The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-16
The Trans. Siberian Railway.

3lDeTldu fkdllWdy pldyb LII tA1S WI @@-~-, served to reawaken interest. not only or
 the public, but of railway officials in this
 vast stretch of steel
 It Ia generally conceded that the true
 motive which actuated the construction or
 this railway was not to foster commerce,
 but to afford means by which Russian could concentrate largo bodies of troops throughout It's vast dominion With the
 least possible loss of theme, = Not only was this deemed necessary TOT the protection and holding of territory on the Pacific, but 1t is believed that Rus
 sian military strategists were of the opin-
 ing that the possibility of the English ad- vancing troops up through Kyber Pass could be best met by having a railway line near enough to this territory Dy
 which an army could be easily sent to meet them.
 Commerce, therefore, being a secondary consideration, 1t was not deemed necessa- ry that the road should be built and equipped for heavy, large and constant l traffic.
 As a result, almost without exception, railway experts who have traveled over | this line pronounce 1t one of the most poorly constructed and inefficient rail- roads in the world, throughout its entire | extent. The construction of the line Is esti- mated to have cost $500 ,O00, an aver | age of $6,067 a mile, which is regarded by
 railway officials. even though enormous
 engineering difficulties have been over come, as indicative of tremendous leak age either through ignorance, waste or
 graft" ~s
 In comparison with this may be cited ] the expenditure of the Wabash on reach l ing terminals in Pittsburg, wherein $20,- | 0o0.00O was expended on sixty miles, or about 3,333 a mile, which is regarded as an enormous sum for railway construc- | ton. But this line is not only equipped ! with the heaviest steel rails, but has constructed tunnels and built ! bridges one of which is the second ! largest in the world, in addition to secur- | ing terminals in Pittsburg at an enorm- ous cost
 The Trans-Sibcrian line is said to be not only poorly constructed, but light material has been used throughout it's entire extent, for many miles It's rails do not weigh more than forty pounds, its ties are far apart and the track is but little more than a narrow guage streak
 of rust.
 In addition it is stated that the rolling stock is poorly equipped with the ordi- nary comforts. and the schedule of It's : trains are decidedly vague. Aside from these very decided objec- tions, Russia can boast of the longest railway system in the world. The line. which really extends from Moscow to VIadivistox Port Arthur. Dal-
 ny and Pelin. Is 5,s0s miles, the line from Moscow to St, Petersburg having been
 built prior to the construction of the Trans-Sberian line. The longest line in the United States is 5,0G5 miles.
 Of Its total mileage the Trans Siberian
 extends for about 1900 miles through Manchuria.
 It Is estimated that It takes sixteen and
 one-half days to travel over this route
 from London or Paris to Dalny, which
 Is about IF miles from Vladivistok. the
 terminus of the Trans-Siberian. on the
 Sea of Japan.
 By rail it will take one day to go from
 Port Arthur to Pekin. little more than
 300 miles, but by water the distance is
 but little more than forty-fve miles
 across the Yellow Sea.