Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-23

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Police Station, VlnGivOstock.
are iron deposits of vast extent throughout
eastern Siberia, and there is a great deal
lying along the line of the new railroad. l
rode through veins of coal In my trip over
the line. the grades being cut right through
the coal fields. These are not far from
Vladivostock. and there may yet be great
manufactures in Siberia. The Island of
Saghalien Is said to be Underiaid with coal,
and there are vast coal mines near Tomsk.
OF the line of the railroad. There are in
fact. coal mines all over Siberia and the
silver and lead deposits are very large.
There are ninety different mines of silver
in one region alone, and there are lead
mines in the eastern part of the country.
There are four hundred different copper
mines in another region, and it is almost
impossible to estimate the mineral wealth
of Siberia. The western part of the coun-
try has been producing silver for years
and the Altaf mountains are one of the
richest mining regions of the world.
Siberian Immigrants.
Siberia is very rich country agricultur-
ally. and Russia is colonizing 1t as fast as
she can. 1t has millions Of acres as fat as
the Red River valley, and it will eventu-
ally be one of the great wheat-raising
countries of the world There were a hun
dred thousand Russian immigrants In 1Sc,
and the czar has now a special line of
steamers, whose business it is to carry
Russians from the Black sea and the Bal
tic around to Siberia. They take them in
colonies and land them at VIadvostock or
at the ports of the Amoor river. They
given great advantages as to lands. but
the land is usually parce!ed out TO the
communities and the villagers own the
land in common. as they do in Russia.
a mi a
No country can be developed to its full
extent except by individual ambition and
individual effort for individual gain. The
chief trouble in Russia today is in its land
system. If the land of the Russian empire
were held by individuals instead of by viii
lagos the country would be one of the
richest on the globe. AS 1t is. it is only
half farmed. No one cares to work when
he has land in common with his neghbors,
and the most shiftless farmers on the
globe today are the Russian peasants Land
in Siberia 1 found to be sold very cheap.
The rates less than those of our gov
eminent lands, and if remember correctly
they are three rubles per desiatine,
about a dollar acre in silver or less
than CD cents an acre in gold The laws
of Siberia such that individuals can
buy land if they wish it, but the peasants
seem to like the village system best. They
stick to their old habits, and Siberia IL
likely to be second Russia.
Siberia for the Russians.
I was struck with one thing in my visit
to Siberia, ard that was that the Russians
propose to hold the country for them
selves. They don't intend to throw it open
to the world, though they are glad to have
citizens who will take an oath of allegiance
to Russia and become Russian subjects.
The laws Of the country are now such that
only Russian citizens can acquire property,
develop mines or do business. One of the
requirements of citizenship is that the ap-
plicant must be able to speak Russian, and
the people DO not propose TO be overrun by
lot of foreign-speaking aliens as Ameri-
ca Is. The mines are open to all the Rus
SLAMS with the single proviso, as l said,
that the government: have the first chance
at the output 1t mas already established
smelling houses and assay stations
throughout the country, and ii takes gold
2nd silver at its market rates, taxing it
certain percentage l believe, for the Czar.
1 was told that the gold mines of Siberia
turned out last year forty-fiv" million dol
single mine not far from Nladivostoc'i
which has produced three million dollars
in single year. l met some ricn mine
owners in VladTostock, and I heard all
sorts of big stories. One mine, which was
originally listed at forty dollars share,
has stock which is now worth forty thou
sand dollars a share, anu large fortunes
have been made cut Of silver. The timber
resources are enormous. and after America
is denuded of its forests il is probable
that the world will have to go to Siberia
for its large timber.
Word About the AmoOr.
was much surprised at the extent Of
eastern Siberia. / had an idea that the
Amoor river ran into the sea not far from
Vladivostock. It always looked to me SO
on the map. 1 told Mr.. Bryper that
thought 1 would take a little run up the
Amoor ard he informed me that l was
about four days ride by steamer from it's
of the finest in the world. 1t is nine miles
wide at its mouth, and vessels drawing
twelve feet Of water can sail up IT GD
miles, while vessels of light draft can go
1000 miles into the interior ON this stream
met one young man. who was in business
at the town of Nicholievsk. which is the
chief city of the Amoor. 1t is a town OF
3 800 people, and 1t does big business with
all northern Siberia. There are forty-seven
ships which sail up and down the Amoor,
and the Russian volunteer fleet bringing
immigrants, comes there many times every
summer. This town. like Vladivostock is
to a large extent a military settlement, and
the car has his soldiers scattered all over
Siberia. was told that he had something
like 1909 men in the eastern half of the
country, and he is systematically making
it Russian empire by colonizing 1t as he
does. Every year or so the boundary is
moved Il little further south, and there Is
yet a possibility that Russia will take more
from China than she has done in the past
The great Trans-Siberian road. which is
now heiEg pushed at three different points
along the line, will form a line of communi-
cation by which Russia will be able to con-
troll the Asiatic trade, and there is no tell
ing as to whether she will not control a
great part of the territory of Asia as we'll
This road was begun at Fladivostock and
1t Is now being pushed to the west. In my
next letter l will describe the queer
periences ] had in travelling upon it.
FRANK G. CARPENTER.
Ills Dreadful Language.
From the Detroit Tribune.