The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-14
SIBERIA AN ARCADIA
President of Field Columbian Museum
Transportation Commission Is
I'm the City.

]. G. Pangborn, president of the world s
transportation commission of the Field CO.
lumbar Museum, was in the city yesterday
the guest of his brother. George w. Pang-
born. Four weeks ago to-day Mr.. Pang-
born left st. Petersburg, Russia, for this
country and he came TO Indianapolis to
visit his mother and brother. He leaves to-
day. hoping TO be at St. Petersburg May
g. when the festivities of the coronation be-
gin. The commission of which Mr.. Pang-
born is president is visiting all the coun-
tries of the world for the purpose of OBJ
tanning information concerning transporta-
ton. Railroads naturally furnish greater
part of this information. The commission
has about two years of travel ahead of 1t.
having to study the systems and customs
OF central Europe, Africa and South Amer
lea, besides portions of the continents of
Asia and America.
Coming direct from Russia, Mr.. Pangborn
is naturally much interested in that coun-
try, Of which so little IS known. The Russia
as seen by Mr. Pangborn, is unlike the
Russia of some other travellers and the
Siberia he saw IL not the one we see in
the play. where prisoners are whipped TO
death by cruel and inhuman soldiers.
ST have never been more surprised in any
country and its people than was with
Siberia" said Mr.. Pangborn. last evening.
II expected TO find barren waste, popu-
lated by suffering prisoners and large
army. Instead, found one Of the most de-
lightful countries we have visited anywhere.
We found people who cannot be surpassed
for hospitality anywhere in the world. In
eastern Siberia we passed through Sec
ton where no American had ever before
been seen. Everywhere we were greeted
with a brotherly spirit and the people would
take off their coats to put on the back or
an American. Eastern Siberia is something
like eastern Ohio and western pennsylvania.
1t Is not barren and cherries, as frequently
described. The country is productive and in
the summer the sun shines warm and pleas
ant, while in the winter they have the most
delightful weather to be found any place.
through ali parts of the world and that is
that you cannot always gauge the tempera-
ture by thermometer We were IN SIBERIA
ing four thousand miles on sledges. The
sun shone bright during the days and the
air being dry we did not suffer from the
cold, although the temperature was perhaps
forty or fifty degrees below zero. We slept
on the sledges during the night and not
once did feel chilled. Last fall we were at
Habaroffsk, in the district of Amoor, for
nine weeks waiting for the Amoor to freeze
so we could continue. In this time we made
frequent trips through the surrounding coun-
try and i saw much OF the people, with
whom was delighted"
NO CRUELTY TO PRISONERS.
'.Did you observe any cruelty toward pris-
oners?"
mot a case Of cruelty. The fact is the
prisoners are treated altogether too lenient-
". While we were waiting for the Amoor
to freeze I came along one night as the
prisoners and soldiers were being fed. They
fell into line and 1 good naturally Joined
them. We passed along and received our
assignment OF soup. ] sat on a stump and
1 ate mine and enjoyed 1t. The soldiers and
prisoners are fed the same food. The pris-
oners can talk and go about pretty much
as they please. There is about one soldier
to every $50 prisoners. If had my choice
/ don't know but / would prefer being a
prisoner for a time than a soldier, for the
latter has to carry around with him heavy
rifle. Another fallacy Is the impression that
the prisoners go about in chains. Now L
have pictures of several hundred OF these
prisoners and / don't believe that more than
two of the whole number are in chains. DO
you know how many politicals there are In
Siberia? Well, there are not four hundred
which is nearly half5as large as the United
States, there Is one political prisoner. He
cam go any place he chooses in the district,
but must not return to Russia. He was a
conspirator against the life of the Car. He
lives in a fairly good house and teaches
dancing and singing lessons. He has all the
liberty anyone can have In the district
have never been in country where prison
sers are treated more kindly than IN Siberia.
The Russians are a kind people. They are
.sPrince Hilkoff. Imperial Minister of
Ways and Communications, extended TO us
every possible courtesy in our travels
popular to represent Russia as a BEAR AT
once place the Prince had a small metal
bear, suitable as paperweight, cast for me.
On receiving the gift j expressed some sur
prise that the bear should ever be used to
typify the Russian"
" He is not such a bad ANIMAL answered
the Prince He VIII not gnt , yGu unless you
Concerning commercial relations between
this country and Russia was suggested.
RUSSIA OUR FRIEND.
"Of all countries our greatest chance COM
merciany is with Russia" replied Mr.. Pang-
born. They do not like England and Russia
is the only market in the world which Eng
land does not practically control. The pro-
duction In Russia is immense. In Siberia
they have more produce than can be cared
for-they have not the cars to carry 1t to
the markets. The people of that country
have not forgotten the kindness shown them
during the famine and it is said there that
where England gave one bushei of wheat,
America gave a shipload. We should not
forget what Russia did for us during the
war of the rebellion, for the only country
i'm the world to send a fleet here was Rus
sia.''
I'm your observations how do the railroads
of this country compare with those OF other
places? was asked.
For comfort and elegance of service there
is no system in the world to compare with
that of the United States. Consequently we
have learned nothing practical in the way of
equipment, except, possibly, economy. came
here from New York over the Pennsyl-
yania and nowhere in the world have we
found a road TO equal 1t, and the same might
be said concerning the other lines of s1is
country. The accommodations Oh limited
I'm this country surpass anything which roy
alty has. One can buy in America all the
accommodations and elegance that royalty
has elsewhere. Our railroads are Tar SUI
TO speed