Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1903-10-16
A TOLEDO BOY IN JAPAN.
The Clean and Beautiful City
of Tokio-Jack Ashore.

Shedd Rosebrook of this city, who is
musician on the battleship Wisconsin,
gives the following interesting descrip-
tion OF Toxic, the capital of Japan, IN
letter to his parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
Austin Rosebrook, under date of Sep
tember q, 1903:
''The street upon which the Toxic
depot faces is so crowded with oxcarts
and freight vehicles of various kinds
that it is with some difficulty you are
able to cross, and the clatter of wooden
shoes is almost deafening. You are
surrounded by clamoring throng of
'rikisha' men and handed a piece of
paper, on which is written in English
and Japanese the various points of in
terest about the city. Naturally, YOU
select the Mikodo's Palace, which YOU
indicate upon the slip. AS you proceed
along the streets (Which are kept in ex-
cellent condition. your human horse
will turn in the shafts and point out
the various buildings, theaters, consul
ates. temples and churches, the names
of which he has learned only to make
himself agreeable and polite to his
passengers. After half an hours ride
through a labyrinth of streets You
arrive at the park or garden where the
capitol buildings are located. Miniature
lakes and fountains seem to be the
characteristic feature of establishment
in all Japanese parks and gardens. all
of which are literally stocked with
goldfish. This park is at the rear of
the capitol buildings, which face on
broad and we'll macadamized avenue,
either side of which is lined with beau
tiful shade trees. This avenue termi-
mates at the gate through the wall
which surrounds the public park before
the Mikado's garden.
"The palace of the Mikado is most
sacredly guarded, and an entrance to it
could not be easily forced by invaders.
1t is surrounded by double set of
walls and moats. The first incloses a
garden or park, which is open to the
public, but which can be closed at any
time against invasion. You cross this
moat, pass through the gate, and find
yourself in large, triangular court.
To proceed it is necessary to 60 through
another gate, where you are confronted
by broad expanse of clover lawn sur
rounded by stone wall 20 feet high.
This lawn is Known as the outer gar
den,' and is intended as protection as
we'll as rendezvous for troops in time
of siege. Inside Of this inclosure, upon
a slight elevation, and surrounded by
yet another wall and moat, in sacred
privacy, is the palace and garden of
his highness, the entrance to which is
guarded by heavily bolted doors, before
which stands a corporal's guard. AT
intervals along the top of the wall are
watch towers which command view
of an immense radius. A beautiful
stone bridge crosses the moat to the
palace gate.
ION accession of the Mikado's passing
along the street in his royal conveyance
no one is allowed to look upon him
from windows from a higher elevation
than he himself is. AS his carriage
proceeds children may climb telegraph
poles to get better view, but are i'm.
mediately brought to the ground, and
people who assemble at windows and
on balconies are ordered inside their
houses.
"Aboard ship we have field day on
Saturday to prepare for inspection Sun
day. In Toxic they have field day
on Friday to prepare for inspection
Saturday. Should you visit Toxic on
Friday you would find all hands busy
cleaning house, and all the shops are
more or less in a state of turmoil
Every Saturday sanitary officers make
rigid inspections of these districts, and
in places where the state of cleanliness
does not conform with the letter of the
law, offenders are punished by heavy
fines.
"Not forgetting that there are other
places of interest, you look at the card
which the 'rikisha' man is continually
presenting, and select for your mex,
visit the temples, which are about two
miles from the Mikado's Palace.
"After passing numerous shops and
, crossing several canals and streams the
streets widen and you soon find your.
self in the residence portion of the