Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-06-03
STEEL RAILS BREAK
CHINA'S GREAT WALL
Artificial boundary Ie Now Only n
Relic OF the Past as Trains Go
Putting Through.

WASHINGTON. June q West
and east are meeting daily in tho
orient, whore American-brilt loco
motives connect at Kalgan on the
border OF Mongolia with caravans
from the far-interior OF Asia,
Steel rails have broken the artl-
fetal boundary OF the great wall Of
China, which remains only relic
of the past, while long trains go puf-
fling through tunnel underneath,
bearing to the sea priceless furs,
rugs. wool and turquoise, and To the
Interior the manufactured products
OF the United states and other for
eign nations.
The story OF railroad development
in the orient and the possibilities
! open there TO American enterprises
are set forth In a series OF reports
| TO tho bureau of foreign and domes-
| tic commerce by Frank Rhea, Tor
merly connected with the Pennsyl-
vnnia railroad and the General
I Electric company, who recently re-
| turned from tour as special agent
| through China, Japan. the Philip
pines, New Zealand and Australia.
In all China there are only $500
| miles Of railroad, of which $500
| miles are Chinese government lines.
| Most Of tho railroad Development
! has been In north and central emma
! All except one of the government
| lines are American type, OF th@
standard four feet eight and one
| half inch gauge, and on the line TO
/ Kalgau. which nierces farther INTO
the interior than any other, 60 or
a. a ,..Nt nrA n
made. Giant Mallet compound en-
gines each with n tractlve effort OF
$4,000 pounds, parallel the great
wall to Ching-Lung Chiao, then pass
beneath II until they meet the CAST
bound caravans Of camels galiy
capnrisoned Mougol horses and the
queer. camel drawn carts OF Mon
cola at kalgau, which Ia one OF the
strapEest and greatest markets OF
the world
Japan has about six thousand
! milos of railroad, which cost $50, ,O0O
a mile to build through the steep
mountains OF Nippon. All OF II Is
government owned and organized
ON military basis, like the German
roads. each employe having distinct
rank and being responsible TO his
supcrioEs Ike soldier Many cleo
tric lines are being built in Japan.
Locomotives and electrical equip
mont have been purchased from the
United states. but freight and pas
aenCcr cars have been bought large
Is In England or built at home, be-
cause the roads are OF three feet.
slN-tuCh gauge, The Japanese gov
ttrnWvut is cuUsiderinE widening u 4
railroads to standard gauge as 4
military measure, at a cost equal to
the original construction.
In the Philippines, American
equipment has been used except on
the island Of l.u2on, where the rail-
roads wero built by British capital
An the roads are organized on the
English system In the hin country
OF the islands, whore official society
spends the hot season, American
motor busses are used.
Australia and New Zealand have
followed their mother country In
building railroads A peculiar fca-
turc Of the Australian roads Is that
in, the total of 24O0o miles, there
are three different gauges and in
| only ono instance do any two states
/ have connecting lines Of the same
gauge A traveller from Br shane 20
Perth must change cars eight times
The disadvantage OF different
I track WlNlNN III lut orient WAS Stl IN
/ iugly illustrated whep there was
! talk Of Japan undertaking opera
/ tions against the Germans IN Russia,
/ IN discussing plans Il was brought
out that the railroad from Port Ar
thur to Dareu. which the Japanese
forces probably would use 20 reach
I Chang Chuu, the connecting point
with the transcontnenal line, is
five feet, three inches wide, Trains
| cannot be transferred from one line
to the other and IN any operations
Bthcre would he much loss Of time in
unloading and loading equipment
Great difficulty also WAS eNPer-
fenced in adapting for American use
locomotives manufactured in this
country for shipment TO the Rus
slams at .Nladvostock but which
were held here'whcn peace was con-
! cluded with Germany T&