The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-04-23

Russia is now using the trans-Sibe-
rian railway as was originally intend
ed, writes John Foster Frazier in the
London Express"
We know about the commercial
possibilities of the cZar's dominion
east Of the Ural mountains. That 1t Is
a second Canada, and that most OF our
"best Danish" butter now comes from
Siberia. It was visiting foreigners,
however, who pointed out the agricul-
turaI and commercial possibilities OF
the land.
Russia built the eighth wonder Of
the world" to carry soldiers.
The line Is over 5000 miles long. It
originally cost f2S0,O00,O00, and an
other f20,000,000 has been spent with
in the last two years on improvements.
There is not much in the way OF en-
cheering. When hill Is approached
the track makes a half circle round it;
to end recall having passed thru only
one slight tunnel. Siberia is the land
of many rivers, and from Moscow to
Vladtvostok thore are thirty miles Of
bridges.
It is a single line, laid with varying
degrees Of excellence. Between MOS
COW and Irkutsk I have been able to
shave every morning, but east Of the
great Lake Baikal 1 have been jerked
from one end Of the carriage to the
other.
The ordinary passenger traffic Is
now suspended. The blue f1rst-class
carriages, the yellow second, the green
packed with Muscovite troops hasten
| ing to Manchuria.
Siberia, which in early summer Il
| a garden of flowers, is now regior
Of snow. The cold is down to 40 de
grees below zero. The wind blowing
off the steppes makes the cheek fee
as tho it were being stabbed with {
thousand needles.
| It is a. lone land, with towns hun
| dreds Of miles apart, and then Otter
six or eight miles from a station. Blu
every verst (three-quarters of mile
Is a little signal hut. Here are sta
toned good-conduct prisoners. AS tn
train comes rumbling along mai
energies and signals that the line !
clear for a ,verst. When the trail
passes then the man in the next DO
can be seen. I,
So the signal goes rolling eastwar
/ over the Ural mountains across tn
wastes day after day until the Pactd
is reached.
I have Travelled with Russian troop
in Siberia. Better-natured, kinder
hearted men I never wish to NEE
1uS IIlSll, Whenever lilcIS 4S 1Ad1
delight to get out on the platform
and while one of their number play
an air, not unusually on a Wheel
accordion, the others sing and dane
Every station great and small, he
it's buffet. And when the cold he
frozen ones limbs it is pleasant I
seek the shelter Of these refreshmel
bars-tho usually overheated and In
pregnated with an odor that is n,
II | O r tr1cr nfp 20 f11rc o.,
thaw oneself by the drinking Of IL
Vulnerable cups Of the delightful an
4 ber-hued lemon-fiavored Russian te
4 On the train there Is much vod
I drinking. much playing Of care
among the officers, much hospital
to the stranger. They overflll h
4 glass with wine-for not to spill I'll
a wine Is regarded among Russian off
GERS as proof Of niggardliness. r.,
In all the great towns by the WI
q are huge military establishments II
Y barracks at Omsk are as finely equipp
4 as any we have in England. Bod
u Of troops are also at Irkutsk-t
n Paris Of Siberia as some call
y when abiding to its frivolity, or t.
describe it when referring to the bus
ness done.
Lake Baikal Is now frozen over, al
it's forty-mile width Is driven acre
in sleighs. Branches Of trees stu
in the Ice show the way, and eve
= eight miles is a halting-place whe
food may be obtained.
The feeding of the soldier while k
ing fastened to the seat of war c
hardly be described as particula,
good. In the morning he gets tea a
black bread; in the middle of the d
he has "borch," a vegetable soup, W:
g. piece of meat floating in each pt
ton, and in the evening he gets mo
e, tea and more black bread.
In clothing, there is little differer
between summer and winter garb,
cept that the soldier has the addit1
of a heavy overcoat, loose-htt1
which serves as a blanket at night.
Away down the Anur river, at B
govestchensk, have seen the prepa
ton made for housing troops. 1t
one Of the few pretty cities in slbe'
A couple of miles out I found a
serted town. There were streets
There were huge barracks, but W
not a. single occupant.
There was stabling for thousands
horses, but not an animal. At pla
were huge army kitchens, but no
worry odor of cooking came to
nostrils.
It was a camp built by the Russi
lfor their soldiers whenever tn
go should come war between themsel
and Japan, which for the last i've
six years has been recognized as
evitable.
i The line down to Port Arthur Les
the trans-Siberian line at little
tiotiontion called Katisha Rase1z
Gate of China). The trans-Manc
rian line is different from the n
%, %