The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-04-10
RAILROADS In JAPAN.
Some of Their Representatives
Come to America.
THEY WILL TRAVEL FOR AyEAR.
After Doing This Country They &c
Through Europe and VIII See the
Coronation OF the Gar.

Three distinguished japanese gentlemen,
who intend 70 make 4 tour OF the CIVILIZED
world. arrived here from Vancouver last
night and VII start On their long journey
today, going first TO San Francisco. Trey
are railroad men and come directly from
their native country Wien Post-iHfel4i-
gencer reporter was ushsre4 into their
room al the Rainier-GranG last night ne
was received with the courtesy BY waica
the people Of that nation are marked. ana
the three gentlemen after several bows
presented three lastly engraved CARDS
The visitors are: General Traffic Manager
Taro Ad2chi. SaperinisnGsn, L Hiraoca
and Engineer S M.mura. or the Nippon
Tetsudo kwaisha-Japal Railway Com
pany.
they are small men, with sparkling. IN
teiligent eyes, and they twitcaed ou- their
words with a percsptibie though pleasing
accent which made their Conversation
I.tle hard to understand whea they all al
ternpted 10 speak al once. which was occa-
slonaIly the case. They were CARRIED IN
neat European clothing, which iney sad
has beer generally adopted among business
men for day wear. Al nlgni the Aauohai
costume Is found more comfortable.
faro Adachi. VINO took upon himself the
role Of spokesman, gave many interesting
facts and figures in relation 10 railroad!hs
In the mikado's kingdom. He preiaeed MS
remarks by stating that the Trio were
portion of d party of eighteen VINO crossed
the ocean from Japan, four OF the others
being professors from the imperial college
at Tokyo. who would visit substantially
the same places as themselves ana
learn" Another of the party was Z.
Asahin!. edI,or-in-chief OF the Tokyo
Nichi, the largest daily newspaper in ia
pan. Asahini will be present al the coro-
nation of the car al Moscow. ana Will
write an account OF II for his paper. Taro
Adachi said the newspaper man write all
the time
The railroad men are making their trip
In the interests of the trans poFtation COM
panles in Japan. of which they represent
the largest. They consider Americans
the most progressive people ana look 10
this country for improvements IN engi-
neering science. Germany they study for
military science. and England for trades.
They will visit San Francisco. Salt Lake
CITY. Denver, Kansas City, 81. Louis, Chi
cago and New York. studying the railroad
systems, and Will then embark for Liver
pool England. European countries VIII
be passed over and they expect TO be trav-
cling for about one year.
There are tnirty-three railroad compa-
MES In operation in Japan" said Taro
Adachi. covering 200 miles. OF these
the government operates 2o9 locomotives
over 500 miles of road. Six OF the govern
meat engines are of American manufac-
ture. our company, the biggest IN Japan.
is working 600 miles and has 200 miles I'M
der construction. We run from Tokyo TO
Aomori which is in the northeastern cor
ner of the empire. and make one-minute
stops at about 100 stations on the way.
We have III freight and passenger trains.
I2o engines. and cover about 1850 train
miles each day. running about twenty
miles an hour. Six thousand men are en-
plcyed by the company. Most OF the en-
gInes used in Japan come from England
These facts given. Adachi proceeded TO
ask questions. They wanted 20 know Sc
attle's population. the leading industry or
the state. how many japanese were in
the city, their occupation. when trains left
TO various points and the time of their
arrival. and in fact posted themselves as
thoroughly as their source OF information
permitted.
All three OF the little men showed a
marked appreciation Of humor, and
showed their white teeth in sppreeiative
smiles as they talked. They discussed the
late war with their neighbors in a friendly
spirit and said numbers OF the Chinese
were going into business in the large
cities, and were treated by the japanese
as though nothing had happened 10 mar
the peaceful relations Of the two coun-
tries. They modestly asserted that chi
mas defeat was owing TO the lack or
unity among the different tribes Of the
country The sending of the Chinese am
bassy 10 ST. Petersburg they seemed 10
consider something OF joke, and all
laughed. gestured and talked Al once, the
only interpretable words being LII Hung
Chang" and II was evident the Chinese
statesman was associated with some huge
JOKE in sheir minds.
on many other things they talked. and
when the triple interview closed the three
railroad magnates bowed the reporter
from the room.