The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-05-08
RAILWAYS IN SIBERIA.
Excellent accommodations Found
ON FirscCIass Trains

on FtrscCIass Trains
r. I. Geener. United States Commercial
Agent al VIadfvostoek. writes the State
Department asifeHDws:
Mr.. Khikoff, Minister of Ways and
Communications. had a special train sent
to him on thsg Great Siberian Railroad
some months ago. There were FIVE coach
es-one frst-class, two second-eIass, one
dining. and one baggage car. Ali the ap-
pOintments were excellent There were.
besides the usual library, pianos, writing
eonveniences found in American ears), a
barber shop. gymnasium, good supply
OF ice. patent boilers, dials which indicate
the next station and the length of stop.
double windows TO protect from dust and
the extreme Siberian cold and an obser-
walton car at the rear. On this train we're
attendants speaking English, French, and
German The cars are lighted throughout
by electricity. There is no charge for the
barber or for medical attendance. The
bath costs 81. From St. Petersburg 10
Irkutsk the transit occupies about seven
days from Moscow, about six; and from
Paris. not more than twenty eight days
1.-The total length OF the line to Vladi-
vostock will be 4.714 miles The cos. will
be $500 900 600
The section just completed as far as
Stretinsk is important because IL marks
the connection with VladivostOck. some
1-5o0 miles, and gives a continuous all-rail
travel Of over 5000 miles from Moscow
As is well known. there will no longer be
any necessity for skirting the Amur by
railway. since the acquisition OF transit
rights in Manchuria gives an almost
straight line from StretiDsk. by way of
Tsitsikar. Hardin, Nikoisk. then south a
three hours ride to VladivostOck- The
last rail on the Moscow Stretinsk division
was laid December IS. 1893.
Lake Baikal is as long rs England.
covers an area Of L. $50 square miles. and
is the formidable obstacle to be overcome.
1t is 1861 feet above sea level. has a shore
line Of nearly l.200 miles. depth warning
not less than SIG feet on an average, and
q distinct eb5 and flow. Four thousand
bve hundred feet have been sounded, AID
in one instance 1900 feet Is the record
After crossing Lake Baikal-by rails
over the ice in winter. By boat in SUR
mer-the road aSceuds the Yabl0nOi Noun
tains and attains its lOftiest elevation.
5.412 feet above sea level From this p0inE
il descends to the ANU.
AS at present planned there Will be
three branches. all via Hardin. TO NikOlsk.
VladlvostOck: to Pekin. via Mukden and
Niuchwang. and to a point rot yet given
out The-Nikclsk-Harbin branch is rapid
~ going forward from the Nikolsk Iermi-
nus. and that TO Mukden is now complete.
Two travellers. who have made the over
land journey. arriving OF Vladivostcck
within week, were six weeks from Mos
COW, including a stcp-Over OF nine days.
About the food. there are varying reports.
Some say even al remote stations the res
taurants are excellent With substantial
dinners at 50 cents; others say the charges
are eNtravagant Ii depends much. | i'm
agine. on the philosophy ard patience Of
the traveller MY own experience on the
Ussuri branch to Khabarofsk is good food,
reasonable prices. and every attention.
The entire road Is divided into sections OF
tWo-thircs OF a mile each. At each sta
ton IS the cottage where the station mas
ter lives with his family and the guarCs.
Between the Urals and Tomsk. there are
said TO be nea-fy 1000 Of these guards.
When travellers peak in q critical manner
Of the number OF soldiers found on the
cars and along the road. il is TO be Temem-
bered that il Is the same as il our cOnduc-
tors, brakemen. flag. and switch men all
wore the same Uniform.
Word has beer received that the admin
istratiOn Of the Central Siberian Railroad
intends 10 DO some work in shaping I'D the
line and increasing the speed according 10
plans fully mstuTcd. The cost OF this work
viii be about 50 10000 rub,es (S2S. 325. 8CO1
ami the varied improvements will -equire
seven years.
From OBJ 10 Irkutsk. Lee miles the
following programme will be carried out 4.
CD All the rails viii be changed: 90 all
wooden bridges Will be replaced BY iron
ones; 90 stations and crossings will Re
widened; 90 several new crossings will be
constructed. and 60 passenger accomoda-
tons will be provided. as well as houses
fer railroad employees. freight warehouses
provision stations for the army and sIso
for Immigrants"