The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-05-03
NEARLY ONE THOUSAND DELE.
GATES ARE GATHERED AT
NATIONAL CAPITAL
Many Interesting Questions are to Be
Discussed at the International
Railway Congress.

| WASHINGTON, May 3.-Neariy one
thusand delegates, the owners and op-
Grating officials of nearly four hum
dred thousands miles of railway in A
different countries, are gathered in
Washington for the International Rail-
way congress, which will be formally
opened tomorrow for ten days ses-
sion.
The congress is somewhat unique in
| it's organization, purposes and manner
of conducting it's affairs. 1t was or
ganized in 1885, and has held sessions
every five years since. It's first ses-
sion, held in Brussels, celebrated the
| fiftieth anniversary of the opening of
the Belgian railways. Milan, Paris,
st. Petersburg and London have been
! meeting places since, Paris having had
| two sessions. At the session in that
city in 1900 the invitation of President
| Mckinley to hold the next meeting in
Washington, was accepted.
the congress will resolve itself into
five sections under the heads of way
and works, locomotives and rolling
stock, working or operation, general
and light railways. The technical sub
jects to be discussed under these sew
heating and ventilation of trains, au-
heating and ventilation of transit au-
tomato block system, suburban traf-
fic, the influence of light railways on
the main lines, the use of two or more
crews on locomotives, automatic coup
lers, electric traction, bookkeeping, du-
ration and regulation of work. prov
ident institutions, improved rail cross
ings, and slow freight rates.
All papers to be presented have
been under consideration for some
delegates are thoroughly familiar with
their contents, so that they may read
lily and intelligently be discussed.
A. Dubois, honorary director of the
Belgian state railways, is president of
the international congress, and L.
Weissenbruck, chief engineer and gen.
eral manager of the Belgian state rail-
ways, is secretary general. The hon.
orary presidents, representing the rail-
ways of the United States, are A. J.
Cassatt and E. H. Hartman, while
the acting president is Stuyvesant
Fish, president of the Illinois Central
railway.
AS a preliminary to the congress
proper, the delegates assembled at
noon today for the formal opening of
the railway appliance exhibition, which
is held in conjunction with the con-
gress. The exhibition, which is hous-
ed in temporary quarters on the Wash
irgton monument grounds, is confined
almost exclusively to American rail-
way appliances, and is designed to pro-
mote the extension of American trade
tc foreign markets. The exhibition in
cludes everything from a complete To-
connective and train de luxe to the
smallest article of railway equipment.
Several hundred manufacturers whose
factories are located in every state in
the Union, are represented
This afternoon the visiting railway
chiefs were taken on an automobile
visit of the city, the trip ending at the
Stuyvesant Fish residence in Scott
Circle, where an informal reception
was held.
One of the most interesting features
OF the entertainment program arrang-
ed for congress is scheduled for to-
night Shortly before midnight the del
egates are to assemble at the exhibit
ton grounds to see tine flashing of a
| time signal from the naval observa-
tory, the signal to make circuit Of
the globe. The experiment is similar
to that successfully tried on the last
day of last year. The delegates will
| be able to trace the progress of the
signal by means of electric lights on
| a huge map of the world.