Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1904-02-25
Continued from End page.)

Prior to 1869 the only e of
travel and Of freighting goods was
by means OF junks along the coast,
on horseback, and only a samaurai
was permitted to ride on horseback,
afoot and in kago, a basket swing
ing from a pole, each end of which
is borne on a mans shoulder. A
Baptist missionary is said, invent
ed the jinrickisha, man-poWer, car
riages, for them, which has become
the universal means of travel where
we use horses and buggies. 1t is a
two-wheeled vehicle, shafts like a
cart, springs, and neatly upholstered
seat for one person. A man draws
it. He wears a ~cloak-like garment
over his shoulders, which in hot
weather he throws off when he gets
outside the city, exposing his naked
body from the waist up, exhibiting
a skin of silky texture. A broad
brim straw hat shades his pate, and
his pants usually come down about
half way to his knees. He wears
waraji, grass sandals, that cover the
bottom of the feet and protect them
from wearing.
Days such as we have had recent
ly, the snow melting and the streets
filled with icy slush, these jinrick-
rrO Iochin o1ono with their
picturesque vehicles, their naked
limbs covered with mud as are the
? limbs of horses in similar weather in
t this country. / lived a measured
mile and a half from the railroad
depot. | could call a man at my
gate, go to the station, get my ticket
and get aboard the train in ten min
utes. Have done it many a time. i
V is said to be al easy thing to do t.
make sixty miles a day by eXchang'
ing men every ten miles or SO. /
one should land at Yokohama to-day
2 he would likely count three hundred
V of these vehicles from his landing
point, as they stand lined up on The
streets waiting for passengers. A
every prominent corner in the cities
aud in all the villages, within hail
e ing distance of almost any door, ar
these men waiting for fares, theil
numbers for the entire country go
r ing up into the hundreds of thous
ands.
q The kago is still used in the hills
o and mountainous districts, but tn
e building of some three THOUSAND
miles of railroad in the little empir'
has revolutionized there is no othe
word to express i) long distanc
passenger travel and freight car
= riages. These trains are run on con
venient schedules, and collisions ant
other accidents on japanese road
are very rare.
' The old coasting junk still pile
t around the shores and up the river
some distance. But Japan has bull
a magnificent merchant marine @
modern steamships which are en-
gagged in foreign and domestic trade
there being several lines of steamer
7 owned and manned by japanese tina
Regularly ply between Japan an
:, European and American ports, no
. to mention Chinese ports and thos
> of the south seas. Her export an
7. import trade has grown from moth
d ing up to many millions Of dollars
year.
- While twas formerly disreputabI
:. to lend money for hire, Japan no,
has a number of banks with branche
o in New York, London, and othe
world centers. From a cheap bronz
coin of small value and inferio
workmanship, she has develope
O. her currency to a gold standard an
ci~rculates as pretty a gold coin g
comes from the minis of any cour
IN try.
II Japan's progress has looked bot
r. to the future and the past. Will
.she has grasped with avidity tn
modern inventions Of the world
1e. everything within. the realm
to scientific invention and discover,
i being made to contribute to he
ID growth and development, on til
y = one hand, On TIE other, she has rest
lutely reordered her manners an,
u customs. Her officials and leadin
merchants have adopted style {
dress. Her women undertook thi
K but. in the main. gave it uD. Form