The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-17
SWAP HORSES.
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northern towns and a few new troops,
who were on their way from RUSSIA
when the battle of Mukden began BuL
even with these there is little nope TOT
him. True, he has some 80 or 40 miles
of billy country extending from Tie
Pass to F'enhausien, which might en-
able him to hold off the enemy Tor
time, but, once out Of the nils, ne mas
before him nearly 900 miles of fat, open
country and innumerable rivers TO
cross. This is what is termed the great
valley of the Sungari, but is, IN fact, an
immense plain, bounded on the east oy
high mountains and extending noftn-
ward into Siberia and westward into
Mongolia. Kirin,H east Of the railway
and Hardin, the most northerly polnl
of the railway where it branches off, to
Vladicostok eastward and to SIBERIA
westward, are the centerS OF TINS Won
derfully rich country, resembling IN
many respects the northwest territories
of Canada.
From Tie Pass. the railway runs over
hills known as the divide to Kaiyan'
twenty miles, then striking into a val
ley, on either side of which rise hlgn
hills. energies onto the plain just north-
east of the important Chinese city OF
Fenghuasien. From there to Hardin
hardly a hill can be seen from the rail-
way train, the line running almost
straight, except where an occasional
curve is necessary to reach CITY or
Beside the railway there is splen-
did wagon road from Tie Pass to
Kaiyuan, where it branches, one brancn
making a detour to the westward, skirt
ing the mountains and running almost
direct to Hardin. The other branch
passes through the mountains to klrln,
from. which center there are many
roads.
The distance from Tie Pass to Hardin
is very little less than 300 miles, and
except for the first few miles, every acre
is under cultivation or supporting herds
of cattle, sheep and horses. So far as
the commissariat is concerned. the Rus
slams need have no fear. Hardly
pound of last years crop of beans,
miIlet or wheat left the country, the
Russians buying it ALL but storing 1t in
stations along the railway, immense
shelters being erected for its reception
They also purchased all the cattle and
horses, and had Cossacks herding them.
The weather on the plain is much
colder than in the Mukden section of
Manchuria the thermometer in the
trains dropping several degrees as the
divide is crossed and continuing to go
down until Lake Baikal is reached. As
a rule, the ground does not commence
to t1aw until April, except a very little
on the surface in the middle of the day,
the sun being strong even in winter.
The most important Russian town be-
tween Tie Pass and Hardin, with the
exception of Kirin, which is not on the
Kungeuhling. This town is a little over
100 miles north of Tie Pass. Here were
gathered great stores of provisions
alongside of which were erected Red
Cross hospitals. the best by far that the
Russians had south of Hardin. At all
the other stations there are also hosp1-
tai accommodations, so that if Kuropat-
kin escapes from Oyama at Tie Pass
he has a good chance to cross at the
most favorable season of the year. An
other few weeks and the roads will be
impasSa bic.
But if he is hard pressed there is not
a defensible position, unless he aban-,
dons the railway and seeks safety in
the eastern hills. Later in the year, of
course, the rivers would afford some
protection, but in winter. being frozen,
they are as easy to cross as is the
country.
West of Hardin, along the railway.
the first hills are encountered about
midway between Hardin and the ST.
berfan border. These mountains are
most formidable, several switchbacks
and tunnels being necessary to carry
the railway over Them