The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-15
NEWS OF RAILROADS
GENERAL MANAGER BIRD, OF ENG
LANDS GREAT EASTERN,
IN THE CITY
rs STUDYING OTHER SYSTEMS

| Surprised Mt the Progress Made in
| Chfnn and Amazed at the Building
i'm Japan-American Roads in
i'm Advance of Those in Great
Britain.
One of the most prominent railroad
men in Great Britain was in st. Paul
Yesterday, returning to England after a
trip almost around the world, made for
the purpose of inspecting the railway
systems of other countries and partially
for rest and pleasure. General Manager
+. 5. Bird of the Great Northern railway,
has his headquarters in London and Is
considered one of the best posted and at
the same time one of the most progressive
of English railway men. He left St Paul
last night for Chicago and will spend
several days inspecting the yards and
transfer facilities there. afterwards going
to New York, where he Will make study
of the immense terminals at Whitehall
station and of the methods Of operation
In vogue with the Eastern roads.
Though the Great Eastern manager IS
a firm believer that English roads are
very near perfection, he readily admitted
that the systems over which he has tray
eled during his stay in the United States
have many features which English roads
would do we'll to copy. In speaking of
the results of his trip, he said:
Many new ideas have been brought to
my attention during my trip, which will
be of great service to me in future work
at home. l spent some time in China be-
fore coming to this country, and while of
course railroad development in that land
is III its first stages, 1 was surprised at
the work which has been done. | found
American engineers holding positions of
responsibility and many Ameri AN men
in charge of the business Of such roads
as have already been built. Many English
men have also found employment there.
while the development in China sur
prised me, what l learned OF railroad
building in Japan, where I spent some
tine has been a constant source of
amaZement. Americans probably have
little idea of what that little nation has
done since 1t first took up civilized ways.
l found several lines of road which would
be considered unusually good in either
the United States or England. American
and English engineers have projected
roads through many different parts Of the
empire and l have seen roadbeds and
tracks there built in as substantial and
scientific manner as any In the world.
Several Of the japanese lines have Amer
lean and European equipment and their
service is excellent. Some of the railroad
engineering work which has been done
In the mfkado's kingdom would stand on
a par with some of the famous achieve
ments of your own engineers in the
Rockies.
Concerning your own American roads, 1
have seen enough to convince me that
We in England have yet much to learn
Your train service, methods of operating,
equipment and rolling stock Is as good
and in many instances better than that
of the English roads. l have been greatly
impressed with the tremendous achieve
ments of your Western rarilroad mag
mates. in successfully operating lines run
ming half way across the continent and
successfully crossing sections of country
presenting engineering distractions and
problems more difficult to solve than any
which we old world railroad men have
had to meet with. There seems no situa-
ton too difficult to be met, and your rail-
road engineers are certainly marvels Of
ingenuity and skill. In some particulars
A4ONONSlb L nave IOQuu chance 1OC Critl--
c1sm Your roads are not equipped with
block systems in many instances and
lack safety appliances which would be
considered imperative in England l am
astonlshed that with such evidences Of
skill shown IN some particulars, Your
roads are not better equipped in others.
/ understand that I have yet much to
see and am making the trip east in ex-
pectat1on OF finding roads on which these
oeIects Which l have mentioned have
been remedied. We English have vet
much to learn from you in many partic-
ulars, yet l think there are some things
IN which we can yet give you instruction.
An instance of this occurs to me now,
nave recently Travelled over road
Whlch is Just putting in the semaphore
system 1t was considered a great i'm
pfoFement, l was told. Yet [ can call
TO mind English roads which have had
the same system In use for twenty wears
Inc carelessness of your companies IN
protecting your terminal tracks also as
tonlshed me- In England there is hardly
mile of road which does not have
guarded right of way. We have very
lew crossings and in most instances road
ways lntersect the line of our tracks with
prloges. think We have fewer accidents,
IMAM american roads and exercise q
greater regard for the safety of the NH
nc and their protection from moving
trains iiofi Ing