The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-01-29
Cold Siberia.

The chief riches Of northern Siberia are
| the fisheries. The whale, the walrus, and
tho seal are found along the coasts, and
the rivcts arc alive with fish of the finest
| species, among which are tho sturgeon,
salmon. sterlet, pike, perch, brcam, her
ring, aud many indigenous varieties known
only by their native names. So plentiful
| arc they that the nets arc often broken by
their weight. Many fisheries are estab-
llshcd along tho banks Of the larger rivers,
and largo quantities of cured and dried fish
arc annually sent in winter on sledgcs to
Ekaterinburg.
Few countries are richer IL forests than
! Siberia. A large part Of the middle and
southern belt is covered with magnificent
growth Of timber, consisting principally Of
pine, fir, larch and birch, but including
many other varieties. For untold ages the
| rivers, whose uppcr waters flow through
immense forests, have annually swept down
many of these trees, so that all along their
lower courses their banks arc lined with
driftwood, among which are great pines
large enough for man-of wars masts.
Many of these trees, too, are swept into the
Arctic ocean and piled upon the islands
there, and not unfrequentiy are carried oven
to Nova Zrmbla. Such is the preservatlve
effect of the climate that trunks brought
down from tho upper regions, probably
centuries ago, arc still as sound as the
day they were washed from their native
forests.
Tho whole timber region is tho homo
OF the most valuable fur-bcaring animals,
including the sable, ermine, beaver, lynx,
marion, and marmot. The bear, wolf, fox,
wild boar, wild sheep (argali), wild ass
| (kulan) aud Caspian antelope abound, and
| in tho Atai mountains tho tiger is found.
Birds, too, exist III great variety and mum.
bcrs. Furs and skins are among the chief
articles of export.
In the southern part of Siberia all tho
common European grains, vegetables, and
| fruits arc produced. Whoat, barley, oats,
and lnseed arc grown in nearly all of the
river valleys, aud if there were means Of
communication, there ls no doubt but that
Siberia could produce cereals enough to
supply MI western Europe. The basin OF
the Obi biisespccially rich, tho river overflow
ing its banks annually like the Milo. Tho
SOIL Is iino and black, we'll adapted for
wheat. In tho nclghborhood of tho Tomsk,
fine fruits arc produced, oven tho grape
growing 10 perfection. In all this neigh
Dorhood, and in tho steppes southwest Of
hero, largo numbers Of horses, cattle, fat
tailed sheep, and goats are raised. In some
of The villages tho horses out-number tho
inhabitants tl,roe TO one. IICrse and cattle
raising is also carried on largely in other
parts Ul the country.
i But Siberias principal wealth lies In her
minerals Gold, silver, copper, tin, lead,
iron: coal, and salt are largely distributed
throughout tho Ural, the Altai, and tho
Stannovoi ranges, and many kinds Of pre-
J9fheS Fl %SS9a ts ine y, R,.nelpal mn
winch has Il population of about %, ,00U,
and is noted for its smelling works, u mint,
and many stone polishing establishments.
Neviansk, another large town of the Ural
mining district, has large iron mines.
In the Altai, Scrlanovsk is one of tho
most important mining establishments,
gold, silver, copper, lead and tin being
produced there. Tho ores arc carried ia
boats down the Irish or by wagons to
Barnaul, Smcnogorsk, but tho latter are
little worked now. BarnauI, tho capital
Of the Siberian Altai, Is place of ABOUT
$4,000 inhabitants. All tho gold OF Sibe-
ria was formerly sent there 10 be smeltcd,
but now 1t receives only the product OF The
Altai, all obtained in tho mountains east OF
thore going TO lrkutsk. At Kollvan are
the famous stonc-polshing works. the pri-
vatc property OF the emperor, where many
large pieces OF porphyry, jasper, marble
and other stones arc produced.
The great commercial center Of north
eastern Asia is lrkutsk, which has varia-
blcpopulation, reaching sometimes 100, 900.
1t has large CARAVAN trade with Cnipa.
Other provincial centCrs OF trade are To-
bolsk, Omsk, Tomsk, Krasnoynrsk and
Yakutsk, each with from l5, 900 to 40, 900
inhabitants. The principal shipping point
I.N,, iI,s.h 10
extensive shipyards STEAMBOATS, SOC foot
long navigate the river from this place, ~
well rs lighters Of 900 to 800 tons burden.
Ycniselsk IS tho principal port cn the Yen-
lsei river. IL il o fine towl, with weil-
built houses, and about IL, QUO inhabitants.
An extensive trade Is carried Oh from hvre
by exchange with China. There are rich
gold, copper and iron mines in its vicinity.
Siberia is in measure isolated by tho
great cham OF the Ural. 1t is true that
somewhat extensive commerce has been
carried on for long time by the overland
route, but it is 50 costly as to be almost pro-
hlbtiye to all except the wealthy. Goods
cannot bo transported from Moscow to r.
kutsk st much less than $lO0 u ton. Tho
transport through Siberia, in parts whcro
the water communication is not available,
is by caravans OF camels In summer ana
sledges in winter to Tobolsk or Ekaterln-
burg, whonce goods are sont across tho
mountains TO Perm, on the Kama, from
which point there direct water communl-
cation with Nizhnl- Novgorod and Moscow.
OF late years railway has boon pro jecled
from Ekaterinburg, via. Osnsk. IomsK.
and Krasnoyarsk, to lrkutsk, with posi-
bic extension thence 70 Puking, but tho
amount of capital required is 30 great and
the country through which 1t must pass is
as yet 30 uudevoloped, that II will PROBABLY
remain q project for al least another gene
ration. BUTT must como III time, and then
these rich river basins will become the seat
Of q thriving population, whose labors will
add immensely TO Russia's already VASE
resources.