Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1899-07-15
A WORLD TRIP IN 40 DAYS.
What the Trans Siberian Railroad
Will Add to Commerce.
THE ROAD ALMOST FINISHED.
prise-EIaborate Trains With Gymna-
Sums Run Across AsIa-What an
American Says of the Undertaking

WASHINGTON, July 1--Herbert d.
Pierce, first secretary of the United
States embassy to Russia. has been in
Washington several DAYS on leave of
absence from his post. It has afford
ed an opportunity for talks with the
President and State department Of
fcials on Russian affairs, both politi-
cal and commercial, and the impart-
ing of much interesting information
which could not be brought by the
channels of official reports.
The TRANSIT berian railway, with its
track stretching across 4 900 miles of
the north of the continent. was one of
Mr.. Pierce's chief topics of conversa-
ton. People outside of Russia
hardly realize how nearly completed
the Transsiberian railway is" Mr..
Pierce said.
Il was told recently by Prince
Hilkof, minister of ways of commun-
ication, who has charge of this great
work, that he expected to make a
trip around the world in forty days
during the coming Paris exposition,
going by way of the Transsiberian
route, and he had the Kindness to ask
me to accompany him upon the trip.
Even now the route is almost contin-
uous from Moscow to the Amoor river
and thence to Vladivostock, upon the
Pacific coast, with the exec tion of a
comparatively short stretch which
has to be covered with post horses.
Once open, this will mark almost a
commercial revolution, giving high
way from Western Europe to the Pa
cific, and from our Pacific coast into
the far East, aad thence to Eastern
Europe"
The roadbed is we'll constructed,
the track well ballasted, generally
with stone, and the grades easy. 1t
has five foot gauge and the cars are
unusually broad and high The
bridges are mostly all of steel and
the wooden ones are rapidly replaced.
All along the route the stations are
artistic and equal to those Oh the
best American roads. There is an
army OF guards. The road is divided
into two sections of two-thirds OF a
mile each For each section is built
a neat cottage in which the guard and
his family live. It is the duty of the
guard to patrol a section night and
day. AS soon as a train passes the
guard steps into the middle OF the
track, holds a flag or lantern aloft,
and watches the train until it passes
into the next section. A train is
never out of sight of guard.
1.-The road is so well along that
trains are rua out of Moscow which
would astonish even Americans as
models of elegance" Mr.. Pierce said.
These trains have not only baths,
libraries and other modern equip
ments, but complete gymnasium to
beguile the long trip through Siberia.
The origin al purpose of Russia was TO
make the route one for military and
strategic purposes, linking the capital
and other large centers with the naval
rendezvous at V adivostock. But now
commerce and travel over the road
havequite overshadowel the strategic
purpose, and Russia finds that she
has opened a highway viii oh is to be
one of the great channels of the
world In TINA, possibly. the route
will be diverted southwark through
Chinese Manchuria, to permit a ter
minus at Russia's new and important
leasehold at Port Arthur. But for
the present, Vladivostock continues
minus on the Pacific"
Russia offers a great field for Amer
lean investment, Mr. Pierce believes
The relations between the United
States and Russia he said, were
never on a more cordial basis than at
present, and the friendship which is
traditional between the two countries
finds constant expression in Russia.
not only among officials, but also
among the people of all classes. It is
not too much to say that from the
emperor down to the peasantry there
is a sincere friendship for US and de-
sire to become acquainted with Amer
lean methods and to m IKE use in Rus
STA of the skill and ingenuity which
have advanced this country with such
great strides.
''For this reason there is a great
opening in Russia for American cap
ital, and for the introduction OF
American machinery and methods of
doing business. 1t is an immense
field, far beyond anything realized by
the people in this country. Russia is
just entering an era OF tremendous
prosperity sort OF commercial and
Industrial awakening Here is the
new field for American enterprise and
capital, for, with our Pacific coast
facilities. the Philippines and the
TRANSIT berian railroad route, there is
ready access for our goods into the
very heart of Russia