The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-03
RAILWAY BUILDING IN JAPAN.
Phenomenal Increase shown In the Year
Just Passed.
From the Japan Times.

From the Japan Times.
Last year 1S9O the progress of rail-
way enterprise in Japan was phenome-
nal. Since the pioneer railway was
constructed between Toxic and Yoko-
hama. a distance of Is miles. in 1872,
the system has been extended at an
average rate of 100 miles a year, so
that at the end of March, 1897, which
concluded the twenty-ninth fiscal year,
the total mileage had reached 2,4SS
miles. At one leap, however. during
the year just expired, no less than $50
miles, approximately were added to the
total. thus bringing it up to 5000 in
round numbers. OF the lines newly
opened for traffic during the last year
the Tokuyama section of the Sanyo
railway. and the Iwaki section of the
Nippon railway. and the Ghost section
of the Sobu railway were the most I'M
portant, for their mileage alone aggre-
gated 120 miles n some fractions.
or the works of construction active
ly pushed on since last year we may
mention. among the government lines,
the Central line. the construction of
which was begun from the three differ
ent termini at Nagoya, Hachioji and
Shinini. the Komatsu-Tsuhata section
via Kanazawa of the Hokuriku rail-
way and the Fukushima-Yamagata
section of the Tohuku railway, which
Is To effect a junction ultimately with
the Aomori terminus of the Nippon
railways line. With regard to private
railway enterprise we may mention the
coast section from Tara to Nakamura
of the Jyoban branch of the Nippon
railway, the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
section of the Ganyetsu branch of the
same railway, the SanJyo-Nagooka
section of the Hokuyetsu railway. the
Kamo-Nara n Shijyo Nawate-Kitsu
sections Of the Kansai railway and the
prolongation Of the Tokuyama ter
minus of the Sanyo railway as far as
Mitajiri. When this p~rolongation
shall have been completed the next
work to be undertaken will be the
further p~rolongation Of the trunk line
as far as Shimonoseki, which, accord
ing to the programme, will be the ter
! minus at one end, as Kobe is at the
other.
on the completion Of the above men
toned two sections " the Kansai rail-
way Osaka and Nagoya will be con-
nected with another railway service,
besides the facility now afforded by the
government Tokaido line. Railway
enterprise is also active in kyushu
The HayaRi-Omura section and the
Sasebo branch Of the kyshu railway
have been virtually completed, and viii
be opened for traffic ut no distant date
The other sections will he completed
by June next. The industry at Hok,
kaido also claims IA attention. Tn,
work there is in greater pr: official
The government railway construction
I'm Hokkaido is divided into two pc
RODS. To the first period OF construc
ton belongs the line which is To star
from the SoTachifuto terminus Of tn
Tanko railway and to Ashahig
ava via kamikawa. From Ashahi
gawa one route viii SO southwark q
the coast of Kushiro. and thence alon,
the coast to Nemuro. The other rout
will divert ~northward from Ashahiga
wa. and WI reach Soya bv way o
Teshiwo. The total length Is abou
800 miles. The Sorachifuto- Ashahi
gawa section. We understand. will d,
opened for traffic by May next mos
probably. On the part Of private rail
way enterprise in Hokkaido that Of tn