Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-11-28
THE SIBERIAN RAILWAY.
Account Of a Journey Made in June
From VIadiVostok to Moscow

From VIadivostok to Moscow.
On arrival at Vladivostok the in
tending passenger is informed that
owing to the destruction by fire of
two out of the three hotels during the
recent riots. rooms on shore are unoo-
tainable. Passengers from Shanghai
Chifu, and other Chinese or Japanese
ports are therefore compelled to re.
main on board their respective steam
ers until the train leaves. Tickets Tor
the railway should be procured two or
three weeks beforehand, through
locally in Vladiyostok are bought uD
by spectators, who resell at consider
able profit. AS the trains only run
weekly TUESDAY, s a. M, great
many passengers are invariably left
stranded for a week or two. The Jour
ney is divided into two parts-Vladi-
vostok-Irkutsk and Irkutsk-Mos-
COW, and all passengers must change
trains at Irkutsk. The trains between
lrkutSk and Vladiyostok and vice
versa are good, and the juojrney aver.
ages Az days. The dining cars are
large and seat As people On arrival
at Irutsk at about midnight a scene
OF indescribable confusion ensuas.
Luggage is either left scattered about
the uncovered platform exposed to the
rain or else taken into a small buffet
which also has to do duty as a ticket
office and waiting-room. The railway
officials in Vladivostok are only A.
lowed to issue certain number of
through tickets to Moscow, the re-
naming passengers being compelled
to book again at Irkutsk, and a rush
therefore ensuss to get places in the
IrkutskMoscow train, the inducemen-
to stop in Irkutsk from three to four
days not being strong one. Trains
run from Irkutsk to Moscow and vice
versa three times weekly. One
train each way consists of Wagon.
Lifts train de luxe, and intending pas
sengers would do well to arrange
seats in this train, which Is very com
Portable, with a good cuisine and offic-
ials who speak other languages than
russian, which is not the case in the
other trains. The writer (now in Lon
dom goes on
The Russian trains are invariably
crowded with officers of the army
and navy going to and returning from
Russia on leave. The carriages are all
ola ones, repaired the second class
being very dirty. The lavatory ar
engagements are bad-soap. towels.
and sometimes water being conspicu.
Gus by their absence. The chief bridg-
es are still guarded by soldiers. and
the bufets are protested in the same
manner, as great many troop trains
are still proceeding to and returning
from Manchuria and Vladivostok. and
these precautions are still deemed
necessary By The military authorities,
who have not forgotten the riots of
last winter in Vladivostok, most of
these troop trains containing the same
element VINO proved so unruly and
cut of hand on that occasion. The res
taurant-cars on the Russian trains
are disgraceful. The car is a small
one, accommodating only Is people.
and as the passengers numbered over
90 the only alternative to waiting in
the corridor for an hour previous to
luncheon hour was TO wait till about
$3.50 or p. m, when the last batch"
succeeded in getting places The
meals. when obtained, were well cook.
ed, and the food was good The re,-
taurant-car prices on the Vladivostck-
lrkutsk train were very high, not
withstanding the fact that the war
has been over nearly year. Cigars
are unobtaina5le. The sale of spirin.
was prohibited in Vladivostok after
the rscent riots, but a small bribe
from Russian passenger produced a
harmless looking "Tansan" mineral
water bottle, which on being
was found to contain vodka The
dining-car contained a piano and two
large sofas, this, to the Russian mind,
being of greater Importance than the
fact that there were only 16 chairs
for over so people, all of whom wish
ed to lunch at the same time. 1t
should be borne in mind that the Rus
sian railway stations will not accept
kilograms for any station outside the
Russian Empire and as the towns are
usually from one to three miles from
the stations, considerable difficulty Is
experienced in transmitting kilograms
en- route. In conclusion, l should
strongly advise any intending traveller
to so time his arrival in Moscow or
Irkutsk that his train connects with
the comfortable train de luxe of the
Wagon-Iits Company, and leave tbs
Russian trains severely alone.