The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-18
TRANSSIBERIAN RAILWAY
1T Is NEARLY 1000 MILES LONG AND
Is NOW OPEN FOR TRAFFIC..
Journey from Port Arthur to st. Pc
tersburg Made i'm sixteen Days on
SecOnd-CIuss Train.


tween the Siberian and the Manchurian
railways has been effected Both bridges
over the River Sungari have been COM
pleted, and through trains can now be run
from Vladivostok, Port Arthur or Dalny
to St. Petersburg. The Manchurian branch
has not yet been officially opened to traffic,
although passengers are carried at second
class rates.
The distance from St. Petersburg to Vlad-
livestock is 6,67 miles and to Dalny and
Port Arthur approximately 1900 miles. To
Niuchwang it is $50 miles less than to Vlad-
ivostok. The time now required to make
the journey from Port Arthur to st. Peters
burg is somewhat uncertain, varying from
sixteen to twenty days. This will be very
materially lessened when first-class trains
are put in operation.
The Siberian Railroad now has four ter
minal ports on the Pacific ocean, viz,
Vladivostok, Dalny, Port Arthur and Nlu-
chwang. OF these Dalny and Port Ar
thur are ice free. By connection at
Niuchwang railroad communication may be
had with Tien-Tsin and Picking The port
of Niuchwang is usually closed by ice from
the latter part of March, but during all
other times steamers leave almost daily for
Chefoo and Shanghai. once a week for
Japan and at less frequent intervals for
Korea. From Dalny and Port Arthur
steamers leave every few DAYS for japan
and Shanghai and daily for Chefoo. The
fastest of these steamers reaches Japan in
thirty-six hours.
The journey from Port Arthur to Irkutsk
is at the present time somewhat rough on
account of the second-class accommoda-
tions provided. Only mixed trains are
run-part passenger and part freight. Eat
ing stations are plentiful along the line.
Meals cost from 40 copecks cos cents) to
rubles S1.03). On this part of the line
passengers must furnish their own bed
ding From Irkutsk to St Petersburg
there are two trains a week, well provided
| with all modern comforts for travelling,
including sleeping and dining cars and
cars with library, bath and barber COM
partments. These trains make the trip
from Irkutsk to st. Petersburg in eight
days.
Previous to the opening of the Manchur-
ian Railway the route through Siberia was
from Nladivostock north, by railroad, to
Habarovsk, about 2S0 miles, thence by
steamer up the Amur and Shilka rivers
! TO Stretensk, the head of naviga ton on the
latter stream, and the terminus of the
/ Siberian Railroad The distance from
! Habarovsk TO Stretensk is about !. 400 miles.
Inc TIP oy river steamer requires from
| ten days 10 three weeks. Travellers may
take this route during the season Of navi-
| CATION The expense is about the as
/, by way or the more direct route over the
o. Wnefe
| that road connects with the Siberian line.
| Each person should be provided with a
| passport, properly vised by a Russian con-
! sui. Before leaving either VladivOstOclx
/ Niuchwang, Dalny or Port Arthur for the
! interior, money should be exchanged for
! ruble notes and for small change for sill
/ yer copecks. There are good banks at all
! Of these places.
During the winter furs and arctic over
shoes will be found agreeable, and blankets
/ and pillows are comforts at all seasons
nj he
registered 40 degrees Fahrenheit below zero
/ at Hardin, where the line 10 Port Arthur
| Dalny and Niuchwang branches off from
! the road TO NladivostOck
Persons unfamiliar with Russian Ian
/ guage should have a small dictionary in
English and Russian, in order TO make
meet French-speaking Russians than Eng
/ nsh, although you may travel long dis
tances without meeting a person who car
! speak any language but Russian.
Only thirtysix pounds of luggage. in ad.
diton TO hand valises, will be carried free
/ The charges for excess baggage are exces.
| sively high, being rubles (s2.06) for each
ten pounds from the Pacific TO st. Peters
/ burg.
The fare from Port Arthur or DaIny
/ first class TO 81. Petersburg is $50 81 and
| from Port Arthur or Dalny 10 Moscow
! S594S. In addition there is a small extra
charge of from 1913 TO S1l.60 for sleeping
| car accommodations between St Peters
| burg 10 Moscow and Irkutsk, the halfway
I point.
The cost Of a first-class through ticke
| from Japan 10 London viii vary from %
/ to $50 rubles (Sl1Sf5 10 Sl44 20 The SECOND
class fare Will be 30 rubles (S25 75) less. Tn,
trip will require about twenty-five days.
| From China 10 New York over the 81
I berian Railroad the cost OF travel will bt
about the same as across the Pacific by
steamer and the United States by rail
| and when the Siberian road puts first
/ class through trains the time required viii
/ be the same.
The Russian telegraph line is now oper
/ for commercial business from all points IL
| Manchuria TO London. st. Petersburg ant
New York. The rate 10 Russian cities is !
kopecks @ cents per word; 10 London, 5
copecks eco cents), and TO New York, 9
copecks (5O-4 cents) Formerly the rate
were ESQ rubles $40 per word TO Londol
! Danish line.