Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-07-28


agent of New York Central and Hud-
son River Railroad, recently delivered
an address before the New York Press
Association. Among other notable
things, he said:
Four years ago l predicted that ac-
tive efforts toward the extension OF
American commerce by commercial
bodies. supported by a liberal and
broad minded policy on the part OF
our government, would undoubtedly
secure to the United States the bless
ings that come from great and varied
commerce, and l said that the New
York Press Association, and similar
associations all over the country, could
stimulate a public spirit that would in
sure the important results outlined.
At that time we had no idea that
war between one Of the old nations OF
the earth and our young republic
would be fought; at that time we mad
no idea that American manufacturers
would be furnishing locomotives to the
English railroads, as we'll as japanese,
and no one thought four years ago that
American bridge builders would go In
to the open market and successfully
compete for the building of great
steel bridge in Egypt; nor that in so
brief time American engineers would
be building railroads into the interior
Of China from the most important sea-
ports and furnishing locomotives by
the score to nearly every country on
the globe. In a letter from friend In
Toxic, Japan, written only short time
ago there was this significant SEN
tence: you will be interested in
knowing that I have hanging on the
wall of my Office framed picture Of
your Empire State Express and we
expect in the near future to be haul
ing a Japanese Empire Express with
an American locomotive" They have
now in Japan nearly 100 locomotives
that were built in the United States.
In Russia they have over 400 Of our
locomotives, and nearly every railroad
in Great Britain has ordered locomo-
tives from this country since the be-
ginning of the war with Spain.
In this connection it will be inter-
esting to note in passing that the sec
ond American locomotive was built at
the West Point Foundry, near Cold
Spring, on the Hudson river, and was
called the BEST Friend" and from
that day to this the locomotive has
been one of the best friends of all our
people. But it is not alone our loco
motives that have attracted the atten
ton of foreigners who have visited
our shores, our railway equipment gen
orally has commanded admiration and
Is now receiving the highest compli-
ment, namely, imitation by many of
our sister nations. Prince Michel Hill
koff, Imperial Minister of Railways Of
Russia, has, since his visit to the
United States a few years ago, con-
structed train on much the same
lines as the New York Centrals Lake
Shore Limited. Only short time ago,
at the request of enc of ne
Imperial Commissions Of Ger
many, the New York Central
sent to Berlin photographs of the
interior and exterior of our finest cars
and other data in relation to the opera
ton of American railways. Several
other countries have asked for similar
information and there is a general
waking up of foreign nations on the
subject of transportation, brought
about mainly by the wonderful achiev-
ments of American railways.
The admiration of foreign nations
for us is not by any means confined
to railways. One incident that startled
the entire world, and riveted the at
tention of thinking people everywhere
to American achievements in machin-
cry, was that of the United States bat
tleship Oregon" built at the Union
Iron Works in San Francisco, and
which steamed distance of more than
half round the globe, without loosening
bolt or starting a rivet, and arrived
at her post off the island of Cuba pre-
pared to perform any service required
Of her; and then having given a most
satisfactory account of herself on that
memorable Sd of July, 1898, off Santi-
ago, she steamed back to the Pacific,
and without unnecessary delay crossed
that great ocean to join Admiral
Dewey's fleet at Manila. On her arriv-
al there the Secretary Of the Navy re-
ceived one of those condensed mes
sages, for which the admiral-who has
shed undying luster upon the name of
the American navy-is so noted which
read as follows: Manila, March IS,
1S99.-The Oregon and Iris arrived
here today. The Oregon is in fit con-
dition for any duty. Dewey"
These demonstrations of what Ameri-
can shipbuilders can accomplish, Gre
ated a desire on the part of every nav
al power in the world for ships of the