The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-04-14
RAILWAYS OF JAPAN.
Phenomenal Progress Made in 1897.
5000 Miles n win Operation.

From the Japan Times.
Last year QSSO the progress of rail-
way enterprise in Japan was phenom-
email. Since the pioneer railway was
constructed between Toxic and Yoko-
hama, 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 2,44S
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
miles in round numbers. OF the lines
newly opened for traffic during last
year, the Tokuyama section of the
Sobu Railway were the most important,
for their mileage alone aggregated 12O
miles and some fractions.
OF the works Of construction actively
pushed on since last year we may men
ton, among the Government lines, the
Central line, the construction of which
was begun from the three different ter
mini at Nagoya, Haschioji and Shin
onoi the Komatsu-Tsuhata section via
Kanazawa of the HoKuriku Railway,
and the Fukushima- -Yamagata section
of the Tohoku Railway, which is to eff
feet a junction ultimately with the
Aomor terminus of the Nippin rail-
way slime. With Tegard to private rail-
way enterprise we may mention the
coast section from Taira to Nakamura
of the Jyoban branch of the Nippon
Railway; the Wakamatsu
section Of the Ganyetsu branch of the
same railway; the Sanjyo- Nagooka sec
tion of the Hohnyetsu Railway; the
Kamo-Nara and Shijyo Nawate-K -Kitsu
sections of the Kansai Railway, and
the prolongation of the Tokuyama ter
minus Of the Sanyo Railway as far as
Nitajiri. When this prOlOngation shall
have been completed the next work
to be undertaken will be the further
prolongatiOn Of the trunk line as far as
Shimonoseki, which according to the
programme, will be the terminus at one
end as Kobe is at the other.
on the completion of the above-men-
toned two sections of the Kansai rail-
way. Osaka and NaEOya will be con-
nected with another railway service,
besides the facility now afforded by the
Government Tokaido line Railway en-
terprise is also active in Kyushu. The
Hayagi-O -Omura section and the Sasebo
branch Of the Keyshu 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 Hok-
kaido also claims our attention. The
work there is in greater part official.
The Government railway construction
in Hokkaido is divided into two periods.
To the first period of construction be-
longs the line which is to start from
the Sorachifuto terminus of the Tanko
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 di-
vert northward from Asahigawa, and
will reach Soya by way Of Teshiwo.
The total length is about 600 miles. The
Sorachibuto-A o-Asahigawa section, we un-
derstand, will be opened for traffic by
May next, most probably. On the part
Of private railway enterprise in Hok-
waldo, that Of the Kan-Sou Railway
company is the most important. The
project is to connect Hakodate and
Otaru, a distance of $50 miles, at the
estimated cost of 5000 600 yen ($3,9Si-
000) The work of construction will be
completed in about five years. At pres
ent the journey between Otaru and
Hakodate, if made by steamer occupies
twenty-four hours, while if undertaken
by the railway service now available
from Mororan, no less than thirty-siX
hours are necessary on the completion
of the KanSou railway it will be pos
sible to cover the distance in eight