The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-08-24
RUSSIA'S BIG PROJECT
a MONSTER ACHIEVEMENT WILL BE
THE SIBERIAN RAILROAD.
Total Expenditure Will he $500 o
900, but 1t VIII Afford Resources
of Untold Wealth.
New York Advertiser.

Russia is to-day, as she has been for
years, the enigma of the eastern hemi-
sphere. With a semi-barbaric population,
an empty treasury, and with a people
grooming under a colossal debt, with a gil
gantic, never-ending conspiracy against her
government, she stands as one of the might
lest empires the world has ever seen. eau
tious yet valiant, patient yet daring, she
has constantly and consistently moved for
ward TO the acquisition of new territory.
Repulsed in one place, she has advanced in
another. Suffering the loss of untold life
and treasure by cruel war, she has en-
ployed the subtle art of suave diplomacy
until her history is one long record of con-
quest. The nations of Europe and Asia
have long since learned to fear and dread
her, and to-day they are watching with
grave anxiety the outcome of one of the
most stupendous projects ever projected or
attempted by mantle great Siberian rail-
way.
Not long after the Crimean war Count
Muraviov Amoursky, one of the ablest
statesmen Russia has ever had, submitted
a proposition to the Car for a railway
across Siberia. His stories of the vast but
inaccessible riches which would be opened
up by this road gained him a favorable
49, cNA - ~ 6eA ~ WIZ AAaaS pg tHS
government engineers. The chronic lack of
funds, however, prevented any start being
made in the enterprise. Next an English
man named Doll suggested the construc-
ton of a horse railroad from Nizhni-Nov-
gorod to one of the Pacific coast posts, but
this scheme failed of supporters. About the
same time an American named Collins
asked for the right to form a company to
operate between Irkutsk and Chita, but
this, too, was rejected.
In rapid succession a number Of other
pans were then presented and several sur
ly rejected. BY. this time, however, the
government itself has practically, deter
state of the imperial finances prevented
anything more than the completion of the
proper. In 1880 this was finished, and the
magnificent bridge over the Volga, named
in honor of Alexander III, was opened.
STOPPED BY ASSASSINATION.
Then Alexander was assassinated and in
terest in the project Jagged until Serge
White. a sagacious, far-seeing man, was
placed at the head of the Ministry of FL
nance. He at once took the stand that
work on the great Siberian railway should
begin at once, and that the road should
be constructed by Russian capital and Rus,
sian engineers. On Feb. q, 1891, a plan was
laid before the Emperor. On March IL,
1891, the question was decided in the affirm
alive: The imperial rescript was promui-
May u, 1891, and the Czarevitch himself
laid the first stone of the mightiest enter
The route finally selected is the one which
offers the fewest natural difficulties to the
undertaking. From Cheliabinsk, the west
laid out a line almost as straight as a die,
save where insurmountable obstacles have
Irkutsk. 1t goes through the fertile steppes
OF southern Siberia. through the Altai,
Yeneslisk and Sayansk mountains, over
many a mighty river, the Obi and Yenisei
being crossed by bridges respectively $500
and $3.50 feet long, and under numerous
mountainous ranges by means of tunnels.
From Irkutsk on the difficulties increase.
One section of the road will be hung for
miles and miles in cuttings Of the over
hanging granite crags. 1t will be neces-
sIry to construct a tunnel $3.50 feet along
under the Zyrkyzunsk hills. and in other
places the passes are so narrow that the
roadbed will have to be built of cement
and stone laid in the streams. The Amour
will be crossed on a bridge $500 feet long.
and bridges. OF about the same length are
projected over the Khor. Bikin and Imam
rivers. The road finally energies from the
valley of the Suyfun and terminates at
Nladivostok, on the bay of the Golden
Horn. The total length of the great ST.
berian railway from Cheiiabinsk to Vlad-
ivoStok is 1883 versts, or 1885 miles.
the But im 9nIy q small al i idea S Gan be gained Io of
these figures. 1t will literally have to be
built from the ground UP. Enormous iron
plants have, been and are being estab-
lished TO roll its rails and to provide the
material for its bridges. Cement works.
brick works. sawmills and planning mills
have been and will have to be erected.
Houses for the operatives and store houses
for supplies will be built along the entire
route. Rivers will be dredged, steamboats,
and wharves constructed and forests cut
down. Thousands and thousands of labor
ers and hundreds of engineers and survey
ors will be employed.
MAGNITUDE OF THE PROJECT.
Matthew +iooa non ,,ooo, e ln;n- ..--l
to make the road in every respect first
class. But with all this the work Is being
pushed very rapidly. and some sections
are already practically complete. Trains
are now running from Vladivostok to Mic
holsk, on the eastern end, a distance of
about fifty-nine miles. One hundred and
sixty miles of road are now in operation
between Cheliabinski and Omsk, and on
several other sections the transportation of
freight and passengers has been begun.
The telegraph lines have made even greater
progress. The great bulk Of the work.
however. remains to be done, though it is
fully anticipated that by 1894 the last rail
will have been laid and everything will be
Tt is a singular fact that the Russian
government has from the first refused to
permit the employment of Siberian exiles
on the road. though the cost of maintaining
them would. as a matter of course, be
much less than would be the case with any
other class of labor. Whether this is the
case because it has been thought to be
desirable to inStil a popular interest in the
railway or whether Ii is intended In this
manner to attract immigra ton from the
other sections of the empire is not known.
Certain it is, however. that both of these
conjectures are likely Of fulfllment. for
the Russian workman has not only taken
a deep interest in the project, but is also
following closely on the line Of the road
with a view to settling in the desirable
localities.
And now a word or two as to the cost
of the enterprise. When the first survey
was made under the direction OF Minister
WHITE a preliminary estimate was sub
mitted placing the probable cost at 300,-
O00. 900 rubles, or $4,000 900, the ruble aver
aging about 80 cents in money of the
United States. Subsequent surveys. how
ever, showed this to be an under estimate,
and the latest reports are probably as
nearly accurate as any figures that can
be given before completion. The estimated
cost by. these reports of exploration
ing the track 75.4Ss s2S .rubles, of con,
laying the line 2O.S95.675 rubles, of ap-
purtenances Of the line 2,10S.0 31 rubles. OF
telegraph 1, 740.SS0 rubles, of buildings along
the line 3,S75,6S2 rubles, OF stations 1856,
55 rubles. of water supply 56.575 rubles
of station appurtenances 4S57.521 rubles. OF
administrative and unforeseen expenses
$500, e25 rubles, Of tails and fastenings
men N,52l ,O65 rubles and Of carriage of ma.
terials 25.3S5. s65 rubles.
COST $780, 20, ASP RUBLES.
The total cost OF the Great Siberian rail.
way-a single track from Cheliabinsk &c
Vladivostok-will, therefore, be $50, 210, 4S
rubles, or S175. los, 141. The average cost pei