The Lamar register., 1899-07-26

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 10 the United States the bless
ings that come from great and varied
commerce, and ] 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 a
war between one of the old nations OF
the earth and our young republic
would be fought; at that time we had
no idea that American manufacturers
would be furnishing locomotives to the
English railroads, as well as japanese,
and no one thought four years ago that
American bridge builders would go IN
to the open market and S1ccessfully
compete for the building of great
steel bridge in Egypt; nor that in so
brief a 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 a friend in
Toxic, Japan. written only short time
age there was this significant SEN
teuce: "You will be interested in
knowing that / have hanging on the
wall OF my office framed picture OF
your Empire State Express and we
expect in The near future 10 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
that 81,
ton of foreigners who have visited
our shores, our railway equipment gem
orally has commanded admiration and
Is now receiving the highest eompli-
ment, namely. imitation by many OF
our sister nations. Prince Michel Hl-
koff, Imperial Minister OF Railways of
Russia. has, since his visit to the
United States few years ago, con-
structed train on much the same
lines as the New York Central's Lake
Shore Limited. Only short time ago,
at the request of ere of lie
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
tion 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 ach.ev-
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 achievmeEts in machin-
cry, was that OF the United States bat
teship Oregon" built at the Union
Iron Works in San Francisco, and
which steamed distance Of more than
haf round the globe, without loosening
a bolt or starting riyet. and arrived
at her post OF the island Of Cuba pre-
pared to perform any service required
of her; and then having given most
satisfactory account of herself on that
memorable Sd OF July. 1898. off Santi-
ago, she steamed back to the Pacific
Ind without unnecessary delay crossed
that great ocean to Join Admiral
Dewey's fleet at Manila On her arriy-
al there the Secretary Gf the Navy re-
ceived one Of those condensed mes
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