The evening times., 1899-06-28

Victoria, B. c., June 2S.-Among the
passengers who reached here yesterday by
the steamship Empress Of China was Mrs.
M. NJ. Stevens, wife Of the manager In
Russian Asia of the Baldwin Locomotive
Works, of Philadelphia. who short time
ago completed journey hitherto une-
qualed by an American woman She ac-
companied her husband across the great
Siberian waste and steppes, over the un-
completed trans Siberian Railway ard by
wagon and tarantass from St. Petersburg
to Vladiyostock.
The long and tedious journey of 9.sIi
versts was accomplished in forty-two days.
s. @as fxeg ssasase sssss.
During last August. when sas sna her
husband who is now at Vladivostock,
were residing in the Russian capital. he
received a telegram from the Baldwins
telling him that seventy seven locomo-
tives were on the way TO the Siberian
coast. and would arrive about two months
after the message was received
He Immediately made arrangements with
the Russian officials for special tram,
and they hurried along the rails to Zema.
where the road then ended.
There arrangements were made whereby
a car was attached TO the construction
train. and the two Americans journeyed
on over unballasted track and loosely lald
rails to within seven yersts of lrkutSk. the
Siberian capital.
Thence they went on in peasants wag-
ons. springless vehicles, which made them
think comfort was lost joy Thus they
reached Lake Barkal, where they caught
q ct, in which they crossed tn, Big
Inland water.
The comfort of the steamer, such as IL
was, however, soon passed. and again they
journeyed in a jolting, but picturesque Ia
rantass for days. They accomplished l,ooS
yersts in the peasants wagons with only
one interruption. when they were stopped
by a band of eXiles. who presumably meant
to rob them, but when the gold braid ana
brass buttons of the Russian officials who
accompanied them were seen the exlles de-
camped.
After several days of this firing method
of travel they reached Strietence, which is
to be the Western terminus OF the line,
Mrs. Stevens said, for the directors have
decided TO take the traveller thence to
yladivostock and Port Arthur.
From Strietence they took steamer for
300 veTsts down the Chilka River, to where
that river and the Agoon form the source
10 Vladivostock, the great Russian me
tropolis on the Pacific.
The trans Siberian Railway, Mrs. Ste
vcns says. will not be completed for sew
eral years yet. They say Two years. but
| think it will be considerably longer than
that before ii is opened she said. 1t is
a fine line and when completed, will be
remarkable in many ways. As is known.
this is the lCngsst railway in the world. II
has some exceedingly lengthy and strong
bridges. and some other great works of en-
gineering skill.
The locomotives on the line all are OF
American make.
Seventy of the locomotives sent
by the Baldwin people are now being fit
ted up at Port Arthur and Vladivostock
forty at Port Arthur and thirty seven at
Vladivostock.
The trans Siberian is not the only line
Though. on which the American locomotive
building firm is putting engines. Some are
nov en- the way TO the Far East for the
Imperial Chinese and other lines being
constructed. Some are also being sent to
Japan. The change in the plans OF the
railway whe-aby they go through Northern
China is said to be due to the fact that
Russia has found big swamps on the orig
inal route projected to Vladivostock.
Now they wish to give this route up
and construct a line from Kiachta to Pek-
in following the old caravan route.
Thence the line would lead via Mukden to
New Chwan and Port Arthur, with a
branch line TO Vladivostock.
During my stay in Viadivostock. said
Mrs. Stevens. Il was impressed with the
way the Russians are hurrying troops to
the coast. Seine 5000 Cossacks arrived
there from Odessa during my stay. 1000
coming by steamers. for the railway lice
is not near enough completion to allow of
transportation Of troops
Mrs. Stevens says there are now more
than 25.0c0 Russian troops in the Liaotung
peninsula, including the garrisons at Port
Arthur and these 25.c0O Russians are said
to have their baggage, ammunition wag-
ons. etc. all in complete readiness to move
to any point within forty-eight hours of
the order 10 march. Of these troops nearly