The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-14
Immigrants TO SIBERIA,
RussiaWants People 10 Cd 10 Thu
Land OF the Frozen
###. North.
Part pf the Country 10 Capable OF
Producing All Kinds ct
Crops.

F5I8%&%S5N# ~A@S88TE%448#S
Crops.
TIE HalAncs III Sterile Of Covered with
leo and SNOW Nsarly the Whole
Year Through.
The railroad which the Russian govern
ment Is building through South siberia.
from the Ural to the Pacific ocean will open.
nm immense country hitherto almost IN
known TO the world of foreign culture, and
III may be Ut interest to see what the con
dition Of the land il. says the New York
Tribune. Generally, il may be said,
Siberia, BY the hand Of nature, has been,
endowed not less thnn other countries. III
produces almost every kind u European
grain and fruits, evsn grapes, and has IN
abundance OF all metals, iron, gold, silver
copper, lead, zinc. etc., coal graphite, por-
phyry and precious stones, and I'M is, on has
besn,S the home Of I'll mammalian animals
The rivers and lakes are# crowded with all
kinds Of ish. and the Arctic aoa3 abounds
withSwhale and seal.
The area Of Siberia il about 12,00O,000
kilometrea, but tho northern and greater
partof n ID almost waste, inhabited only
by 4 few thousands OF Samoiedes and
Eaquimaux. Snow and ice cover the earth
III the north almost All The year round, only
melting Al two Orthrse months iii the sum
msr,B5When the sun never sets.558This coun-
Try ID then visited BY large herds 5of wild
reindeer, coming from the south and r.
turning there as soon AZ winter sets in. The
polar bear and the black FOX live hsrs con
stantly, and hunting these and the seals
and fishing are the only occupation Of the
northern people.
The 6amojsdss And Esquimaux seem to
DO related to each other. Their languages
are not 50 different that they cannot under
stand each other. Their manner or living
and culture, II ii can be named 70, is al
most the same. They are all nomads, 90.
ing north in tbs hummer and south In tbs
winter. Their clothing IL made OF sealskin,
and both sexes wsar the same styles Of dress.
In the sumrne 81 they live iii tents made Of
akin, and their only furniture ID Of skin.
Theysoover themselves with skins and Sleep
on skins The tents are heated with open
fires in the middle OF the tent, and. as the
pine never here becomes = tree, only a
Az I'LL - eAV JAMuAyE IA kW1NSI5VA%W u
whalas and the oil Of the seal for fuel.
IheSpsople are chiefly small, filthy and
indolsnt. They do not provide for the
morrow, and it seems Incredible that a sim
Rls man il able to eat from sixteen to
twenty pounds Of raw salmon in g day. The
number is M many Thsy are very fond
Of Intoxicating drinks. but fortunately
these are rare in their regions and the i'm
portntion Of them il forbidden.
In winter they live in huts made Of turf
and moss and covered with snow. The en-
frances to these huts are long and low, and
one has to crawl through them. Three and
four families live in one hut, where the
heat ID intense. Their food ID fish and
seal meat, which they wash down
With brain I'll. n they do not
except when they have nothing 70 eat. Thsy
lave neither preachers nor authorities.
The strongest man Ia the mort respected
ana he decides all quarrels. The mon have
only one wife, but wedding ceremonies are
unknown. Wives are commonly gained BY
bargain and often exchanges arc made III q
good natursd way. Dogs are the only 10
mestioatsd animals. Each party has at
least six or eight Of them and treat them
we'll, Keeping them IN the general living
room. %
In The long winter season the weather
besieged people make or repair their imple-
msnts and weapons. They sleep d great
deal and tell legends, these varying only
slightly. The Samojed, however. has good
common sense and almcs. mother wit and.
often entertains his company extremely
with his tales. g $
Z Money il unknown among the people, all
trade being carried on BY barter. Accord
inglly there are no poor people. as they say
and the Samoiedes consider themselves d
happy folk. They love their cold homes
and in other countries always are homesick
md take the first opportunity TO return t.
their native land.
Central Siberia has a sterile land and
cold winters, which make il unfit for agri-8
culture. I nthis part Of the country are
found mines Of coal and metals and there
are small settlements where merchants drive
bargains with the natives. Intoxicating
drinks are not allowed to sold Oh
credit. Taxes TO the government are
paid in skin, fur 70 other natural products
Here are immense forests Of pine, larch,
III and birch OF large growth, among
which live several kinds Of animals with
costly fur. Hunting these and heraing
reindeer gave subsistence to the inhabitants
w y for. tho greater pa1t, like the samo.
iedes, aro nomads; they are mostly or
Russian origin and have the Russian or
thodox religion. They live il tents and
have in every tent an altar. In winter
they 60 south. 3%&
South Siberia, from So degrees to 40 de-
EIocs lHUAtAA6, however, PRODUCES EURO
pean crops Of all kinds. It has Ia greater
area than European Russia, but is not set
tod for great distances. The railway, how
exer. i expected to open the country to
settlers as in Americn, and city by city, IL
is believed, $89 will grow up along
the tracks. There will be a great number
of stations, and it il the governments pur-
pose to make the rates for traffic low and
TO give the immigrants favorable terms and
conditions. All building materials are
found in moro than sufficient quantity and
Of excellent quality. Horses and cattle arc
cheap and Of fairly good breeds. The
country needs only an intslligent, industri-
GUS population to become prosperous.
The cities on the caravan way from
Kiaohta to tho Ural mountains have a con-
siderable trade and are comfortable PLACES
in which to live. Houses, ordinary food,
ETC., are cheap, but all imported Injuries,
such az coffee, tobacco, OTTO. are extremely
dear. But II ID not impossible til at the day
will como when South Siberia can export
products which II must now import.
THE SYMPATHETIC CREATURE.
An Old aud Experienced Ones Advice to
a Y~ounester.
look here, young man." began snorkb