The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-05-29
AMERICAN RAILS BREAK AR
TIFICIAL BOUNDARIES
OF GREAT WALL.
FROM FAR INTERIOR ASIA
Yankee Goods Go Into Romance
Lands and Rich Rugs, Turquoise,
Rare Furs and Other Eastern
Commodities Come to Sea.


tives connect at Kalgan on the bor-
der of Mongolia with caravans from
the far-interior of Asia.
Steel rails have broken the arti-
fetal boundary at the Great Wall OF
China, which remains only a relic
of the past, while long trains go
putting through tunnel under
meath, bearing to the sea priceless
furS. rugs, wool and turquoise, and
to the interior the manufactured
products of the United States and
other foreign nations.
The story of the railroad develop
ment in the Orient and the posi-
biltes open there to American en-
terpriseS are set forth in series Of
reports to the bureau Of foreign and
domestic commerce by Frank Rhea,
formerly connected with the Penn
sylvania railroad and the General
Electric Company, who recently re-
turned from a 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 the railroad development
has been in north and central China.
All except one of the government
lines are American type, of the
standard four feet, eight and one
half-inch gauge, and on the line to
Kalgan, which pierces farther into
the interior than any other, 90 of
made. Giant Mallet compound en-
gines. each with tractive effort of
$4,000 pounds, parallel the Great
Wall to Ching Lung Chiso, then
pass beneath it until they meet the
eastbound caravans of camels,
gaily caparisoned Mongol horses
and the queer camel-drawn cars OF
Mongolia at Kalgan, which is one of
the strangest and greatest markets /
in the world.
Six Thousand Miles.
Japan has about 5000 miles of
railroad, which cost 100000 a mile
to build through the steep noun
tains of Nippon. All of it is gov
ernment owned and organized on a
military basis, like the German
roads, each employe having distinct
rank and being responsible to his
superiors like soldier. Many cleo
trio lines are being built in Japan.
Locomotives and electrical equip
ment have been purchased from the
United States, but freight and pas
senger cars have been bought large
ly in England or built at home, be-
cause the roads are of three feet,
six-inch gauge. The Japanese gov
ernment is considering widening the
to standard gauge as
measure, at a cost equal to
The original construction.
In the Philippines, American
equipment has been used except on
he island of Luzon. where the rail-
roads were built by British capital. .
All the roads are organized on the
English system. In the hill country
of the islands, where official society
'pends the hot season, American
motor busses are used.
Australia and New Zealand have /
ollowed their mother country in ;
railroads. A peculiar fea-
ure OF the Australian roads is that.
n the total of 24,000 miles, there are
hree different gauges and in only
me instance do any two states have {
onnecting lines of the same gauge. +
traveller from Brisbane to Perth I.
must change cars eight times. ;
Track Widths Vary. G
The disadvantage of different /
rack Wlths in the Orient was
Irikingly illustrated when there was
ak of Japan undertaking opera
ons against the Germans in Rus
"a. In discussing plans it was
rought out that the railroad from
ort Arthur and Dairen, which the
ipanese forces probably would use
ZACH Chang Chun, the connecting
pint with the trans-continenta line.
hive feet three inches wide. Trains
lnnot be transferred from one line
the other and in any operations
Iere would be much loss of time
unloading and loading equipment.
Great difficulty also was expert
iced in adapting for American use
comotives manufactured in this !
'untry for shipment to the Rus
ans at Nladivostock. but which
ere held here when peace was con- |.
nded with Germany. Il
Americas best opportunities for '
c sale OF railroad and electrical
uipment in the Orient were found =
Mr.. Rhea TO be in China. which
5 less equipment .r mile of rail- d
ad than any other nation in the
orld. The Chinese roads earn u
out $4,000 gold per mile. as much .,
the American roads. which they y
: enabled to do through greater =
ieiency in handling their meager g
lount Of rolling stock. The cycle
use of freight cars is about six \
IS. as compared with Is days in
nerica- Demurrage is fixed at SO
every Il hours OF daylight. so
re Is no delay in unloading. ia
4 IN the future probably will be
re OF a competitor than a Gus
ter OF the United States. owing
the tremendous industrial expan- Z
n IN progress there. Much OF