Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1898-11-25
SIBERIAN GOLD MINES
A Country That Nay Become .
Second California.
Many Of the Riehest Niner Are 70
litieal Exiies-The Law of Russia
ORA wback 40 the DeyeI-
OpneRt OF RIchea-
-Ke.p YOUR e,e On siberia.r

Keep your eye on Siberia"
That il what : scientific writer OF
the old problem wrote only six month.
sgo. and those Who have visited that
supposedly bleak. cold and disma
country may fairly echo his woid,
Siberia has been misurderstood. Fol-
70 years now mines have been opened
all over the country In Touisk a min.
lister OF mires is permanent. resident
as well ms at lrkuisE. Will. the mum.
Der OF people employ 10 fhe mining
rcus;ry II bly, ia excess oil
1850.
lei IN spite OF the marvellous rich.
80 of the country. 6aich has been
'scTihrl lay more than \ nriler ~
81! 10 L,Corns q sccbUd California.
.ii.c or no attempt hEs bt en made. by
ore;Trcrs TO enter ADD To take ID Tho
acustry OF gold mining Yet The gov,
rnneni j. anxious that huch should
&c the case. and in order 10 facilitate
he Importation Of foreign eaergy and
brain 10 h great Siberian gold field.
lPtcial concessions are held out TO
foreigners which the natire does not
enjoy.
Russian law is peculiar. complicated
and a little awe-inspiriug. and this
may have u CREST effect Upon the can
~ita!ist. backed up a. IL is by the e1.
~tTaoTdirary prejudice which still e..
lists in civilized Europe against every.
thing Russian.
In man! respects Siberia resembles
the klondike district Many Of The
mines are situated in places equally
as inaccessible in winter, and which
have the same chAracteriE,ies in sam.
mer. The ~alluviai deposits are free
n IN scEc cases rich. Quartz there
H. but with the exception OF one or
:" places this has never vet been
tapped, and IL the whole OF Sih. ri.
aIthe present time there Is no; a single
encIeni battery for quartz crushing
TINS statement on the authority OF Mr..
Shostok. the minister OF mines for 81.
oeFia. Nor is there any machinArv
Tor the proper washing OF al!uvisl gold
ard yet millionaire gold miner. IT,
men or eNiles, may be found by re-
"oEeh In Iomsk. 1rkut,k and Krasro-
airsk- The practiced miner, fresh
from the fields of western Australia.
british Columbia or California, would
eouotless laugh hugely at the print
tive arrangements in use in Siberia
Inc foreigner desiring 10 become A
mine owner in Siberia must first have
a letter Of recommendation from his
ambassador or consul. and then he
can either rent or buy existing mines
or prospect for himself. lie Is not al
lowed more than five vers,s. or az
miles OF land in any one particular
spot, hnt he can have as many miues
as he likes. provided they are not on
one run. All the gold he obtains he
hands over 10 the government, which
assays and smells il for him. creditine
him with It's valne. less three or Eve
per cent. according TO the district.
which is tax money. Once In posses
sion OF the concession. the miner may
90 to any part Of siberia. aud IL he
knows his business andIs careful there
is every prospect 81 him becoming =
rich man. for. II anything, the p~rotee-
tive laws of Russia nrc more severe
than in any other country. Such n
Thing rs claim jumping is unknown,
robbery or murder Hlmus; uuht I'd OF.
ard food Is astCnishingly chenr. as
also is labor. The government pro-
'iccS each mine owner with Cossacks
TO guard the precious metal and. in
short. when L thoroughly under
stands the conditions. there can I've no
better way Of pursuing the fascinst-
ing hun for gold than under the ST.
herian regime.
One OF the most astonishing fea-
lures Of Siberian gold mining il than
many OF the richest miners are exile.
sent 10 Siberia years age for snme po-
Iiticai or criminal oHcnse. and ~
though they have wealth in abundance.
'heE hnn0t leave that land OF snow,
81 stePpcS and mountains until tho
great white car should he pleased to
grant bis gracious pardon.
Now tina; the great Siberian rail-
way Is slowly but surely forging its
way through the heart of Asia, Il IL
hoped that in It's wake will follow n
steady tide Of western civilization. II
goes without saying that wherevcr the
railway engine snort lis why ciyiliza-
'ion must follow. Already the lire has
reached within m~casurcab,c distance
OF lrkuisk. the capital o! Sibcr rim.
lie large cost aud the great di.com-
Tort of n Journey TO centra; Siberia
have prohibited foreign enterprise up
ill now. hut The future will be dill
'ercnt. Dispatch and comtor; will hc
the order Of the new railway. md
when this has been completed then
may Siberia he the new Klondike, but
with many less disadvnninges-N. y.
Herald. 80, ..s