The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-10-12
A PRINCE
IN TOWN.
Prince HilkOff of Russia, Visits
Sante Fe Shops.
He Is Minister of Railways In
the Cars Empire.
STAYS THREE HOURS
And Is Greatly Impressed With
Mechanical Devices.
Was Once an EmpIoye In Amer
lean Shops.
STAYS THREE HOURS

Today Topeka received a visit for the
first time from real prince. This was
Prince Michael Eilkoff, imperial min
lister of ways of communication Of the
empire of Russia, who is now on
tour from the Pacific to the Atlantic
coasts for the purpose of studying the
railway systems and railway work of
the United States. He came shortly
after 9 o'clock this morning, he stayed
until u o'clock noon. and he went away
impressed with the factthat the wheat
fields of Kansas far outclassed those
of Siberia and that the Santa Fe shops
in this city are the greatest railroad
shops in the world.
The imperial party, consisting OF
Prince Hilkon, his son and civil at
tache, Prince Alexander Hnkoff, his
military attache, Colonel Chertkof, a
member of the Imperial Russian Guard,
his private secretary, Mr.. Bullshaskon
and Major Pangborn of Baltimore, who
has charge Of his trip, arrived in this
city this morning from Pueblo in com
pany with General Manager Frey of
the Santa Fe, Traffic Manager White,
superintendent of Machinery John
Player and W. H. Rossington. The
party Travelled from Pueblo in a special
train consisting of two Santa Fe special
cars and left that point at 4:30 yester-
day afternoon.
This is the sixth day of the Princes
American tour. On the first of last
August the party left st. Petersburg in
a special train, traversing Siberia and
arriving at the port on the Japan Sea
September Is. There they took pas
sage on a. Russian man of war and
crossing the Pacific ocean arrived in
San Francisco last Wednesday. From
Wednesday of last week up to yester-
day afternoon the prince spent in in
specting the Southern Pacific and Den
yer & Rio Grande railroads and the
general shops of the two roads. He
also visited Marshall's Pass and the
Royal Gorge.
Prince Hillzof is a man of 81 years OF
age, but from his activity and appear
ance would be taken to be several
years younger. His boast that he is
something of q Yankee himself is borne
out by his general appearance and
dress. He wears a mustache and
goatee, both turning gray, and the
clothes worn on his trip are those of an
American business man. He is about
5 feet inches in height, and carries
himself well for a man of his age. His
son resembles him in features.
AS soon as the special train arrived
in Topeka this morning the party i'm
mediately left the cars and started for
the shops. An hour and half was
spent in inspecting the machinery and
in showing the prince the methods Of
operating the different mechanical ap-
pliances.
To use the princes own words the
shops in this city were a s'revelation'' to
him. L saw" said he, more in two
hours at your shops than have seen SO
far on my trip. I was really not aware
that there were so many lavor saving
devices in railroad work.
The prince was most especially in
terested in the operation Of machinery
by compressed air. When he noticed
anything particular he would turn to
his private secretary, who followed
close behind him with pencil and note
book and ask him to record it. 4 take
notes of everything that is new and
interests me- said he, "and I viii aft
erwards make use Of the notes when I
come to introduce your American ma
chinery in my country. I expect to in
troduce much of the machinery you
American people use"
After the party completed the round
of the shops, they were driven to the
new Santa. Fe hospital and that build
ing hurriedly gone through. Here the
ventilating apparatus by which the air
in all the rooms is kept in constant
purity attracted the interest of the
prince, and he remarked that it was a
great plan" afterwards turning to his
military attache and private secretary
and saying something probably very
interesting in Russian.
After going through the hospital
building the party was driven over the
city until a few minutes before u
o'clock, when they returned to the cars.
At exactly u o'clock the special train
left for Kansas City.
Prince Hill1off is the fmpersonation of
politeness. When introduced to any
one he first bows and then warmly
shakes their hands. Although an ex-
cellent English scholar, he speaks with
a foreign accent natural because of the
little use he makes of the English Ian
guage in his own country
Probably the most interesting remark
Prince EIilIzof made while in this city
IBERIA would never compete with the
United States in the raising of wheat
Your western country saiG he, 'is
very beautiful. and looks to be much
better wheat country than our Siberia
This year Siberia was unable to raise
enough wheat for the consumption of
it's own people, and we had to ship
wheat from other portions of the en-
pire. I do not think that We can raise
more wheat than we can use
Major Pangborn, who is in charge of
Prince Hilkod1's American tour, was
formerly a resident of Topeka and was
Santa Fe. lie was also Topeka cor
,-aeDoudauf oF the Kansas CITY Times