Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-09-28
LlNEvITcH AT oYAMA's MERCY
American Railway Experts Saw Little
Hope for Russians.

nope TOR Russians.
American railway men are of the
opinion that Gen. Linevitch should
thank the gods that M. Witte con.
Guided 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 *
peace negotiations.
The railway men kase their conclu.
sions on the belief that while Oyama
had an army of upward of GOO. 900
men when the war ended, Linevitch
had not been REINFORCED,
1t must be remembered that tho
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.
fciency of the road add the paralysis
due to faulty management, and the 81.
berian railway would have been who'll
ly inadequate to keeping an army of
100000 men in first-class condition
still less to increasing its force and
needed supplies.
Early in the war when Viceroy
| AleXeleff was In command throughout
Manchuria, he travelled over the road
great deal. Having 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 tray.
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, II Is related that Gen.
Gripepberg was supplied with a spe.
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 mileE
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-
fic on the line every time these visits
were paid.
Among other favored travellers by
rail were a number of booded 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 of
Hardin; 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 trancporta-
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 sl-
most too much to believe that the sim
gle-tracked Siberian railway could be
depended upon to keep Linevitch's
army in equal numbers and efficiency
to that of Oyama. And If the Ports
mouth conference had definitely adj
journed without having made treaty,
it is probable there would have been
something doing" in Manchuria