The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1883-11-17
Ebseyelsfn siberia.

4OA8khe5 IN 0lDeEla- III can
sailed mere stealing, for it is
on such a large scale, so
IN are engaged in it, it is so
tnized and pays so well, that it
leI.ves the name OF an industry.
Re industry is not recognized by
\ the contrary, It is harshly pun
when discovered. Discovered
aatisSWhere all the difficulty lies.
sot easy no discover new and un-
fhthing, but % discover what is
R 70 every gold miner, TO every
prietoF Of gold mines. to. thousands
eecret gold agents. and to the Cars
thorities, is exceedingly difficult, if it
possible 81 ail: Here Is room for an
Their Columbus. but then he must be
eady for 6 oiumbus' fate.
4 With the beginning of Summer, when
the work m the gold mines becomes
lively ,secse agents appear in the woods
n arolins, rue mines, they get up their
camps aRg ensn their business, which
lasts till ne g g Of the gold season. At
@!ght prlIshe torch is seen on some
mn, and fPe gold miners understand
the sigma With their gold dust they
gp " fpee9raps ~ the wood and then
pegITs lively trade. The miners get
yoalSgs nilQYlsions or clothes, but chiefly
YQQlt Is1 RETURN to the mines. There
follows q IL aaainers' barracks an indie
sesIpRpie frQliq
NOW y sucn transaction secret
onet faf nom +. Ihe guards were
aVAfo q l1, pnk they remained silent,
12t kneK nau their portion OF the vodka
ana tneir SHARE Of the golden booty. It
Y would pc unjust, however, to say Of the
soiilcers that tlieys too take part In this
retail business. NO, no. AS to the
: wholesale ell, we had better recollect
that tnQu "a speech may be silversilence
~ golden.
1hc g0ld miners can not resist the
temptation 70 steai gold. Their wages
ere lldlculousiy small They get from
we % @lQO Tor 9 season, which lasts
nearly malt = year. They are kept in
Eetcned barracks, destitute Of every
sort of comfort. Their food is bad, even
IN tpe mouIiks opinion II one Of them
wants something extra in the way Of
provisions, tools, clothes, or vodka, no
may get 1t AZ the store Of the gold mine
proprietor, the only store within reach
q tne lap0rers, and IN that store the
goods arc usually sold at treble the or
dsnary prices. During the working
season the miners remain in state Of
slavery They can be fined, logged,
and even imprisoned, by their employer
vain impunity. In order to save their
wages they steal gold, and thus pro-
cure vodka and provisions.
Inc number Of secret gold agents is
legion, and they are excellently organ
lzed. There are the militant agents,
armed TO the teeth, who deal directly
with the miners. There are the pro-
.sc'ors' .ne spies. the station keepers,
1ne posemen ana the foreign agents.
tney nave Their own secret routes
tinrougn the Cars empire, and speak
their own largon, "Grits, for instance,
means gold dust; ITO reap" means to
~ Ior goiui 10 make pilgrimage to ST.
innocent, means to go to Hkutsk, in
vruer W give gold to Chinese merchants
sYT r. w.
When the gold season opens the milf
tant gold agents start out in the woods
WIN large amount OF provisions, as ii
gong on legitimate business. The ST.
perlap police and Administration are
700 shreWa TO interfere with these vol
|m ~
nns0er sVlu hunters. The agents stay
~ inc woods during the whole gold
sessoR, ana u IS extremely dangerous to
Nsle eneIr camps The gold they get
10y woule not surrender even at the
Isl !, ~ tneir lives. They become regu-
AZ ~ uosperauoes when interfered with.
~ suo vioso oI tne gold season the agents
Saa5y 'nelr pooty to the Wholesale
ue III
! " siberian gold brokers are to all
appearances perfect gentlemen. They
VA NV armed, and they do not tremble
~ sncir hves OF Tor their gold which
n IN, Keep IN piles on their counters.
. I NJ au.norlties are on the best OF terms
VIII vnem. Inc transportation of the
g"iJ collecte9 by the brokers is at
se..ueu Win aanger Formerly there
e Mele oniy TWO gold markets. At Nijny-
,,,' uurang the fair, gold was
sulsposeu OF 70 Russian merchants for
l la.,l use; nub lar larger part OF the
s s... goiu Went 70 hovno, whence it
s;s as oal 49, aoroau, Principally to frus-
sla, ~ Jews. who constitute regular
years TWO more markets have been
! vponsu, one y Juessa, where the gold
= 10y " JeWs, VINO exchange u
: ~ s ,ss,s ~ when no custom duty