The evening times., 1900-02-05

north from Port Arthur to MCukden, with
a connection from New Chwang. an open
commercial port. The road TO Monkden is
already completed. and was, indeed tle
most remarkable feat ever accomp ished.
In 1898 this road was not even thought Cf;
10 survey had been made and 10 contracts
were dreamed of. In August, 1898, a few
Russians soldiers came TO Port Arthur un-
der the new treaty. Before the close CT
lSSS i64 miles of railroad had been built,
thanks TO the promptneSs with Nhlch
American mills furnished rails. spikes, and
machinery The road is now in operation,
and American locomotives puff ove- those
American rails, where year ago was
nothing but the most primitive Of r. lis,
for it could hardly be called wagon road.
Pushing Nanchuria Road.
This road is now being pushed though
Manchuria to the new town of Harbin, the
main point of the Manchmian Railway a
town that has grown up in the night m are-
ly by the influence of railway building.
line between Vladivostock and Stretinsk,
and is in ;ouch with the whole system OF
the Trans Siberian Railway.
This part of the Manchurian Railway
from Port Arthur to the north runs trough
$50 miles of the most fertile land in the
world, where the climate is varied and
pleasant with four well-defined seasons in
the year. Branches from the trunk line
will be constructed to all the large towns,
and the country will be civilized by the
magic of the shining lines Of eel rails.
The railroad has taught civilization to
the Manchurians, the country is open 10
our enterprise and it will be time enough
10 insist upon the open door when We
have been interfered with in our business,
a contingency hardly TO be expected
"As these roads have opened China to
Russians they have opened Russia to the
Chinese, anticipating the suggestion made
by the Chinese Minister to the United
States in late address, that the Chinese
react as they are acted upon. There is
hardly any limit TO the territory and re-
sources of the district of Manchuria and
eastern Siberia. The country is fertile
and rich in precious metals, we'll as
copper, iron and coal,
The opening of Manchuria 10 the world
should also stimulate interest in Korea,
one Of the richest and most neglected
countries in ;he world. Everyone is talk
ing about China, while right next door lies
a land known TO be full of gold. ready for
the miner, and other riches no less valu-
able. but il is all left untouched and un-
developed.
1t is impossible for a man going to
Manchuria today TO appreciate The tre-
mendous changes which have been
wrought within the last three years. He
cannot by any play OF the imagination
conceive the transformation which has
taken place in the country and its peo-
pie, and the causes which have been at
work TO bring this about Only one who
has seen il in transition can grasp the
.-s- a., - h., Il, haz
not seen the country four times within
these three years. l could hardly under
stand it myself-it seems so miraculous.
The geographers did not know more
than the outlines OF Manchuria. My guide
book was a living guide, and even he did
aOt know any too much about the eoun-
try for the Chinese do not travel far from
their native villages. When ! left Mouk-
den. for instance. to return. / was directed
to all points of the compass. but ] knew
that the compass never lied and that
must go TO the southwark. II was impos-
sible for me TO know what / was going to
find within five miles, whether it would
be a broad river or a high mountain, a
swamp or a quicksand. There were not
wen roads through the country.
The Chinese go from place TO place on
a pain elevated about two feet above the
rice fields or each side, and il was on this
narrow strip that we had 10 march. When
We came 10 a mountain we found the path
straying up it, although not two miles
away / could see the valley along which
We might have gone easily had ii not been
for the painless rice fields. Why these
roads ever ran up the mountains. some
times 10 a height of SEQ feet l never
could understand. ! found that the Chi
aese had many artistically constructed
bridges over streams or the beds of streams
hat had long been diverted miles away.
Ancient Bridges and Tunnels.
An engineer must be deeply interested
AMI impressed by the ideas expressed in
hese ancient bridge works and tunnels, but
hey were always in decay. Nevertheless !
he Chinese cross them. They will unload 1
heir beasts OF burden and carry the loads |
aboriously over the girders Of the bridge, |
.tnl in position, even though the river is
low fifty miles away and they could pass !
ar more easily over the dry bed of the |
ncient stream, but their ancestors crossed |
his bridge, and so will they. 1t re-
minded me Of a flock of sheep that will |
ump high over a bar, although that bar is |
owered.
han the first for now the natives had seen |
,ther white men The Russian surveyors 1
passing through there, and their awe of /
he unknown was gone. They had hesi- /
ated. not knowing whether TO attack us or I
lOt on the first trip, and before they had !
decided we were gone and they could only /
'egret not having done so. | had been
-ery liberal with them, and expected my
econd trip to be easier than the first, go
ng among old friends. but the contrary was
he case, and I found that ! required
arger escort and had many narrow es-
apes. ] had to use the well known copper
cash for paying all my bills on these ear
y trips.
How is il today? The wagons can trav-
] along the roadbed of the railroad and
make as much progress in two hours as
hey formerly made in a day, for as yet
10 passenger tickets are sold, the road be-
ng still operated for construction pur
'oses.
The traveller Is perfectly safe. finds good
and can pass paper money
instead of the awkward cash. The intro
uction of currency into Manchuria has
een one of the greatest triumphs of the
lussian regime. No one questions the deep
Influences of currency as civilizer and
id 10 commercial activity, and the in
reduction of currency into Manchuria was
imple and effective. The scheme origi-
ated with General Kerbitz, the we'll
nown Russian engineer, vice president
nd actual head of the MaDchurian Rail-
'ay He had silver brought in to the
eight of several tons.
The coolies were paid off once or twice
D chunks of metal. and then certificates,
r receipts of the Russo Chinese Bank.
rere offered instead When the coolies
aid: This is only a piece of paper the
avpnocfaY renlied No. ii &c q reoeint for T.