Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-08-09

eight cars was most luxurious, hav.
ing been in former days the private
train Of Nicholas H."
Mrs. Mason then tells how suddenly
cloud of smoke was seen pouring
from a nearby storehouse, and how
futile attempt was made by the
Root train crew to get the fire out. The
blaze soon spread to some passenger
trains and a number of scattered
freight cars.
"Ostensibly trying to remove these
cars from danger" she continues,
but really in the attempt to carry
fire to the Root train a number Of
soldiers and workmen pushed several
of these blazing cars down the tracks
just to windward of the Root train, so
that the high breeze drove the flames
directly against the cars carrying the
American mission. Only the prompt &C.
ton of the engineer of Senator
Roots train saved it from catastrophe
He, backed the train away from the
blazing cars and did not stop until he
was five miles out in the country
THE explanation which was given
US by railroad officials at the station
and by the militia at Viatka was that
the fire had been started by the same
miscreants who had burned the
bridge.
1T seems that parallel to the wood
en- bridge which was destroyed was
a stone bridge just being completed
When the anarchists learned that
work on this had been so speeded
up that 1t would provide an avenue
Of escape for the Americans within
few hours they decided on a last
desperate measure and set fire to the
storehouse. II they had been eff
cient they would have made good
Job in the first place, by destroying
both bridges.
AT length, a few hours after this
second fire, this stone bridge was
ready for use. The conductor Of Sen
ator Roots train ordered his engineer
to proceed, and our train was about
TO follow when there was a protest
from the soldiers of several troop
trains which had pulled into Viatka
during the long cessation of traffic.
"These soldiers, who were riding
in freight cars, were on their way
to their homes in Siberia, having had
enough Of" the war. They said that
It was an outrage to suggest that
trains. carrying American capitalists
and Russian bourgeois should pre-
cede them, the real lords of Russia,
so the American mission was forced
to submit to another considerable de-
lay while the Russian army proceed
ed to the rear.
"Of course the noise and excitement
which had ensued when the ware
house fire was discovered had awak-
ened Senator Root, and throughout
the trying moments when the blaz.
ing cars were being sent down the
tracks against his train he was on
the platform, calm as could be, and
his face q perfect study. Perhaps the
most interesting impressions of an.
archical Russia which he will have to
report to President Wilson were
gained during those exciting moments
when the Russians he had come to
aid were trying to burn him alive"
Shortly after this the Root train
pulled out ahead Of the train on which
Mrs. Mason was riding. She relates
q number of other interesting exper-
fences Of rocks being SHE'D through
the windows of her own car, Of seeing
gruff Russian soldiers come in and
arrest a number of passengers, and
Of watching German prisoners loiter.
ing about the various depot platforms
joking and fraternizing with the Rus
sian regulars.