The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-08-23
TRANS slBERlAN RAILWAY.

Its Effect Upon the Worlds Commerce.
The closing year of the nineteenth
century will see the practical completion
OF the most gigantic railroad ever un-
dertaken.
Ever since the acquisition of the pos
sessions east of the Ural Mountains. !
the Russian Government has realized
the necessity, from commercial, politi-
cal, and military considerations. of a
c'oser unifioation Of the two sections of |
the Empire. Accordingly, in tie yeal
is9S- surveys and studies were under
taken looking to the building Of 4 great
transcontinental railway 10 connect the
already completed systems of Russia
proper with the extreme eastern limit
OF the country After much labor and
many delays, the route having us its
western terminus the town of Chilia-
binsk and extending ina direction gen
erally easterly through Omsk, Irkutsk
khabarovlSa, terminating at Nladi-
vostok, on the Japan Sea, was decided
upon as the most feasible.
The construction Of this mighty work
WAS begun On December 10, 1902, on
which date the Czarevitch, now En-
peror, laid the first stone. The total
length OF the road proper from Chilia-
binsk to Vladivostok is 1888 versts
"A ,C96 miles. This is exclusive Of mum
erous collateral branches. some of which
are being built, and Others, as vet, only
projected.
The entire work is owned and has
been constructed by the Russian Gov
eminent, subject to the most minute
official supervision. The total estimat-
ed cost, including appropriation of
lands, is set down at ST. ,OO9,9 47 rubles
(Slss, OLA ,43s), or at the rate of 49, 444
rubles per verst.
To meet the obstacles of the port of
Vladivostok being closed during several
months of the year by ice, branch
road is being built through Manchuria,
the territory recently acquired from
China, to a point on the Yellow Sea,
which is open throughout the year.
In referring to the resources of the
region to be developed by the Trans.
Siberian Railroad, the following ex-
tract from a report made to the De-
partment of State by Mr.. Herbert III.
Pearce, Charge d. Affaires, ad interim,
of the United States Legation, dated
st. Petersburg, October IA, 1895, is
here introduced:
'SThat this great railway system is
destined to open up country of great
richness can not, in the light of present
knowledge, be doubted. The mining
regions of the Ursls, the Altai, and the
Sayan mountains have remained un-
developed, and, indeed, but little ex-
plored, because of the difficulty of
transportation of their product. all the
great waterways reaching them flowing
northward into the Arctic Ocean ~
ready in the Trails, enterpriseis making
progress, and operations in the mining
and smelling of iron and copper ores
and working Of metals are being estsb-
lishea
'i'safc ms. interest IS felt by az Pos
81 II Tie progress CT the work Oh the
gleat tFallscontinertal railway and is
Nso5Sn hat the Emperor. who, as Care
/ vucA, was is president has its early
completion deeply at heart.
so far as possible, i'll accordance
with the policy of protected Industries
and home production instituted with
such intensity OF feeling by the late
Emperor, all OF the construction and
equipment of the road is being done,
and isto be done, in Russia by Russians.
Foreign capitalists are embarking,
upon the strength OF Government con-
tracts, IN the erection of works for the
manufacture of rails, locomotives, and
other equipment, but the works are to
be erected in. Russia and operated by
Russian labor"
j. C. Monaghan, United States consul
to Chemnitz, Germany, under date of
December 4, 1896, says:
"Siberia is rich in minerals of all
kinds; the Urals are giving out gold
and silver in large quantities. How
important to Germany are the furs of
Siberia may be learned at Leipzig's an
nual fairs. If the hammer that sent
home the first spike in the first sleeper
| laid was silver. the one that sends home
the last spike should he of gold. Much
as the road may mean to Germany,
Russia. and the rest of Europe. it may
mean more to us. California, Oregon
Washington. our whole Western conn
! try if not orr whole continent. il IN
terested in this road. Russia has her
hands fall at home The hands Is help
| in the East are ours
With the completion Of this vast en-
terplise, rigions hitherto Inaccessible to
! . r ~