The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-09-16
RUSSIAN. RESOURCES.
The Empires Splendid Showing at
Her Grand Exposition.
Signs of Rapid Growth In Manufactures
and Trade Industries - Some
Features of the Great
Entarpriaa.

The pan-Russian exposition at Mini
Novgorod. nominally opened by the
minister of finance on June 9, is now IN
full progress, and the multitude visiting
it is swollen by the crowds OF mer-
chants and traders that annually at
tend the famous fair at the same place.
The exposition is a government under
taking, upon which great deal OF
money has been lavished, with the OBJ
iect of promoting trade within the en-
pire. It is the 10th industrial EXPOSE
ton of all the Russias since 1929, three
having been held in Warsaw, and the
others in Moscow and st. Petersburg.
The last was in Moscow in 1882. Since
that date there has been remarkable
development of 2ussia's manufactures
1t is evidenced by the present EXPOSE
ton in a most convincing way that
Russia has ceased to be an exclusively
agricultural country, and must be
ranked with manufacturing countries
of the first-class. There are sample
and specimens of everything, showing
the wide range of Russian industry.
THERE'S not much, perhaps, that is new
and original in the purely European ex-
nibits, but in respect to things which
the west does not produce there is ex-
traordinary diversity and abundance.
The peculiarities of Russia's various
races and the products of her provinces
from the Arctic circle to central Asia
are admirably displayed.
The exposition covers an area of 200
acres, near the confluence of the rivers
Okla and Volga, beyond the fair. The
place is goo miles east of Moscow, from
which city it was expested there would
be many visitors at the conclusion of
the coronation festivities. With view
to this, numerous immense hotels were
erected along the new avenue extending
from the railway terminus to the main
entrance of the exposition. These
palaces, with the floating hotels or the
Okla, have failed till very recently to OBJ
tain many guests, though the govern
ment has made great effort to render
the place attractive to foreigners. The
exposition buildings consist of large
number of separate pavilions, inter-
spersed with restaurants, refresh
E1ent kiosks and flower gardens
grouped around circular gallery,
which forms the center. One of the
most interesting sections is that of
central Asia. The people, their indus
tries, their residences and mode of life
are fully reproduced. The varied pro-
auctions Of Siberia are well displayed.
Among the rest, the 1879 tons of gold,
worth $140,OU0,O00, obtained in the last
81 years from the mines of the car, are
represented by two large globes. The
exhibit of minerals, furs, etc., is very
rich. Photographs of Siberian con-
victs disclose the queer circumstance
that most of them are punished for
''concealing their avocation and family
origin"
Agriculture makes a poor showing,
rejecting, it is supposed, the condition
of this industry, which is depressed in
Russia as in other parts of the world.
The rural and domestic industries,
apart from farming, make, however, a
| large display. Whole villages, it seems,
are turning to the manufacture of use
full articles to the neglect of agricul-
tural pursuits. Spinning and basket
work occupy great numbers. The
largest progress in the past 20 years has
been in mining and metallurgy, but
much has been done in textile fabrics,
cotton goods, silks, etc. Electrical con-
trivances obtain, of course, marked
prominence. The machinery hall has
147,o0o square feet of space and is fine
affair. The art display is poor.
The exposition was brought to Mini
this year, it is said, to revive the pros
perity of this trade center, which has
been declining. It is hoped that the
great Siberian railway, when completed,
will produce the same result Expert
opinion is, however, adverse to this
view. The increased railway communi-
cation must, it is held, tend to develop
other distributing centers.-Baltimor
Sun.