The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-02-05


a connection from New Chwang. an open
commercial port. The road to Moukden is
already completed. and was indeed tLe
NEST remarkable feat ever accOmp ished.
In 1898 this road was not evel thought q;
no survey had been made and no contracts
were dreamed OF. In August, 1898, few
Russians soldiers came to Port Arthur un-
der the new treaty. Before the close of
1883 lSi miles Of railroad had been built
thanks to the promptness With which
American mills furnished rails. spikes, and
machinery. The road is now in operation.
and american locomotives pun ove- those
American rails. where a year ago was
nothing but the most primitive Of r lis,
for IL could hardly be called wagon road.
PrshinE Mnnchuria Road.
THIS road is now beng pushed though
Mancluria to the new town OF Hardin, the
main point OF the Manchmian Railway, a
town that has grown up in the night mere
ly by the influence OF railway building
Then it makes direct connection with the
line between Vladivostock and Stretinsk.
and is in couch with the whole system o.
the Trans Siberian Railway.
This part of the ManchuTian 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 ali the large towns,
and the country viii be civilized by the
magic Of the shining lines Of $ eel rails.
The railroad has taught civilization 10
the Manchurians, the country is open to
our enterprise, and it will be time enough
TO insist upon the open door when We
have been interfered with In our business,
contingency hardly 70 be expected
"As these roads have opened China 20
[ Russians they have opened Russia 10 the
/ Chinese. anticipating the suggestion made
/ by the Chinese Minister to the United
: States in a 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. as well as
! copper, iron and coal
The opening OF Manchuria 20 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 fun OF gold. ready for
/ the miner, and other riches no less valu-
| able. but ii Is an left untouched and I'M
/ developed.
| 1t is impossible for a man going 20
| Manchuria today TO appreciate the ire
mendous changes which have been
! wrought within the last three years. He
| cannot by any play Of the imagination
/ conceive the transformation which mas
/ taken place I'm 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
/ full significance Of the changes. II ] had
/ not seen the country four times within
| these three years. l could hardly under
stand 10 myself-it seems so miraculous
! The geographers did not know more
/ than the outlines Of Manehuria- Ny guide
/ book was a living guide and even he did
| 1Ot know any TOO much about the cOun-
. try, for the Chinese DO not travel far from
| their native villages. When ] left Mouk-
/ den. for instance to return, ] was directed
l 10 all points Of the compass. but 7 knew
/ that the compass never lied and that ]
must 20 10 the southwark. II was impOs-
| sible for me TO know what ] was going 10
| find within FIVE miles, whether it would
| be a broad river or a high mOuntai9
/ swamp OF a quicksand. There were not
! wen roads through the country.
! The Chinese go from place TO place on
/ a path elevated about two feet above the
rice fields on each side and it was on this
{ narrow strip that we had 20 march. When
[ We came 10 a mountain We found the path
( straying ND it, although not two miles
| away ] could see the valley along which
/ for the pathless rice fields. Why there
roads ever ran ND the mountains. some
| times to height of 500 feet. / never
| could understand. ] found that The Chi
/ nese had many artistically constructed
bridges over streams or the beds OF streams
that had long been diverted miles away.
Ancient bridges and Tunnels.
An engineer must be deeply interested
and impressed by The ideas expressed in
these ancient bridge works and tunnels but
they were always in decay. Nevertheless
the Chinese cross them. They will unload
their beasts Of burden and carry the loads
lsboriousIy over the girders OF the bridge,
! still in position. even though the river is
now fifty miles away and they could pass
! far more easily over the dry bed Of the
/ ancient stream. but their ancestors crossed
this bridge. and so -Will thev IL re-
| minded me OF a flock of sheep the will
jump high over a bar, although the, r4r is
| lowered.
My second trip was far more dangerous
| than the first for now the natives had seen
other white men, the Russian surveyors
passing through there, and their awe Of
the unknown was gone. They had hest
tated. not knowing whether to attack us OF
! not on the nrSl trip, and before iney Ddu
decided we were gone and they could only
! regret not having done So l had been
/ very liberal with them, and expected my
| second trip to be easier than the first go
ing among old friends, but the contrary was
the case and I found that ] required a
| larger escort and had many narrow es-
capes. ] had 10 use the well known copper
cash for paying an my bills on these cIr-
" trips.
How is il tOday7 The wagons can tTav-
/ cl along the roadbed Of the railroad and
make as much progress in two hours as
they formerly made in a day, for as yet
no passenger tickets are sold, the road be-
ing still operated for construction pur-
| poses
The traveller Is perfectly safe. finds good
I accommodations and can pass paper money
| instead Of the awkward cash The intro
| duction OF currency into ManchuTia has
| been one of the greatest triilmphs of the
| Russian regime. No one questions the deep
/ influences Of currency as n civilizer and
! aid to commercial activity. and the in
! PRODUCTION Of currency into Manchuria was
simple and effective. The scheme Orgi-
mated with General Kerbitz. the we'll
I known Russian engineer, vice president
and actual head Of the Manchurian Rail-
way He had silver brought in TO the
! weight of several tons.
| The coolies were paid of once or twice
in chunks Of metal. and then certificates,
| or receipts Of the Russo Chinese Bank
were offered instead. When the ccol.es
said This is only a piece OF paper the
I If lied TO- No il IS a recent for