The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-23

extraordinary about the construction OF
this the longest of the worlds rail-
roads. There has not been the romance
connected with its building that there
was in the case of the Union Pacific,
where lofty mountain ranges had to be
scaled or tunneled and hostile tribes OF
Indians fought at almost every mile.
Probably no railroad engineers ever
had SO few difficulties to contend with
as those who laid out this railroad for
the car For five thousand miles the
steppes of Siberia and eastern Russia
stretch onward level as a billiard ta
Bile. 1t is the enormous length alone
which makes the Trans Siberian not
able from an engineering standpoint.
OF course, thare is a strong romantic
interest attendant upon this closer re
union of Europe and Cathay The
lands Which formerly could only be at
tanned by voyages like that of Nasco
de Cana, around the cape of Good
Hope are now within g few days land
Journey. The old caravan system
which used to toll over the plains of
Tartary, conveying tea and spices to
the great fair of Mini Novgorod, are
now things Of the past.
The military aspect Of the railroad is
what is especially troubling England
and the other European powers. Rus
sia's advantage in being able to pour
troops by the tens of thousands into
Manchuria and northern China by rail,
while England, Germany and the other
powers will be forced to resort to the
slow and uncertain method of ocean
Transports is so great as to be an all
most sure indication of the ultimate
solution of the Chinese problem. 1t will
be easier many times for the Russians
to.pour troops into northern China than
1t was for the United States to oc-
cupy Cuba in the war with Spain.
Those protesting to be acquainted
with the wiles Of Russian diplomacy are
confident the ear is now only playing
for time, and that when the last tie
has been laid and the last spike driven,
the nation will assume q more arrogant
tone and institute a more aggressive
policy, which may lead to the long
dreaded war with England.
Certain it is that the railroad when
completed will give Russia an almost
indissouble sway over Manchufla. 1t
was originally planned to build tie
railroad along the valley of the AMOR
to Vladivostok, circuitous rout
speedily abandoned after the compe-
ton of Russia's entente with China.
The new terminus of the line viii he
Port Arthur, and it is this last LINK,
through Manchuria, that alone re-
mains to be finished,
But what interests Americans most
is how the opening UP to commerce of
all this vast range of country Is going
to affect home markets. The trans
Siberian Railroad runs through a ter
ritory large enough and fertile enough
to be the grain and beef supply Of the
world. When the great west of Amer
lea was opened, English agriculture was
ruined. Later,N American industries,
notably the oil and grain-raising indus
ries, have been affected by competition
in the Odessa district of southern Rus
sia What effect the throwing open
Of larger and equally fertile territories
will have, Will only be seen a few years
hence, when the citizens of Siberia
have adjusted themselves to their new
conditions One thing seems certain,
however. the Siberian steppes will never
be settled with the same lightning-like
speed which characterized the throwing
open of our own western prairies. The
Tartar and the Cossack is slower to
see opportunities than the Yankee
Travellers who have had the pleasure
of journeylng over that portion of the
railroad now open to the public say it
Is a most ably managed road and is
far superi Or TO the average continental
railroed. Owing to the long distances
between stations 1t has been forced to
depart from some of TIE old world ideas
of car construction, and in place of the
common stuffy box cars American Pull
mans, dining cars and observation
trains are to be seen. The gauge is
five feet, allowing q greater degree Of
breadth than in American cars
The stations are models Of railroad
architecture, and each differs from the
other, and has an individuality of it's
own. No American road has better
The railroad eating stations are unsur-
passed At one end of the waiting
room the tourist sees commodious la
bic on which are displayed in bewilder-
ing profusion all those myriad dainty
dishes known to the Russian cuisine.
To these the traveller helps himself
getting a sumptuous banquet for a
Sloderate expense.
The chief effort OF the builders has
.A,en to insure safety. A most com
piioated system OF block and electric
signals has been Installed. In addition,
there is q very complete system of rail-
read guards One of these guards is
stationed at every verst or mile Of the
roads length. He is provided with a
neat little cottage and either he or