Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-04-05
NO. 80.
Mistfllaneous.
PROGRESS OF RUSSIA.

A St. Petersburg correspondent of the
New York Herald, writing under date Of
March 9th, refers to the progress made 10
Russia within the past ten years. There
has been constructed over $4,000 miles OF
railways. forminga vast network through
the grain-producing districts of the
Empire. Nearly all the rails for these
lines were purchased from England, but
at present extensive rolling mills have
sprung up in various parts of the country,
which are now manufacturing steel rails.
They are turning out all they require,
which causes them to be independent of
England in this branch of industry. The
government has recently purchased from
the Baldwin Locomotive Works. of Phila-
delphia, forty locomotives, and another
large company in America have contract.
ed to deliver 100 during the present year.
contract has been recently made with
the John Stephenson Company OF New
York for the manufacture and supply of
large number of tramway cars for the
street railways of st. Petersburg, as also
for Riga. where a new company has been
recently formed. 1t is stated that Ameri.
can tramway cars will wear twenty years,
while those made in England, France and
Belgium only last five years.
The government is engaged in con-
structing what is called new port for St.
Petersburg. 1t is situated at the south
eastern part of the city and consists of an
enormous basin or, rather, series of basins
connected together. capable, it is estima-
ted, of accommodating thousand vessels
and barges. A railway runs around the
vessels and connects them with the entire
system of railways. These basins are
dredged to uniform depth of twenty
feet, and continuous chain of large ware
houses is being erected around them, SO
that cargoes can be received or discharg-
ed directly from or in cars and transport
ed to any part of the empire. Similar to
all government works in Russia, they are
constructed upon a colossal and magnif-
cent scale.
At tue pi esent time there are only eight
feet OF water between St. Petersburg and
Cronstadt, a distance of sixteen miles.
The government have recently contracted
with Messrs. Morris IL Cummings. OF
New York, to carry out the undertaking
of dredging over the sixteen miles, so as
to have twenty feet of water between the
new port and Cronstadt. Their machin-
cry will at once be shipped from New
York, in order to allow them to CON-
mence operations early in the spring.
Their superintendents are now here, en-
gagged in constructing the necessary bar
ges.
One of the most important charters or
concessions In the interest of Americans
has Just been signed by the Emperor,
giving Messrs. L. b. Shaw, E. G. Burgess
and T. B. Lane of New York, in connec-
pan nj a isfa
the permission to form a company for the
construction of floating and stationary
grain elevators and warehouses in all
parts and points where grain is dealt with
in the empire. The name of the compa-
ny is the Grain Elevator and Warehouse
Company. The grant gives them certain
exclusive rights and many important priv
leges. Among them all machinery and
materials are imported free OF duty, and
the charter is for fifty years.
The importance and magnitude Of this
enterprise can be understood when It Is
taken into consideration that grain Ia the
great staple product OF Russia. She has ex-
ported in single year more than two hun
Gred million bushels which were shipped
from St. Petersburg. At the present time
there is not a grain elevator in the coun-
try. All is conveyed in bags to the ship
ping points by railways and barges. From
official statistics it is shown that the pres
ent cost of handling grain is from ten to
fifteen cents per bushel. There is one
point ON the river Volga where, during
the past season, nearly four million bushels
of grain arrived in barges. 1t was then
put in bags. carried on mems shoulders
to the ears and thence conveyed 400 miles
to St. Petersburg. to be again hauled in
like manner. 1t is fortunate for Russian
farmers and grain dealers that American
Ingenuity is to develop this important
branch of industry, as also the wisdom OF
the Emperor in his policy OF placing his
people in this respect upon an equality
with grain producing countries, and in
thus giving the Americans the preference
over all others.