The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-06-30

ers are native Bokharians, but the enterprise
is Russian. Originally begun as military
measure it has become an instrument Of de-
veloping commerce, and by it the almost
| fabulous cities of central Asia are brought
within easy access of London and Paris. 1t
has easy connection with the railroads OF
Russia proper by way Of the Caspian sea;
| by it peace and Russian control have been
established throughout Bokhara, and Russian
influence made paramount even to the bor-
ders of British India
To scholars it is Of peculiar interest, rs it
leads to the very cradle Of our Aryan race,
and to European statesmen 1t is doubly inn
| portant, as since its completion Russia rules
over 300, $50 square miles Of Asia. There
| had been almost uninterrupted war between
Russia and the semi-civilized people OF CEN
trail Asia for 800 years when in 1868, the
Russians captured Samarcand and COM
pleted the conquest Of Bokhara In the clos
ing years Of that war the Russian Gen. Sko-
belief fought a bloody battle at Geok-Tepee
in the desert region Of Bokhara, and sus-
tanned frightful losses by the failure OF sup
plies, after which this railroad was deter.
mined upon as the cheapest method Of paci-
fying the country Soon after the khan Of
province was Russianized, and he was made
a colonel in the Russian army, receiving from
the car splendid uniform, Of which he is
80 proud that he wears it habitually, having
discarded his national attire. The entire
province is now quiet under Russian rule,
and the road has been pushed forward with
vigor.
So tender are the Russians Of the religion
Of their Mahometan subjects that they have
cars constructed especially for them, and the
trains stop regularly at the house OF
prayer" On each car is a conspicuous notice
in Russian and Turcoman that it Is "for Ma.
hometans exclusively" and all adornments
in the line OF figures which might seem idola-
trous are carefully excluded Nevertheless
the Mohametans will not make the entire
trip on the train; mot" says the French re-
porter, because Of religion, for their fanati-
cism Is in nothing like chat Of the Mussulmans
Of Africa, but because they must needs cross
the Amon-Daria on bridge four kilometres
t4,375 yards long, aud they are frightened
at torrent on each side Of the train, rolling
such volumes of muddy water" But for this
the faithful could make the entire holy jour
ney from Merv to Samarcand on the infideis'
railroad, which the French writer thinks
would be good joke on old Mahomet.
The Amon-Daria, or Jihon-the ancient
Oxus-rises in the Hindoo Koosh mountains
and flows west and north to the Aral sea;
and the Russians, or rather the French en-
gineers, have modelled their bridge over it
after the low bridges on the line of the far
western railroads of America. In other re-
spects the construction of the road was re-
markedly cheap. The stout Bokharian dig
gers worked for ten cents day; donkey
could be hired for three times as much, and
overseers were cheap. Under French en-
gineers the natives did as much as average
Italian laborers. Russian officers have or
ganized and drilled native army of $1,000
men, a Russian governor is located at Box
hara, Russian agents are in every town, and
European dwellings, shops and improve
ments are springing up everywhere on the
line. Bokhara has 400 mosques, old and
new, besides n Russian college and other
European resorts The principal mosque is
very difficult OF access, and has a minaret
fifty metres high n6O feet, from the top Of
which persons condemned TO death are
thrown upon the rugged rocks below. Box
hara is the seat of an extensive trade and
manufacture, and the periodical markets