New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-25
WELCOMED BY THE CAR.
THE INTERNATIONAL RAILROAD CONGRESS-
At CT pETFRSRIIRG
St. Petersburg, September 10.

| Inc INTERNATIONAL halfway COHSiceSs ""iN" ''~e
been in session here for the last two weeks has
now been brought TO a close, after fairly sue
cessul series Of the usual sttings and festivi'
ties. Opened on August 81, the congress speedily
settled down to its work, and though the main
reports OF its proceedings seem to refer to Court
| receptions and agreeable excursions. there is no
doubt that its members have also accomplished
a reasonable allowance Of serious work MOST
OF the countries have been we'll represented the
only State that was conspicuous by Its absence
being Germany France, as might have oeen
expected was in strong force, and the discussions
in the congress were conducted in the French
| language II has been suggested in some quar-
| ters that the Germans absented themselves from
a shrewd suspicion that the occasion would ne
made use of by the Russians and the French
to aid their political friendship; and, as fact.
such demonstrations have not been wanting in
| the various excursions and banquets arising out
Of the congress. But it is a mistake to suppose
that Germany has held aloof from any feeling
either of caution or constituencies Last year, when
the congress was held at Milan, the German dele
gates signifed the intention of their Government
and railways to attend no more meetings, regard
| for economy probably being the chief factor
in the decision Possibly. also, they entertained
the belief that these congresses are more agree
able than instructive, and that any instruction
which cmerges from their proceedings can DC
turned TO due account even By those who DO NOS
| personally attend them.
| Papcrs wore read during the week on the block
and interlocking systems, on iron versus wooden
slccpcrs on the movement OF passengers, on re-
/ turn tickets on the zone system, and, indeed, on
nearly all the details Of railway management. In
| regard to the control and arrangement OF trai-
Gc. the conclusion Of the congress naturally was
| Ioft IN tna tuIO n
each country within its own limits the crcum-
stancos in one State rarely resembling those In
another State.
II is 10 b. regretted however, that the question
| Of Substituting the American form OF car for the
| Commandment carriages now In use on nearly all
Europcan railroads did not receive greater atteh-
ton on the part of the congress. The great IN
Fiction OF European railway travelling is inc
| mall amount Of space that is usually alot'ed
| TO the passenger A compartment holding eighs
| people pretty tightly packed is undoubtedly
| prison To find ones sclf in roomy saloon WIN
n chair to ones self, and chair that rotates, so
that you may look in what direction you WILL
| is an indescrib1br relief from the ordinary Euro
| pean railway compartment. Then one can rcad
with comfort and satisfaction and not feel too
much Oppressed by the sclf-aesertive proximity OF
| ones companions. or course, in the long run,
IN. financial question must govern all other mat
tcrs OF railway management But, surely. ltd
| must now he universally recognized by railway
| conpanics that il pays 10 make travelling plea
SAINT. since il induces more people 70 undertake
| It,
! No congress is complete or regarded as success
| ml in these days unless its members combine
| pleasure with business excursions with debate
| and banouc's with agcnda: and the Fourth Inter
national Railway Congress may he said 10 nave
diverted itself right royalty or, rather, right I'M
| pcral,y The Gar took leading part in show
| ing il hospitality. The day after the op"ning all
| in. members were sumptuonsly cntertainei NJ
dinner by tho Minister Of Communications, ana inc
dav following the Municipality gave supper in
| their honor On SUNDAY night there was a
splendid banquet in the Winter Palace, attended
| hv five hundred guests The Chief OF the Cars
| Miitlary Household, General Richter, represented
the Emperor on the occasion, and several higH
| dignitarics Of State were at his side. The Fire
Rricade Of St. Petersburg went through It's va
rous cvou.ions before them; and they were all III
yitcl 10 witness the parade of one OF the tiii-
rcror's favorite regiments in presence OF hiS
| Noios,y Finally twenty-one Of their number
| were received In special audience OF the Gar
| who WINS accompanied hy the Czarina. Nor was
there any lack OF official speakers or ofhclai pa'-
ronnge The Congress was held in the ian Oh
| he Assembly Of Mobiles. and was opened py an
address. from NJ. dc Wttc in his capacity as Rus
| sian Minister of Roads and Communications l"
whom NJ. Picard, the principal French Delegate
| mid n worm compliment in consideration OF the
| eminent services rendered by MIN III 'he "'''ioP
| mcnt Of Russian railways
NJ ia Witte is n very interesting parsonage
| mite 4 new type tho Russian self-mad" man. he
has risen from the ranks. from small railway
official 10 Privy Councillor and Minister Moro
remarkable still his fise has been very RAPID as
he has broken through all the barriers OF ofhcial
caste in two short years. Since the opening OF
tho congress he has indeed risen higher still :;
for no has inst succeeded his friend and patron
NJ Vi,hnisradski as Minister of Finance Ills
official residence. in the Rue Fontnnka. Is. ike
| that OF all the Russian Ministers. palatial, ana
possesses n beautiful garden
| Although the foreign newspapers received
hero arc full OF reports concerning the prevalence
If cholera in this city, the epidemic has not in
,rr wav disturbed or interfcrcd with the
congress Indeed, the upper classes show nut
little concern on the subject Of the malady and
nowhere is there less talk of the cholera than at
{, Petersburg The disease Is confined eNclu-
svclv 10 the poorer classes, who are unable or too
Ignorant 10 take proper precautions. They are
ncssinr through a fifteen days fast, following
directly upon the Feast Of Green Apples when
the fruit harvcs, Ia blcst by the Church. Unable
for the most part to bny fish, they have iahea
back upon black broad and bitter little cucuHn,
hers. washed down by many glasses OF vodki and
hn.t,o,. ~ Nov, wafer. Needless 10 say. the
result In some cases has been fatal.
The congress dispersed after series of "Acur-
sions in .pccial trains and at tho expense OF the
Russian Government to Moscow, Mini Novgorod
and Kiefr in each OF which places the foreign
guests Of the nation were welcomed with the
erca test amount Of hospitality The next Inter
national Railroad Congress, the nth OF INC
sere. Ia 10 assemble in 1895 in London.