pany
fighting for tie supremacy of fast time
between the points named.
The Michigan Central Road claims
the fastest time made by any train in
the United States-107 miles in SO min
utes running time, an average Of SO $40
miles per h5ur. The Baltimore and
Ohio regular trains between Baltimore
i 80