El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-05-28

the first tracks were constructed the
( gage was the broadest of the world 1t
was five and One-half feet for the Drin-
! clpaI lines, with narrower cages for
secondary lines 1t is now found that
| 1t is difficult and expensive to move
| the traffic over the roads Of different
cages, and standard gage will be
adopted.
India's Big Railway System.
The British have right 20 be proud
of their Indian railways. The mileage
of the Indian lines now exc aeds that of
any country in Asia, ana is surpassed
by only four other countries IF the
whole world. 1t amounts to more than
10000 miles and it has doubIel within
the past 20 years. India has compare
lively far more railways than Russia
1t has one mile to every 60 square miles
or country and to every 10000 people.
Russia has only one mile to every 23O
square miles and to every $500 people.
The railways here are we'll built and
economically managed. Two-thirds Of
the lines have been constructed by the
government and of the balance moe
than $500 miles were built by the ma
tive states l do not know the exact
cost OF construction per mile, but alto
gether the roads have cost more than
SLzOO,OOO,O00. which is low in COMPARE
son with those Of the United States.
Most of the Indian railways are pay
ing dividends Their gross earnings
are fast approximating $500 009, 900 a
year, and the traffic is steadily increas-
ll.s, both as to passengers and freight
Inc passengers annually carried now
number more than 300, 600, 0OG and the
freight amounts to something like 50
100000 tons. These figures are small
IN comparison with those of our rail-
ways, but 1t must be remembered that
we have more than seven times the
mileage of India and that our capitai-
iEation is more than Is times the cost
or the Indian roads Our railway mileage
approximates 100000, our capital is over
$4,000 100000 and our net railroad
earnings are more than 100000 goo per
annum.
At the Stations
But come with me and take a rail-
read trip across India. We shall start
at Calcutta and go by the East Indian
route We drive in a gharry, a closed
box upon wheels, hauled by lean horses
and driven by Hindoo in turban and
gown to the station
The express goes at night and it is
p. N. when we reach there. The denot
Is large building covering a block.
with long waiting rooms extending ont
from the train. The floors are of stone
and they are covered with natives. Men
and women are sitting and lying about.
Here they sprawl out at full length on
the flag and there squat in groups
against the railing between the wait
ing rooms and the train shed All are
wrapped In white sheets, and as thew
see me lake notes they pull these I'D
around their dark faces to shield them
from the gaze of the heather foreigner.
Some have covered their heads and lie
asleep on the sand.
Notice this woman near me- She lies
on the floor with her head on a bag so
covered that only the thin face can be
seen As l look a black Hindoo in
dirty white cotton lies down beside
her He is her husband. He places his
head on the bag and is soon fast asleep.
There the gong rings A train is
called and the third class passengers !
push their way through. Some carry
luggage upon their heads. Others have
pags and bundles on shoulders and
backs. All the men are barefooted and
all wear turbans, caps or handkercbiefs
covering their heads. Their bodies are
half wrapped in white sheets. and their |
thing legs are naked.
The poor benighted Hindoo.
He does the best he kin do
He is outcaSt from first to last
For pants he makes his skin do.
Mixed with this motley crowd ar. |
in gowns Parsses with |
hats like inverted coal scuttles. native /
and British soldiers, and the servants |
Of civil officials in livery. Tt is one of /
the strangest crowds to be found any /
where, and the white clothing so pre- !
dominates that in this light il seems .
ghostlike and CHASTITY
Indian Wallets.
We sit down moment in the station
" lille our servants buy the tickets,
check the baggage and secure our
seats in the train. In India everybody
who is anybody, travels with servant
In fact it is almost impossible for an
or American to get along
without one, afd in figuring up your
railway fares you must add to the !