The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-01
gAr1rrsr nAIIsoAD MBr nsnE.
They're 1nspectisE our systems ana the Rs.pire
Ia nnrinE Aunericnn Locenotixea.

Ne muyinG Auuerican Locomotives.
Mr.. Masanari Okla, trafic manager Of the I'm
perial japanese Railroad. and Mr.. 8, X. Hattah,
chief OF tho mechanical department, arrived
here on Friday, and are at the Imperial Hotel.
They are making q tour Of the United states
and Europe under . special commission from
tho Japanese Government to inspect the rail-
way SYSTEMS and construction work OF these
countries. Upon their observations and reports
will depend the equipment of 1000 miles Of
railroad now In course Of construction in Japan.
When they left Japan they werc accompanied
by Mr.. 8. Matsmoto. chief director of the I'm
perlal Railroad. He was taken i'll at Hawaii
and was obliged to return.
Mcssrs. Okla and Hattah arrived in San Fran.
cisco on juno o. II is their first visit to this
country, and ever since they have been here
thoy have been travelling over tho finest rail-
roads on the continent and visiting railroad
shops. They spent several DAYS at the Pullman
shops, tho Carnegie shops and the Bethlehem
Iron Works. Mr.. Hattah was highly pleased
with the results Of his trip so far. He said yes
terday in fluent English:
AS you probably know, our railroads are run
at present after the English system, using the
English style locomotives and cars. most Of which
were built in Japan. The Imperial Railroad sys-
| TEN covers about 2, 800 miles, and private compa-
hlCb o"h Ouu ,UUV "il0b III tn6 Gu1p1TG.
Most Of our big citics are connected by the rail.
roads. and the main line Of tho Imperial road
extends from Toxic 10 Kobe, on the coast, a dis
tance Of 400 miles. The railroad is not a new
thing In our country, 1t having been established
there moro than twenty-five years ago. 1t is
operated by natives, and there are only three
Englishmen employed In the directory. These
are n consulting traffic manager, O consulting
locomotive superintendent, and q mechanical
engineer.
"Recently we began using American locomo-
tives, and eighteen were ordered by the Gov
crnment from the Rogers works at Paterson.
l have been Informed privately that they wero
working in good order. Since then the Govern
ment has ordered thirty-eight locomotives from
the Baldwin Locomotive Works Of Philadelphia.
are eight-wheell locomotives OF the mogul type,
Weighing nearly twenty-scven tons each. The
at Toxic and tho other. at Kobe. The Toxic
shop was opened twenty-four years ago and the
Kobe shop TWENTY-FIVE years ago. Nearly $500
men are employed, in the shops.
Most OF our railroad system 10 centred in the
southern part OF the empire, and the roads I'M
der construction now are building northward
They will do much to open up and develop the
q seaport town with a large foreign trade. The
this line
Government needed men to run the new rail,
roads.
M Just now" said he. 1--WE have all the
help we want. Our men are trained in the shopa
and on the roads. Engineers get 81 q day, and
| fremen and conductors so cents a day. The
station masters In tho big cities get from $40 to
$50 q month. The rates Of tnre are: First class
~ cents a mile: second class, l cent a mile
third class. u cent a mile. Viscount Nomura
Minister q Communications, is in charge of the
Messrs. Okla and Hattah will remain hero a
fortnight before going to Europe. They will In
spect the Central system next week.