The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-19
S|BERIA'S GREAT ROAD
Through Trains Will Be Running
In 1902.
GREATEST OF RAILWAYS
AROUND THE WORLD IN FORTY
DAYS.
This VIII Be Possible When the
Trans-Siberian Road is Completed
Passenger Rates Will Be the
Lowest In the World-Ethan
Allan Hitchcock's Views

New York. Feb. 1S.-The newly-ap-
pointed secretary of the interior, Ethan
Allen Hitchcock, who has just ar
rived in this city from Russia, says in
regard TO the Siberian railway: THE
Siberian railway is one of the greatest
commercial enterprises of the country
The man who is building it told me
month ago that trains would be run
ming from Irkutsk to Vladivostock in
1902. He told me the earth then could
be circumnavigated in 40 days.
This is four years earlier than was
originally expected, but the Importance
Of the road has become so manifest that
the utmost urgency has been enforced.
Ii is wholly surveyed and the rails are
going down as fast as they can be got
10 their places. 1t is quite possible to
travel by rail now from ijni-NovSorod
on the Volga, TO Irkutsk, made familiar
to the civilized world by Jules Verne
in Michael StrogOff.
What will be the first terminus on
the Pacific?"
1t has not been officially promulgat-
ed. but YOU can say that 1t VIII be
Talien-Wan, a fine harbor in Manehu-
ria. which will be made absolutely Rus
sian. Port Arthur would not suit,
though a branch line of railway Will be
run to that place
Where they originally intend to run
one train a day each way, they are
now running six. The towns along the
Siberian steppes are quite populous.
The rates of fare in Russia are much
lower than in any part of the world.
1t is the intention of the Russian gov
eminent to make a through rate from
the NeVa to the Pacific of about 500.
The distance win be nearly 1000 miles.
What was the sentiment in Russia
regarding our war with Spain? was
asked
In official circles the victory of the
United States was regarded as fore
gone conclusion. The great masses of
the Russian people know little about
the conflict. Newspapers are not read
in Russia TO any great extent. Infor-
nation travels slowly. The teeiing oil
steadfast friendship for the American
people that is found everywhere is in
applicable, but il could not be shaken
by any Diplomatic influence that any
European power could exert
'Toujour Fidel. is the phrase that
every citizen of our country ought TO
write or utter whenever the name of
Russia is seen or heard.
THE people of the United States
never should forget for a single in
slant that, expressed or uneXpressed,
the friendship of the Russian ear has
been and is with them. To doubt the
undemonstrative fidelity of the car and
the imperial cabinet is unjust and
thoughtless. Russia will be with us on
that great day when we shall need her
help in the far east.
lis she averse TO our encrOachments
in the east?"
Not in the slightest. She has her
Gown plans regarding China; but they
are commercial rather than imperial
She will not express joy or annoyance
regarding the acquisition of the Philip
pines, but she viii stand ready to en-
dorse our course at the time moral sup
port is needed.
Are many of the great powers I'M
friendly to our occupancy of the Phil
ippines?"
Il think not" was the cautious re
joinder. Il cannot say exactly what
Frances feelings We're, but she is so
torn by internal troubles that even if
we knew her attitude to have been pro-
Spanish, we ought TO overlook it for the
sake of the past"