La Junta tribune., 1917-07-19
SWEENEY MuNsoN IN JAPAN.
Former Santa Fe Employe Relates
Interesting Tale Of Experiences
in tho Island Empire

Sweeney Munson. of Fowler. who
used to officiate as chief engineer OF
a steam shovel for the Santa Fe
around this immediate vicinity. and
Is well known to all the railroad
men OF La Junta. writes n very inter-
esting letter of his experiences and
observations In Hawaii and Japan to
the home folks at Fowler. which was
published In the last issue OF the
Fowler Tribune. and we take great
pleasure In reproducing portion of
H. sweeney is several inches over
six feet tall. and OF mammoth cor
responding proportions. and we do
not doubt that he was sight to be-
hold to the Lillipuuan natives of
the Island Empire. who charged him
double price to ride in jlnrlksha,
His letter is thusly:
Japan is a queer country. Every
thing is on small scale. Just like
the people. and you should see the
people stare at me when | walk along
the streets. Everybody walks In the
streets because the sidewalks are
horrid. have had to pay cents
extra to ride in jinricksha. These
"rickshas," as they call them for
short. are very handsome little carts
with nice bicycle wheels, with rub
Der tires and silver mounted trim
mings and regular buggy top to
keep off the rain and sun. These
little Japs who pull them go contin-
ually on q slow dog-trot, and IL is
surprising how long they can keep
II up.
Most OF the streets are very mar
row and business places can't be
distinguished from residences, as
most OF them have gardens. trees
and lawns in front. and unless you
know where you are going you might
walk into q private house. The Jap
anese are very good imitators. but
when Il comes TO big things they are
not in II with Americans Their
houses are not large and four stor-
les is about their limit. but they
ornament their buildings very good.
One thing they are doing on a big
scale and that is building ships.
but they tell me their ship building
yards are supervised by Americans
and Europeans. ! saw some OF their
hattie ships and cruisers coming into
Yokohama and they certainly looked
fine.
went into n barber shop to get
shaved and was little surprised
to see woman BARRIERS. There were
five chairs and three OF the chairs
had women BARRIERS. One OF the wo-
men shaved me and ! must say II
was one Of the smoothest shaves !
ever had. and by the way. she was
pretty good looking. which OF course.
was 10 her favor.
The japanese government owns
aad operates al railroads. aad they
are narrow gauge (thrss festD. but
thsrs 70 sew . iii before the japan.
- parliament 10 vote oe.ooe. .eee
ysas. o. about slo.eee.ees to make
railroads standard sauss. To ~
A0seicas Pailrosd naa. thsss rail.
rsaAs With thsis sasiass sad tsaias
Ieok funay. because the sasiass are
0esely Of Easiish pattern. Very few
o. ths frsisAt cars have Any brakes
at sll. Whss . freight train is made
~. every fifth or sixth car hes .
kial oe foet brake o. Il. THIS brake
eaP - Q small cupalo II oas end.
vhsss he bsaksnaa ridss. aad from
The Dlatfora under this cupaio the
bsaksaaa uses bis foot brake. TIE
eeup,inss % freight esrs are . vesy
saali hook bolted on the end Of the
ear: tAss there 10 . ilak With . s'm-
De screw attachment. 20 that when
ths link 10 hooked the slack n taken
~ as1 The trsin h ready. OF course.
lhs passenger trsins are equipped
asariy ~ 10 date. ] had 10 laush
vhea ] sav them switching at oae os
The wharfs. They dont use hand siG-
nals lite ws DO st al. but use twe
flAes-eas rsd aad oas white-whieh
tAsy ass vsvisg I'll ths time. asd tas
eagiasss aaswsrs tAsss signals with
~ whistles. 20 the result ls that
ths bsahsaas wavse BE fiaes snd
ehe sagtases whistles. aaA u vas vesy
aoss1as 70 - then switah ears.
Theos ersasht ears are vsry small
fpe0 ~ - ftftssa teas capaeity-
aaA thsy have saly eous whssss u
| . ~.
~ Japsssss are great s1vsstis-
ess - . Io1lvS1ual ssals. Halt ~
Dee0oe ~ osse have . ~ - "hyro'
nmns,mAA~,se - nhnao nnnAn hnHA fDnmH