Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-04
RAILWAY PROGRESS IN JAPAN.
Enormous Development of Enterprise
in the Last Year.

In the Last Year.
From the Japan Times.
Last year QS9O the progress of railway
enterprise in Japan was phenomenal.
Since the pioneer railway was constructed
between Toxic and Yokohama. a distance
of eighteen miles. in 1872, the system has
been extended at an average rate of 100
miles year, SO that at the end of March,
1897 which Concluded the twenty-ninth
fiscal year, the total mileage had reached
2.4Is miles. At one leap. however, during
the year just expired. no less than $50
miles approximately were added to the
total, titus bringing 1t up to 1900 miles in
round numbers. OF the lines newly opened
for trafic during last year. the Tokuyama
section Of the Sanyo railway. the IwaH
section OF the Nippon railway, and the
Chosh' section of the Sobu railway were
the most important. for their mileage alone
aggregated Id miles and some fractions.
OF the works of construction actively
pushed on since last year We may mention
among the government lines the Central
line, the construction of which was begun
from the three different termin at Nagoya,
HachioU and Shinonoi; the Komatsu-
Tsuhata section via Kanazawa of the
Hokuriku railway and the Fukushima-
Yamagata section of the Tohoku railway
which Ii to effect junction ultimately
with the Aomori terminus of the Nippon
railways line. With regard to private rail-
way enterprise We may mention the coast
section from Taira to Nakamura of the
Jyoban branch of the Nippon railway; the
koriyama-Waka section of the
Ganyetsu branch Of the same railway; the
Sanjyo-Nagooka section of the Hokuyetsu
railway: the Kamo-Nara and Shijyo Ma
wate-Kitsu sections of the Kansai railway
end the prolongation of the Tokuyama
terminus of the Sanyo railway as far al
Mitajiri. When this prolongation shall
have been completed the next work to be
undertaken will be the further prolonga-
ton of the trunk line as far as Shimono-
seki. which. according to the program, will
be the terminus at one end. as Kobe is at
the other.
On the completion of the above mentioned
two sections of the Kansai railway, Osaka
and Nagoya will be connected with another
railway service. besides the facility now
afforded by the government Tokaida line.
Railway enterprise Is also active in
kyushu. The Hayagi-Omura section and
the Sasebo branch of the Kyshu railway
have been virtually completed and will
be opened for traffic at no distant date.
The other sections will be completed by
June next The industry at Hokkaido also
claims our attention. The work there is
in greater part official. The government
railway construction in Hokkaido Is d.
vided into two periods. To the first period
of construction belongs the line which is
to start from the Sors chifuto terminus of
the Ianko railway and to reach Asahigawa
via Kamikawa. From ASahigawa one
route will go southwark to the coast of
Kushiro. and thence along the coast to
Nemuro- The other route will divert north
ward from Asahifawa. and will reach Soya
by way of Teshiwo. The total length Is
about coo miles The Sorachibuto-Asahi-
gawa section. understand, will be open
ed for traffic by May next. most probably.
On the part of private railway enterprise
in HokkaidO. that of the HANSON Railway
Company Is the most important. The pro-
tect is 10 connect Hakodate and Otaru. a
distance of I'D miles. at the estimated
cost of 100000 yen ($3 9S4. 600. The work
of construction will be completed in about
five years AT present the journey between
Otaru and Hakodate, IL made by steamer,
occupies twenty-four hours. while If I'M
dertaken by the railway service now avail
able from Mororan, no less than thirty-six
hours are necessary. On the completion of
the HANSON railway il will be possible to
cover the distance In eight hours.