St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-04-23

thousand Coreans and Chinese are en-
ployed by the contractors, they being
considered as handy for railroad build
ing in bleak Siberia as in America. The
other workmen are convlctS and ticket
of-leave men. The price paid per verst
by the government is $4,000 rOubles,
amounting to about 10000 for the Sec
ton under Mr.. GaetZski's charge.
The work is very eXpens:ve,as great
deal of blasting of solid rock must be
done. Whole mountains of rock have to
be moved and deep gOrgeS have to be
made. Much difficulty was experienced
in getting the material 10 Siberia. A
large part of it had to be shipped to the
Pacific coast and than up to Vladivo-
stock. Transportation across Siberia
under existing circumstances is slow
and cumbersome. The deep SHOWS in
the winter impede anu stop work.
These facts make the magnitude of the
Russian governments huge undertake
ing more impressive than the mele
statement of the lines extraordinary
length. The steppes are uninviting in
appearance, and dangers abound. Tigers
and other wild animals have been shot
along the line not far from VladivO-
stock. TO now reach city of European
Russia takes forty days from VladlvO-
stock, and when the railway is running
one can go to st. Petersburg from that
Siberian port in twelve days.
The idea of having this railroad was
in the mind of the cZar twenty years
before work was begun. A commission
which was appointed by the emperor in
1887 unanimously recommended the
project on commercial and Strategical
grounds. 1t was fOreseen that the cost
would be immense, but the Russian
government decided to bear it alone,
accepting no foreign capital. The
benefits that will accrue to Russia are
expected to more than repay the eX-
penditure. Among the advantages which
the railroad will bring about are the
colon cation Of Siberia, which is vast
appropriated portion of the earth; the
Development of agriculture and of the
Siberian mines: the opening up of the
new markets for Russian Industries,
and, in short, to make Asiatic Russia
source of revenue instead of constant
expense, besides increasing Russian IN
tiuence i'll Oriental countries bordering
OH Siberia. By building up Siberia the
railway will aid Russian extension in
Asia. Part of the trade of China, Japan
ana Corea will be diverted by it to
Russia.
To trans port freight from Shanghai
TO Vancouver, thence over the Cana
dian Pacific and across the Atlantic to
Europe, takes thiriy-five days. Through
the SueZ canal to Genoa and Marseilles
requires torty-three to forty-siX lays.
When the Siberian railway is finished
freight can be transported from
Shanghai to Europe in eighteen to
twenty days. and this saving .: time
will divert trace TO the new line. Rus
, STA thus expects to cut into the business
that now falls to the United States.
Canada. Great Britain, France and
Germany. Russia had once a great
caravan route across the desert, but the
increase uf facilities for ocean carrying
caused it TO fall into disuse. One draw
, back for the Siberian line is that the
port OF NlauiyOstock, to which all of its
freight must come. is closed by ice dur
ing several months Of each year.
The estimate by the Russian en-
gineerS was that the railway would cost
| from $4,000 to $4,000 mile. Some
parts are to pass through country
| where engineering difficulties are great.
| The outlay is to be from $50, 100000 10
400, 00O, 600 roubIcs. The line will run
close 10 the lifty-tifth parallel of north
latitude from Zlatausk and MASK as far
as the Yenisel river. Branches will
there extend for about sixty miles to
! connect with the important towns Of
Tomsk and Omsk. The road will then
| follow a more southerly course te
! Irkutsk, go along the southern shore of
Lake Baikal and through the valley of
| the Selling river, cross the valleys of
! the Lena and the Amur to Lake CGilan,
where excellent coal has been found;
! thence run eastward to the steamboat
| station or Srcjetinsk, Oh the Amur river,
| and along the right bank or the USSuri,
run to GratiSky and terminate at
P, Nladivostock, in latitude 43.
Some doubters say that this road vii
| he constant drain on Russia for years
after it is built, and that it will not
| begin to pay for half a century; but
even if it brings in no direct financial
! profits it is certain to be productive of
good TO the Russian empire. Although
! Siberia contains barren and almost use
| less wastes, it has millions of acres
| of fertile soil, which, with easy cult
walton, will yield immense harvests.
| One purpose of the government is
| to relieve the crowded districts of
| European Russia. so that when the
| crops fail the famine may not affect as
many as it has in the past. Hundreds
/. or thousands of tOllerS can hardly keep
| body afS soul together in Russia, and
| if this surplus labor were put on the
| fertile areas of Western Siberia that
| country would be developed, European
Russia would be relieved of so much
| human weight and the emigrants to
| Siberia could maintain themselves much
more comfortably than now. Thus the
| interests of the empire would be ad-
| vanced.
! One part of Western Siberia. which is
capable of being converted into gar
| den, is as large as France, and its soil is
rich enough 10 support as large popu-
| latiOn as that country has. Such dis
tricts are badly needed by Russia, for it
has been found that in some of its Euro.
pean districts the agricultural popula.
ton has increased far beyond the abil
Try to secure freeholds. This superf1uity
of the Eussian population has aggra-
: waited the sufferings during each fam
ine The Siberian farms that are
awaiting such settlers are inaccessible
| now. but the railroad will bring them
| within reach.
The mining regions of the Atai
mountains will also be aided by the
railway. Mr.. Koraloff, who is with MIR.
! GaletZkI, is credited with the belief that
gold mines will be developed there
which will compare well with those of
California, Australia and the Trans
vaal. Steam communication will give
an impetus to this district, where enor-
enormous quantities OF precious metal
are supposed to he concealed.
One OF the remote regions to which
the railroads will probably bring popu-
lation is the valley of the Salenga river.
on the southeast shore of Lake BaikaI,
1t is the warmest district in all Siberia.
and has been called the Siberian Italy.
Its fertility is unsurpassed; yet, be-
cause of the lack OF carrying facilities,
, the ground there is unused.