New-York tribune., 1901-02-17
,poss SIBERIA BY RAIL
,sco,rrORTS AND DELAYS OF
TsE LONG JOURNEY.


'.,,carrea. b,. The four or ave DAYS on the
Ia #-nh., .s.fion ~ the railroad the last rails
- we're laid in December
Ea.s,,ps -av that this section Of the road is
if.,en to the public Al the same time
sold er1m Stretcnsk 20 Irkutsk. and
-, which rassss. either east or west Is
~. rsssenrers one train was composed u
,vo cars carrying between i've hun
- Thousand people. All the cars were u
- and atth classes. In addition % two
-.,rs and mail car. the most luxurious piece
stock an This section Of the road The
- strctensk f1r Lake Baikal twice a
-, Tuesday and Friday-at u 30 O'Clock
L. ,,s fha trsa takes anywhere from three
- +o seven aays' The only thing % Dee de-
II Is,Don on This part OF the Siberian road is
II -. n startirg g-everythiug else is conjecture
.,,,some and long drawn out trips up the
.,s Chnka rivers make an excellent prep-
- ar the slow railroad journey 70 Irl1utsk
4 --st OF the imagination could picture more
L. IN the shape n delays rhan those which
II I--o,eur when actually g0ing-a rare sensation
n -, an the train The progress Is slow enough
,,ous are made about every hour and each
a from ha.f an hour 70 two or three hours
n ,.h As soon as the train comes 70 a stand
swarm OF people emerges from each car
- 10 purchase milk ana eggs from the wait
u ,.aSants or 20 I'LL their kettles with hot water
ne nearest samovar At some of the
Il = stations a large brick tank is built ar one
uhere the water is heated and sold 70 the
.,ger. for n Few kopecks. Cold water for
Il ~srr is kept IN barrel OF large pail inside
eirs class waiting room. But water for other
--,.ss IS one of the scarcest things in siberia
w he who would wash himself on such a trip
n s,s must work hard for the privilege. Some
T. he car couasca-e a little Of the drinking
=. bu; the supply Is limited. and = he enpties
I susket he exrres the wrath OF the other
.rs VINO sail 70 and a station oficial who viii
snish Il.
n THE ACCOAAIODATIONs POOR.
=, train Is often lighted on It's way ny huge
\ ~, arss which make The sky lurid and M the
!. d uith smoke. These are, of course a menace
\ ~ safety - the road. bgt his has been OBJ
4 --ud as far as possible by The burning OF the
l -bsr near the track on either side.
ne fourth ana etth class cars. which afTor6 the
i ~ scc0mm 1darioG Ol This line are anything bur
i .-.Ttable. Those o, che fourth class OF which
,ss are the greater number. are painted a light
n, and are about ha!f The length % ordinary
i arly built first and second class cars. but each
1 ~ Is suppose ro hold almost ATTY persons.
/ Trisn compartments are built on either side
"a seats and shelves arranged on hinges. so thar
-lght each small -om1artmeEt may 5e made 20
rn three tiers o' wooden her-hs T1f0rtuuateIv
| y ceaniness % these cars IS not 20 he conn
-'saed, even at rho start Of tho tourney. ana as
Toceeds the condition 0. me cars becomes daily
rise and worse tlr uo attendant is made 10 give
| E-iTaie cars 70 the people who would ordinarily
.--1y those OF rhe FIRST or second class As a
nis0uence everybody .s obliged 20 tEht FOR place
~ himself and ea0h car contains n more or less
agreeable element
ne question NJ meals U.s. or course. os paramount
rave can somehow he endured but q Is aa-
safely necessary that rhe five hundred or more
z1s passing through on every train should be
X This necessity has been provided frr ty the
slblshiEg or eating stations no regular distances
rss really g1o5 GOOD Is served h0t and az mod
rH prices. The f.rie is ser iu The rrsr class
u1lg rcUm ana cash person seats himself and
zia what ne wants. paying FOR il a--erV4rl az
a sumter. on which an ample "sakuska" Is laid
D. me eaCns rr tle "sakuska' IS as firmly
-oted IN Russian custom as the ubiquitous
lmovar Il Is the name for cold lunch. which
e supposed 70 Urecede every substantial meal par
Ken Of by Russians. generally consisting OF such
shes as sardlnes, cold meats Of al kinds. cold
nd boiled eggs fish and salad. with black hreaa
!, vodka. A good housewife pays more attention
isr "sakuska' than 10 her dinner and Il Is
after OF wonder how a course dinner can De eaten
-r the guests have done fun Justice 10 an ample
| ikuska" I'm restaurants or hOtel dining rooms
10Th Russia and siberia the "sakuska" is Laid
/ on a side counter. and people help themselves
the dishes they prefer. standing. before they SIT
NJ 70 a table s1r the substantial meal
CROSSING LAKE BAIKAL.
