The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-02-17


various parts of the empire which was so
long sealed against such innovations. 1t
was as long ago as 1858 that the first Chi.
nose railroad was projected, but it was
never built, the opposition Of the man
darins proving too strong. The second at.
tempt was at first successful. line was
built in 1876 from Shanghai to Woo-Sung
and actually put into operation. But the
natives were scandnlized by such an ex-
hibition of the black arts of the "foreign
devils" and literally rose in rebellion
against it, so that for the sake of peace the
rails had to be torn up and the whole en-
terprise abolished. Some of the plant was
sent to Formosa and laid down there, but
the bulk of it was thrown into tho Yang
tse- Kiang and still lies rusting at tho
bottom Of that river 1t was perhaps
good thing that that road did not prosper,
for it was of narrow gnuge-only 2 feet 6
inches-Rnd it would have been a misfor-
tuno to have that established as tho stand
ard gauge throughout the empire
The first successful railroad was built
by Ii Hung Chang In the eighties. That
farsecing statesman determined to intro
duCe into the empire what he recognized
to be one of tho most valuable adiuncts of
civilization, and he undertook to do it on
his own account and on his own property.
He opened some iron mines Mt Lin-Si, in
the north, in 1881, and built a tramway TO
connect them with the nearest canal. This
was worked by horsepower, but it demon
stTated the value of such roadway Then,
in 1883, he had the tramway transformed
into a steam railroad The story of that
work Is most romantic ono.
The chief engineer was an Englishman,
a Mr.. Kinder. He was compelled to work
by stealth, as though he were committing
some great crime. He had to build the
first locomotive secretly, out Of such scraps
of machinery as he could pick up. He got
some small driving wheels as scrap cast
ings and boiler from wornout station
ary engine while local winding engine
furnished him with a cylinder and piston.
When the thing was only half done, the
authorities got wind Of it and ordered
work stopped at once, and 1t took all Of
Lis tact and influence to got the order re-
yoked and permission given for the com
pletion of the line ON his own private
grounds
1t was not long before the dowager em-
press became interested in the enterprise
and she and Ii together got the govern
ment to consent to an extension Of the
llne unuef OllClal control. III was urSG OK
tended to LuTai, then to Peh Tang and
Taku, then to TENTS and finally to a
point ten miles beyond Shan Hal -Kwan,
its present limit. 1t is now, however, to
be prolonged northward and eastward, to
connect with the Russian system at Kirin.
The plans for the Russian railroads in
China are extensive A branch is to be
run from the Siberian road from point a
little east of Lake Baikal down through
Mongolia and Manchuria to Kirin, but
not touching the sacred city Of Mukden,
which Is to be entered only by the Chinese
line. Thence 1t is to branch in two direc-
tions. One branch will run north and east
to Vladivostok, and the other southwark
to Port Arthur, there finding the terminal
30 long desired. A better could not be
wished. The port is commodious one,
already supplied with fine docks and ship
yards. 1t is always free from ice. 1t Is
capable of being fortified into a practically
impregnable state. There Is good supply
of fresh water at hand for shipping In.
deed 1t is an ideal place for either naval
station or commercial emporium. If
Russia could make the approach to 1t
along the peninsula secure she would be
satisfied. To make 1t thus secure is the
task she now has in hand, and an unoom-
monty hard task y aDDears To be.