Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-05
TRAVELLING In JAPAN.
The Railroads Give Cheaper Riding
Than the Steamboats,.
SCENES IN TIE CURIOUS CARS.
Cholera is Epidemic, but the Authorities
Are Iqual to 1t Now.
HEALTH OF TIE JlNRICKISHA MEN
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DrsrArcB.1

was completed. To-day Japan has over
1000 miles of railway, and one of the most
important roads for tourists, the line to
| Nikko, where the Fl pest scenery in Japan is
to be found, was completed only few
weeks ago. These 1000 miles of railroad
have cost the Government and the private
capitalists, who own a few of the lines,
about $50, ,OoO, 900, and the net annual profit
is between and 5 per cent.
The peculiar difficulties against which
railway builders have to contend in this
country were illustrated by the fact that
hardly had the Nikko road been opened to
the travelling public, when considerable por-
tions of the roadbed and some of the bridges
were washed away by one of those violent
rain storms, which occur in Japan almost
weekly during the summer months, so that
| for several days tourists had to resort once
| more to jinrikishas and the crazy rats on
| which the rivers are crossed in hoodtime
with the aid OF rope and the current.
ENTHUSIASTIC ON RAILROADS.
On the principal lines-especially that
| which connects the two capitals, Toxic and
Koto-the cars are usually as crowded as
| on any line in America or Europe, and
much more so than in Italy or Spain. What
| increases this popularity is the TACT that the
difference in expense is as great as the differ
ence in time. To travel with a jinrikisha
| (or manpower carriage) in the country
| usually requires two runners, which makes
the expense or 6 cents or more a mile,
| while the railway fares are only cents
mile first class, cents second and / cent
third class. Seven-eighths OF all the Japan
ese travel third class, some of the wealthier
natl md 1nstt tnra Hnc md hrrf
the first class seems to be, as IN some parts
of Europe, reserved for princes, fools and a
few American and English families.
Unless one desires unlimited elbow room
or chance to lie down to sleep there is no
reason whv anyone should take first class,
which, as in Germany and France, differs
from the second chiefly in the color of the
seat cushions. japanese cars are a curious
mixture of American and European styles,
and it cannot be said that they are at all
comfortable. In one respect the seats in the
third-class cars are the best, because, though
simple wooden benches with board to lean
against, they allow the passengers to look
straight backward, while the first and sec
ond-class seats, though more comfortable in
having cushions, are all arranged along the
sides of the car so that one ca never look
forward without losing all support for the
back.
INSIDE THE CARS.
Some of the cars have doors at both ends
SO that you can walk through them; in
others the smokers are separated from the
none-smokers by PARTITION; and others
again are divided into several sections, in
such a way that you can look through the
whole car, but with separate doors on the
side for each section. There is neither a
bell rope nor a water tank in the cars, but
at the stations there is usually large over
flowing basin OF water to wash the hands in
and fountain, or a covered bucket of
drinking water; and glass of Clipped
artificial ice can always be bought at the
car windows.
Each class has separate waiting room
at the stations, and in the first and second
class room there is usually table we'll sup
piled with japanese newspapers, as well as
one or two foreign papers published In
English. Occasionally at Toxic one may
see newsboy, though these useful individ-
uals are not as numerous as one might
imagine from the fact that $50 periodicals
are published in the Empire. Brass checks
are given for the baggage, and the ticket
has to be shown and punched before STEP
ping on the platform, and at the end of the
journey it is collected at the gate. Ten
years ago most of the engineers were foreign.
ers, and the ticket sellers were Chinese (who
are employed in all the banks); but at
present the railway service is entirely in the
hands Of the Japanese.
ENGLISH VERY COMMON.
English has become the official foreign
language in japan. The designation is
always printed on the tickets in English. as
well as in japanese, and on the reverse side
we read: "Issued Subject to the Railway
Regulations" The cars are marked in
English, first, second and third class, while
the mile posts and signs of level and grad
ing are only in English. The timetables
also are printed in English, and SO are GER
tain notices inside the cars regarding the
Objectionable habits of standing on plat
forms. putting the feet on seats, splitting on
the floor, etc., which are for bidded on threat
of a fine.
Within the last two weeks, however, two
disQuieting notices have been placed in the
cars in japanese only. One of them gives
the cheerful advice that any person attacked
by cholera should at once notify the con-
ductor. The other notice contains half a
dozen bits OF advice regarding the preven-
tion of cholera. That these hints are timely
may be inferred from the fact that the daily
number Of cases in Yokohama has risen to
about 20, In Nagasaki to so, in Toxic to 60.
and in Osaka TO 100, etc., with the whole
warm month OF September to be heard frouI
yet. However, the Japanese authorities
have learned much regarding the treatment
of cholera and precautionary measures.
WARM FOR THE DOCTORS.
Only few days ago Toxic physician was
fined $40 and his license revoked Tor three
months because he had neglected to report
to the police q case of cholera under his
care; and with the present methods of sani-
tary control it is not likely that Japan will
have another epidemic like that of 1857,
during which 10000 died in Toxic alone In
the month of August, or even like that of
1886, when there were over 100, 600 fatal
cases throughout the empire.
If some of the Japanese cars have sepa-
rate compartments for non-smokers, this is a
mere concession to foreigners; for Japanese
women are almost as invariably addicted to
the most novel sights to be witnessed in
these cars is that OF women-young or old
taking a smoke. Japanese pipes, as
used by both men and women, are not as
large as a thimble-about the size of
Chinese opium pipe, and hold about as
much tobacco as makes pinch of snuff.
The woman fills and lights her pipe, takes |
three or four whIffs and then knocks the |
bowl against her wooden shoes or clogs SO |
that the glowing ashes fall in lump on the |
floor. She Immediately refills the pipe, but |
does not relight il with match. She tries
to pick up the of glowing ashes with the |
pipe bowl, which requires skill and prac-
tice. But alter few attempts she gener- |
de uhAr., IL L. Al