snetimes Lake BaISaI is reached IN three days.
lstimes IN t1-r Ir depends entirely upon now
ny 5ridges along the route are burned or broken
iow man, rails have sprung The road being
. neW, Il Is tae more liable 10 al kinds 4 ac-
iais. bur t must be- said in this connection
= ne entire road rs carefr.ly patroIied. and The
- Anst .AA.-uasi} run. the latter matter
slmuAng ~ ,Ae passengers because the prog
= D 50 slow
hrsi SURVEYED. the road was 10 have szir-ed
~ u Lake E..saI but a was afterward de-
l-hsporuHE tl- trains across on huge ferry
rs the contract t.r the first Of which-r0 be
az Zee .r.4s.I-uelUg given 10 the scotch
= q sir William Armstrong The ship was con-
LED ana -erf .u sections across Russia and
osether and launched iu about years Ume
sleainer has been named the Ba-kal and Is
Erty-tvgo avs r- .e .,..s 49, ,,,,i, ',,,,r %
N 10 Transport The passengers leaving Tie
A1h - 1h tlilrf s.ir to return respectively 70
'sisA ta ahG lfNH.- -N. When, however, a uKuri-
.]loAeh EiiH IS running. if VIII 1" carried
~ across ilr .ah-. So thar The Journey may
--ae ron one end n the line 10 the other
-out chang
ABOVE the great cavern on the Baikal atted
ne reception .t tua trains are comfortably
E1inted srafar..-. ma a iarge .sirirr- saloon
up on this steamer b. the one luxurious biz
- Nhole weary Journey between Stret-nsk and
-sk II taNFs r.7ut nvr hours 10 cross. and
.Asefs are Obliged 10 disemhark Immediately
-tisal, ever u .r He or U clock in the morn
snd no chance NJ rhe train Tor Irkutsk leav-
& sqr houEs, tr tlero are no quick connections
~ uil'-in ta.t there .s no rest fOr the weary
-s~n uire 'er- ami. Irkutsk D. reached. from
- weekly leures the train De luxe 0f the
-,neiional Company of Wagon Lits" and daily
-hliortahie train on the Russian plan. which in-
each passenger ample accommodation Tor
aay and riEhf
lea W. left Strrtensk we expected 20 reach
-.sA m three Up four days, but We are not sur
.aal the "trip has taken about "a week in-
~ We reached Lake Baikal al > o'clock one
---k A. -aH r clock one ~ the train guards
,ea n through lighting an the lights candles
- nas scheduled that We were 20 have our
s-et examined hv The Custom House officers
-.s.ess tae lake Immediately We rose hurried
, 80 "a long before the lark-and dressed. though
/ - nae nor been able 90 undress Tor five days
@r.Ess was simple. Then We wandered out 10
-, ion Tor crap n tea There T. one resource
49,. 'll iu Russia 70 those who are al a Joss
~ lo-io drink Tea. Nor r. there any OcCa-
',.a.o loYfuL roo sad. TOO fateful or too Dusy 20
--NN ne ml.hlnr ~ this favortte drink You
-, e5lnh it rrursef iust as soon as YOU enter
=, - =. tomlui0rs. often the Russians do
- ne last thing al night. though YOU may