The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-11-26
WHY WHEAT WILL BE cnEap.
The Fertile Plains of siberia WIN Send
Food To Furope.



From Report by Consul General Jonas at Ct
Petersburg.
In the entire absence OF statistical data
concerning the present production and
surplus OF grain in Asiatic Russia, il
appears TO be extremely difficult TO form
an estimate as to the probable export of
Siberian grain to Europe when the sibe-
ran railroad Is completed. A rough esti-
mate OF the surplus OF wheat likely to be
collected and carried by the Western
Siberian section Of the new railroad places
it at $3.50. coo pools Is. 72lOoo busheis),
but this Is regarded as decidedly an under
estimate. 1t must further be rememb ered
that the completion of the line will act as
a great stimulus to the raising of grain in
those regions, partly belonging to the
ChernozIom (b.ack so.l) belt of the Rus
sian empire. famous for its fertility, and
that the surplus will increase from year to
year.
In 1sss the surplus of grain of all sorts
in the three governments OF Tobolsk,
Tomsk and Yenisseisk exceeded IL .O00. GO
pools t2s. 287, 700 bushels). of which sur
p.us 40. 600. COO pools t24,07s, 600 bushels)
were produced in the two governments
situated next 20 European Russia. namely.
Tobolsk and Tomsk. A certain part of
this surplus undoubtedly went into such
regions OF Siberia as are deficient in grain
but even then the amount available for
export TO Asiatic countries and 10 Europe
was very considerable, though the ex-
portation thereof was hampered through
LACK OF the necessary means OF COMMUNE
cation.
In the year 1891. after the failure OF crops
in many governments OF European Russia.
IL was practically shown that Siberia can
dispose of a heavy surplus Of breadstuifs.
Over Is. 900. 600 pools O. OBS 600 bushelsl of
Siberian grain were purchased in the Ural.
aud az least I0.00o,000 pools C. 0ls, 6G6
hushels) more could have been bought II
the means Of transportation had been pro-
vided.
Ii is evident that the unavoidable COM
petition of Siberian grain must still
further depress the low prices now pre-
vailing i'm the markets of European Russia
and that IL must exert an appreciate in
fiuence upon the markets of the
world Ii is believed that the depress-
ing effect upon the Russian market
would. to some degree, be lessened II a
new outlet were provided for the Siberian
product. Such an outlet is TO be furnished
BY new line of railroad from the city of
Perm (already connected by RAID across the
Ural mountains with Western Siberia) TO
kotlas, at the confluence of the Soukhona
Suchegda rivers, whose united waters here
form the Northern Dvins- offering an easy
waterway TO Archangel. the weil-known
Russian port on the White sea.
The price of grain in the markets OF the
world is, of course, regulated by the sup
ply and demand. The local market IL
ruled, first of all. by the price which pre-
walls in the markets Of the world; but Il i
also dependent upon the means OF handling
and transportation. and, TO some extent.
upon the local demand. The following
table shows the relation of the local price
oil wheat in the grain centers OF Russia TO
the price of the same article in the Lon
don market. which is assumed 10 be equal
to 100 per cent, and also the variation Of
the local price during the past few years;