Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1893-08-04
SLAMS FIRST RAILROAD.
The Oonsummation OF Long,
Delayed Project.
After Fourteen Years OF Anxiety the
King Has the Pleasure of Seeing
the Realization of His
Fondest Hope.

the Realization of His
Fondest Hope.
That is an interesting announce
ment, recently made, that within q
few weeks the king of Siam has per-
sonally opened to traffic the first rail
road in his dominions, connecting the
capital, Bangkok, with the port of
Paknam, at the mouth of Menam
river. On this occasion, it is also made
in which he referred with eloquent en-
thusiasm to the progress which his
country is now making in what are
conventionally called the arts of civ
ilization. This railroad is not nearly
SO great nor so important as many
others in many parts of the world.
Yet, according to the New York Trib-
une, there is scarcely another SO rich
ly invested with picturesque interest
or so suggestive in its proXimate con-
trast of high civilization against prim-
tive simplicity. The very idea of a
railroad in Siam seems incongruous.
True, the capital city of that country
has for years enjoyed such modern
Improvements as street cars, electric
lights, passenger elevators, telephones
and newspapers. Yet they all have an
exotic air: They seem like curiositics
on exhibition. All around them lies
the world of centuries ago. In no
other oriental country that has SO
much come into contact with Europe
and America is conservatism so marked
and persistent as in the land of the
white elephant. The ancient manners
and customs still flourish intact. The
old-tlme ceremonials, endless process
sions, innumcrablc umbrellas on dis
play are still observed. The over
whclming mass Of the people are ex-
actly as they were hundreds of years
ago. Probably the chief explanation
of this lies in the nature Of the people
themselves. They are the personifca-
tion of easy-going.
| Some thirteen or fourteen years ago
the king decided that it would be we'll
to have some railroads built in Siam.
Accordingly he engaged a number of
European engineers to survey routes
and prepare plans and estimates. The
advance Of the French in Tonquin, on
his eastern borders, FASTENED him, for
he was persuaded that q railroad sys-
tenn would be a potent aid to defense
against invasion. But rivalry between
foreign spectators caused much delay
1t was nearly two years ago that the
work was actually begun, the king per-
sonally turning the first sod. The cere-
mony on that occasion was picturesque
and impressive, especially I'm it's curl
GUS mingling of oriental and occi-
dental manners. There was a great
crowd present, including the king and
his ministers. There were many for
cigners, looking practical and .bnsi-
ness-like, and a host of curious, happy
go-luclxy natives. There was much
dignity and formality about it all, as
was fitting. But there was also great
deal of ease and informality. The min
lister of public works, a prince with an
unpronounceable name, began the pro-
gramme by reading an address to. the
king. This done, his majesty made q
speech, ostensibly in reply to the min
ister but really addressed to the gen
eral assemblage. He spoke easily and
eloquently, dwelling upon the great
ness of the country and the progress
already made in the arts of modern
civilization, and then portraying with
entirely unwarrantable enthusiasm
the great advantages that would re-
suit from the building of this railroad
and of other roads which in the near
future would be connected with it.
These formalities concluded, the king
took spade in his hands and stepped
forward to where a whcelbarrow
was standing. 1t was spade of the
most improved New England pattern,
but the blade was made Of, silver, pre-
sumably solid, and the handle was
composed of solid shaft of ivory
The wheelbarrow also was of Amer
ican design, but was made Of ebony
and silver. His majesty thrust the sill
yer blade of the spade into the ground,
energetically pressing it to its full
depth with his royal foot, and then
lifted a goodly spadeful of soil and de-
posted it in the wheelbarrow. Then
the crown prince came forward, "a
handsome and amiable young GENTLE
man who had recently celebrated his
coming Of age with characteristic
Siamese rites. He took up the handles
of the wheelbarrow and trundled it
along a carpeted pathway, twenty-five
or thirty yards. and then dumped the
spadeful Of earth which it contained
upon the ground The king, the royal
family, the minister Of public works
and number of notable guests fol-
lowed him as he wheeled the barrow
and looked with earnest interest at the
spadeful of clods as he turned them
out upon the ground. Then four state
ly and solemn Brahmin priests, in their
sacredotal robes, stepped forward and
sprinkled upon the clods a few drops
of holy water which they took from q
vase of solid gold. Finally brass
band. composed Of native musicians,
played the Siamese national anthem,
and the ceremony was concluded.
But the king and his august followers
had scarcely left the spot before the
contractors took possession of it, and
their workmen were busily engaged
with hundreds Of spades and wheel.
barrows proceeding with the actual
construction of the railroad.
Plenty Of Ivory. ~.
The somewhat prevalent idea that
the supply of ivory is narrowly limited
and that it is likely soon to be a scarce
article is declared by correspondent
in London Field to be entirely incorrect
The writer says that in central Africa
the chiefs have SO many tusks that
\ they do not know what to do with
them, and that in some instances the
kings surround their houses with stock