The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-28
Remarkable Journey of Mrs.
Stevens, an American
Woman.
ACROSS THE STEPPES
Accompanies Her Husband Over the
Route Of the Trans-Siberian
Railway.
Special Dispatch TO The Call.

g.. VICTORIA. June 27.-Among the
passengers who arrived on the Empress
az China to-day was Mrs NJ NJ Ste
vens; wife of the manager in Russian
Asia Of the Baldwin Locomotive Works
II Philadelphia, who e short time ago
completed d journey hitherto uneQualed
by an American woman. She accom-
panied her husband across the great
Siberian wastes and steppes, over the
unCOmpleted trans-Si berian Railway
and by wagon and tarantass from st.
Petersburg TO Vladivostok. The long
and arduous journey Of 9S77 versts was
accomplished in forty-two days
1t was a race against time. During
last August, when her husband. who
is now at Tladivostok, was residing in
the Russian capital. he received a tele-
gram from the Baldwins telling him
that seventy seven locomotives were on
the way TO the Siberian coast and
would arrive about two months after
the message was received. He tmme-
diately made arrangements with the
Russians for q special train and they
hurried along the rails TO Zema. where
the road then ended. There arrange
.ments were made whereby a car was
attached to the construction train and
the TWO Americans journeyed on over
.tlIe UNPUBLISHED trail and loosely laid
rails to within seven versts of Irkutsk,
the Siberian capital Thence they went
on in peasants agons-uncomforta-
g Bile, springIess vehicles which made
them think comfort was a lost joy.
Thus they reached Lake Baikal,
where they caught a steamer in which
. they crossed the big inland water. The
comfort Of the steamer, such as 1t was,
. however, soon passed, and again they
journeyed in the jolting but pictu-
RESCUE tarantass for days. They ac-
.COuplished 105S versts in the springless
vehicle with but one interruption, when
they were stopped by a band of eXiles
who presumably meant to rob them.
When the gold braid and brass buttons
OF the Russian officials who accompa-
MED them were seen they decamped.
After s. ,eTal DAYS Of this firing
method Of travel they reached STRIFE
tence. which is to be the western
terminus Of the line Mrs. Stevens said
for the directors have decided TO take
the traveller thence to Vladivostok by
steamer, or by the projected railway
through Manchuria to Newchwang
and Port Arthur.
From Strietence they took a steamer
trip 500 versts down the Chilka River
TO where that river and the AgOon form
down the Amur TO Nladivostok.
The Trans Siberian Railway, Mrs.
Stevens says, will not be connected for
several years yet.
They say two years, but I think 1t
VIII be considerably longer than that
before this is opened she said.
1t is a fine line, and, when completed,
viii be remarkable in many ways 1t is
the longest railway in the world. 1t
has some exceedingly lengthy and
strong bridges, and some other great
works of engineering skill. The loco
. motives are all Of American make. The
seventy seven sent by the Baldwin peo-
pie are now being fitted up at Port
. Arthur and Nladivostok-fOrty at Port
Arthur and thirty-seven at Vladivos-
tok. The Trans-Siberian is not the only
line on which the American locomotive
building firm is putting engines. Some
are now on the way TO the Far East
for the Imperial Chinese and other lines
being constructed. Some are also being
sent 10 Japan.
The change in the plans Of the rail-
way whereby It goes through Northern
China IS said 10 be due to the fact that
Russia has found big swamps in the
original route projected to VladivOstok.
Now It wishes TO give up this route and
construct line directly from Kiachta
TO Picking, following the old caravan
route. Thence the line would lead via
NIUkden to NeWChwang and Port Ar
thur, with a branch line to Vladivostok.
During my stay in Vladivostok,"
says Mrs. Stevens, L was impressed
with the way Russians are hurrying
troops 70 the coast Some 5000 CossaCks
arrived there from Odessa during my
stay. and 1000 We're coming on one ship.
Many are also being rushed to Port
Arthur. but I do not know in what
numbers. All are coming by steamers,
for the railroad line Is not near enough
completed to allow Of transportation of
troops"