The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-05
A GREAT ENGINEER.
Remarkable Achievements of the Late
General Annenkoff.
New York Sun.


General Annenkoff, who has just died in
Russia, Will be remembered as the man who
solved the unique problems involved in
building the first railroad through hundreds
Oh miles OF sand wastes. AS army engi-
neer he had particularly attracted attention
by his fertility of resource, and early in the
building of the Transcaspian Railroad he
was placed in charge of the WORK, succeed
ing General Tchernaietf, who mad con-
demned the enterprise and declared that the
road could not be built across central Asian
deserts without inclosing the track by walls
SO high that sand could not Drift IN and
bury 1t. Annenkotf said he believed the prob
lem could be solved and the crOakers, who
declared that all his railroad cuttings WOulu
become chOked with sand and his emhank-
ments blown away did not disturb his con-
ndence in final success.
The difficulties were certainly great, for
the route ran two hundred miles through
sand so fine that the slightest wind moved
solve the problem of drifting sand. He
planted along the track hundreds of thou
sands of desert shrubs, and found that the
roots and branches helped to Keep the sand
IN place, mitigating the evil, though not
entirely overcoming 1t. In some of the worst
places he found it possible 10 bring water
through pipes from long distances, and irri-
eating the surface adjacent to the track.
he soWed grass seed with good results. tor
long stretches he covered the sides of the
entertainments with layer of clay and
strengthened them with the branches OF
desert shrubs placed in layers throughout
the heaped up earth. 1t has been found that
the establishments thus fortified have SUI
fered very little deterioration. He made no
cuttings, but leveled the surface for a con-
siderable way on both sides of the track
and elevations at q distance helped to pro-
tect the road.
Another serious problem was the provision
of water for locomotives and stations in a
desert region. This difficulty was brilliantly
solved. or two hundred miles beyond the
Caspian water was brought to the track in
long pipe lines from the mountains on the
northern edge of Persia. When the route
turned northeast toward Merv conduits ana
canals were built to carry water from the
Murghab and Tejend rivers, and when in
the frightful waste beyond MerV General
Annenkom was almost at his wits end he
dug for water and fortunately struck sub
terranean supplies that still solve the water
The triumph of the brilliant engineer was
complete when he substituted petroleum
from the Baku wells Tor wood to run his
locomotives and warm his stations in a
winter cold is intense Along parts of the
road II may always be necessary to fight
sand with a force of shoveers as is done
to-day. but Annenkon reduced the sand
problem to anageable compass, and the
first desert railroad is a practicable and
financial success. Built as a military eX-
pedient, the freight and passenger traffic
of the TrancaSpian Railroad since its COM
ing expenses and bettermentS and turned
money into the Russian treasury
General Annenkof proved the practicable
ity of employing central Asian labor on
large scale. Over Is, 600 Tekkes and Mervians
were in his service at one time making the
rOadbed at wages of is cents a day. His
plans for building the Transsiberian Rail-
road were fully adopted before the first sod
was turned and that great enterprise now
far advanced. had been largely shaped and
directed by this distinguished engineer who
had rendered his country the greatest serv-
ices and whose works will perpetuate his
memory.