The Dolores star., 1905-09-29
LINEVITCH IN LUCK
EXPERTS THINK HE WOULD
HAVE SUFFERED DEFEAT.
se'ief OF American Railroad Men That
the Siberian Line Was Inadequate
to Supply Enormous Demands Of
Army Sufficient to Cope with oyama

American railway men are OF the
opinion that Gen. Linevitch should
thank the gods that NJ. Witte con-
cluded treaty of peace at Ports
mouth. II he had failed to do so, they
believe that Oyama would have over
whelmed the Russian forces in Man
churia in the great battle that must
have followed the breaking off Of
peace negotiations.
The railway men base their conclu-
sions on the belief that while Oyama
had an army Of upward of coo. 900
men when the war ended, Linevitch
had not been REINFORCED
1t must be remembered that the
Russians, to reach Linevitch, must
transport everything about 5000 miles
over single-track railroad, which has
heretofore failed to handle its traffic
satisfactorily under even the most IA
vorable conditions. To the insult
ficiency Of the road add the paralysis
due to faulty management, and the ST.
berian railway would have been Who'll
ly inadequate to keeping an army of
100000 men In flrst-class condition
still less to increasing its force and
needed supplies.
J. Taburno, one Of the Novoe Vrem-
ya's New Times) war correspondents,
has recently sent some interesting let
ters to his paper concerning the serv-
ice on the Siberian railway.
Early in the war, when Viceroy
Alexeieff was in command throughout
Manchuria, he travelled over the road
a great deal. Having a great dislike
to night travel the viceroy would in
variably have his special train side
tracked for about ten hours every
night, and as he refused to allow
other trains to pass the station where
he stopped, because they disturbed his
sleep. whenever the viceroy was trav-
cling the trains loaded with soldiers,
provisions and ammunitions were held
up during the whole of the viceroys
sleeping time.
According to Mr.. Taburno all of the
Russian generals insisted upon having
special trains, which not only abb
sorbed nearly all the passenger rolling
stock and forced the soldiers to travel
in ordinary freight and cattle cars, but
also caused innumerable delays and
blockades.
For instance, 1t is related that Gen.
Gripenberg was supplied with a cpe-
cial train In which he spent much of
his time. Finding that the special
trains of other generals were fitted
with electric lights, the general side
tracked his train for two weeks to
have the electric lights put in. Later
while sidetracked only eight miles
from the headquarters of another
general, Gen. Gripenberg refused to
travel over the well-paved highway,
but made frequent visits to his COL
league in his special train, in spite of
the protests of the railway men
against the necessary stoppage of traf.
&c on the line every time these visits
we're paid.
Among other favored travellers by
rail were number of blooded cows.
imported expressly to supply the gen
eral officers with milk One of these
cows when far south in Manchuria
was ordered to the neighborhood 6f
Harbin; and as the track was filled
with trains carrying soldiers south
and wounded north, 1t was found that
the switching and hauling of this COW
had held up the whole line for the
equivalent Of twelve hours. And then.
owing to some mistake in transporta-
ton. another six hours was spent in
getting this COW to locality where
she could be readily reached by the
generals private servant.
In view of these revelations it is al
most too much to believe that the sin.
Siberian railway could be
depended upon to- keep Linevitch's
army in equal numbers and efficiency
to that Of Oyama. And II the Ports
mouth conference had definitely ad-
journed without having made a treaty.
it is probable there would have been
something doing" in Manchuria.