Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-12-06
AN ArC1IC ENTHUSIAST.
His Recent Efforts to Reach the siberian
Rivers by Sea.


Rivers by Sea.
A very wealthy Russian named NJ.
Siberiakoff has made himself famous by
his persistent and costly efforts TO
demonstrate that trade route can 0s
opened through a part of the Arctic
Ocean. His experiments have cost
hundreds of thousands of dollars, but
no reverse has yet discouraged him,
and year after year he repeats his at
tempt to send steam vessels from Eu-
rope to the mouths of two of the great
rivers Of Siberia on the shores Of the
Arctic Sea.
The thing has been done several
times. and what NJ. Siberiakoff believes
and has been trying to demonstrate il
that every year European freight can
be taken by steamer to the Oh
and Yenesei Rivers, and then
through those great streams to
the Siberian settlements on their
banks, the vessels returning to Europe
laden with Asiatic products. OF course
if this route were practicable it would
make the rich products and population
of North Asia far more accessible to
the merchants of Western Europe than
they can be by any other route.
In 1873 NOrdenSkjold reached the Yen
esei in a little vessel, steamed up the
river for some distance, and returned
to Europe in the same season con-
vinced that late every summer it was
practicable to reach the Oh and 1ene-
sci Then followed his famous voyage
along the entire north coast of Asia.
NJ Siberiakoff bore part of the cost,
and his steamer, the Lena, accom-
panied Nordenskjold to the Lena
River. which it ascended to Yakutsk.
NorrlenskiOld came home more firmly
than ever persuaded that steam vessels
could reach the great Siberian rivers
every summer.
Every year since 1879 NJ. Siberiakof
has despatched expeditions from Europe
for the Oh and Yenesei Rivers. Only
one of his vessels has reached Its dss-
tination That was the steamer Oscar
Dickson, which reached the Oh IN the
fall Of 1880, but in the following year,
before she had started on her return
trip, she was crushed in the ice and
sank Nothing daunted, NJ. Slberiakoti
loaded the steamer NordenskjOld with
English merchandise and sent her OIL,
with instructions to return the follow
ing season with q cargo OF Asiatlc
produce which he had sent down the
/ Yenesei to meet his vessel. The Nor
denskjold found the ice-barrier in the
Kara sea impenetrable, and had TO put
back to Europe. In 1888 the indomit-
| sble Russian sent three steam vessels
/ on the same voyage. He had estsb-
lished merchandise depot at Sastor'
ovski. on the Yenesei. and he seut the
steamer Oh to ply between that point
and the mouth of the river. The Nor
/ denskiold also steamed away well
7 loaded, and hoped to return richly
freighted the following year. The third
vessel took out materials to build s
large warehouse at the south end OF
Navaya Zemlva, where in bad ice year.
steamers that failed to push through
the great ice-tields could unload theii
csrgoes instead of taking them back tc
Europe. The warehouse was erected
but none of the vessels reached the
Siberian rivers. 1t was in this excep
tionablv bad ice season that the eNplor
ing vessels Dijmphna and Varna wer'
caught in the foes OF Kara Sea The
Va.na went to the bottom and tht
Diimphna had to return to Europe in (
damaged condition.
NJ Siberiakohrs ventures in tht
Arctic Ocean have now cost him about
five hundred thousand dollars. HI
has not received a dollar in return
Only one Of his vessels has reached tht
rivers and il was crushed in the ICE
pack before it turned homeward. Still
the Russian millionaire does not seen
discouraged. His vessels set out a.
regularly as the seasons come around
In July last he started himself from
Archangel on the Nordenskjold, but
in consequence of the compact mssse:
OF ice in the Kara Sea, he had to re
turn. He has recently been impressed
with 4 new idea, and, perhaps, it viii
dislodge the ruling passion that ha.
cost him so much money. He has thi!
summer been building a wagon roaC
between Petchora, which is a point il
Russia on the Arctic Ocean, and 1
navigable atfluent of the OF River
and he is confident that by this mean
he will greatly facilitate commerce be
tween Siberia and Western Europe
N Y. Sun.