Crawford avalanche., 1899-06-08

u Guch oootions e the GIborlon rnIlroa0
as are being opertted are reported to
be earning operating expenses. The
arst. or western, section eogned ex-
penses the frst year, which was 1904.
II carried Of nrst. second, third and
fourth class passengers 152.316 1t
brought 1S9, 600 settlers into the coun-
try. besides $4,000 workmen and 2.25s
convicts. In 1896 the connecting. or
Omsk-O Obi. section carried into the
country 1880 passengers OF the differ-
ent classes and 116.O26 settlers. In
1896 on the third section. the Chela-
binsk., were carried 23,768 passengers
and 8.072 settlers. That was thought
to be good beginning. but II Is stated
that since 1896, the road having been
enormously extended and old stations
improved and new stations established,
the passenger business has largely In
creased. Official tables are not at hand,
but 1t is believed that during the last
two years not less than 350.0O6 emil
grants have arrived In Siberia. From
all accounts the most of them are con-
tented and doing fairly well. The total
receipts last ye1r for transportation Of
passengers and freights were upward
Of $3,500.0eO. These figures will serve
to change the ideas many hold of that
country. Siberia has ever been re-
garded as frozen waste, uninhabited
except by exiles and quite unlnhabit-
able. A country that can furnish such
an amount Of business to q new rail-
road is plainly something very different
from that.
When the road is completed the pas
senger business will be largely In
creased. for the way passenger traffic
will increase, and 1t Is certain that
thousands every year will prefer to 60
all-rail around the world, especially
as that way 1t is cheaper and quicker.
Tickets from Warsaw to Vladivostock
cost 100 rubles, or $50 40. From Lon
don to Vladivostock the cost Of a ticket
is $119, first-class; a second-class ticket
Is considerably cheaper. A Chicago
person knowing the fare to New York
and London can easily calculate the
cost of transportation from his city
through Europe to Vladivostock. The
price Of first-class ticket by the Suez
canal to Japan Is $42S. Add the price
Of sleeping berth, twelve nights, by the
Siberian route, and still there Is a saw
ing Of $190. 1t Is estimated that 160,-
900 first-class passengers will use the
new route annually. Expectations
equally high are entertained of the
freight traffic. Goods going over the
road to the east and those comingewe
will be those that can pay the highest
rates, such as furs, gold, silver, plat
mum and tea. AS the estimated cost
of building and equipping the road is
S160.0O0,0O0, the highest earnings 1t
may be capable of will be needed to
pay profit on the investment. But
as the road is owned by the Russian
Government and as above all things a
military road, pecuniary profits are
not what are mainly sought.
May Branch Roads.
From almost the first the activity
of the Russians in Siberia has not been
confined to building the main line.
Branch roads were early contemplated
and some of them are completed. The
Russian railroad from Ekatrinburg to
the navigable part of the Dwina is
nearly completed and the products of
Siberia will thus have an important
outlet to the White Sea, and hand
in hand with the building of the main
Siberian water ways connecting with
the railroad is progressing, and surveys
are preparing for the building Of
branch roads to all the more important
towns Of the various provinces and to
the mining districts. Few Of these
branches will be built, however, until
the trunk line is completed, for most
of the energy and money will be de-
voted to the main road until the great
project is an accomplished fact.
An enormous part Of the country that
Is tributary to the Siberian Railroad Is
amply blessed by nature and is capa-
BILE of supporting an enormous popu-
lation. This road will be the main fac
tor In the next century in the develop
ment Of an important fraction Of the
earth's surface. We have only to
glance over the list Of the projected
lines connecting the Siberian road with
China to get an idea Of the immense in