Evening journal., 1899-01-18
MINES
a Country That May Become a
Second California.
Many OF the Richest Miners Arc PO-
liticaI Exiics-The Law OF Russia
Drawback 10 the Devel-
epment of Riches.
"Keep your eve ON Siberia. !"


"Keep your eye on Siberia"
That is what scientific writer on !
the old problem wrote only six months |
ngo, and those who have visited that
supposedly bleak, cold and dismal
copntry may fairly echo his words.
] Siberia has been misunderstood. For |
10 years now mines have been opened !
all over the country. In Tomsk a min
lister Of mines is permanently resident,
rs we'll as at Irkutsk, while the num-
ber Of people employed in the mining
industry is considerably in excess Of
100000.
Yet in spite of the marvellous rich
ness Of the country, which has been
described by more than one writer as
likely to become second California,
little or no attempt has been made by
foreigners 10 enter and TO take up the
industry of gold mining. Yet the gov
ernment is anxious that such should
be the case, and in order to facilitate
the importation of foreign energy and
brain to the great Siberian gold fields
special concessions are held out TO
foreigners which the native does not
enjoy.
Russian law is peculiar, complicated
and a little awe-inspiring, and this
may have a great effect upon the cap
italist, backed up as it is by the ex-
traordinary prejudice which still ex-
lists in civilized Europe against every
thing Russian.
In many respects Siberia resembles
the Klondike district. Many Of the
mines are situated in places equally
as inaccessible In winter, and which
have the same characteristics in sum
mer. The alluvial deposits are free
and in some cases rich. Quartz there
is, but with the exception of one or
two places this has never yet been
tapped, and in the whole of Siberia
at the present time there is not a single
efficient battery for quartz crushing
this statement on the authority of Mr..
Shostok, the minister of mines for ST.
: IBERIA. Nor is there any machinery
for the proper washing Of alluvial gold.
2 and yet millionaire gold miners, free
. men or exiles, may be found by tie
4 dozen in Tomsk, IrkutsS and Krasno-
D airsk. The practiced miner, fresh
I from the fields of western Australia,
S British Columbia or California, would
e doubtless laugh hugely at the primi-
tive arrangements in use In Siberia.
The foreigner desiring TO become a
mine owner in Siberia must first have
a letter of recommendation from his
n ambassador or consul, and then he
e can either rent or buy existing mines
1 or prospect for himself. He is not al
J, lowed more than five versts, or 3A
miles of land in any one particular
l. spot, but he can have as many mines
e as he likes, provided they are not on
i one run. All the gold he obtains he
hands over TO the government, which
assays and smelts il for him, crediting
him with its value, less three or five
e per cent, according to the district
'- which is tax money. Once in posses.
sion cf the concession, the miner may
y 60 TO any part of Siberia, and if he
/ knows his business andi is careful there
a is every prospect of him becoming a
/ rich man, for, II anything, the protec
tive laws Of Russia are more severe
than in any other country. Such a
thing as claim jumping is unknown
| AOuHNAN VI hAuAnNA aAAAAOoh uAAAN III VI
IL and food is astonishingly cheap0 az
y also is labor. The government pro
y vides each mine owner with Cossacl5i
to guard the precious metal. and II
I short, when one thoroughly under
/, stands the conditions. there can be NJ
~ better way of pursuing the fascinat
" ing hunt for gold than under the 81
berian regime.
One of the most astonishing rea
"a lures OF Siberian gold mining is tha
le many of the richest miners are exile
s sent to Siberia years ago for some po
litical or criminal offense, and, al
though they have wealth in abundance
st they cannot leave that land of snow
n. of steppes and mountains until tn
In great white czar should be pleased t.
ag grant his gracious pardon.
OF Now that the great Siberian rail
r. way is slowly but surely forging Il
way through the heart of Asia, il 1
hoped that in its wake will follow
steady tide of western civilization. !
n goes without saying that wherever tn
ce railway engine snorts its way ciyiliza
at tion must follow. Already the line ha
let reached within measurable distane
cf IrkutslS, the capital of Siberia.
The large cost and the great discon
fort of a journey TO central Siberi
Is have prohibited foreign enterprise u
till now, but the future will be di
ferent. Dispatch and comfort will b
- the order of the new railway, an
~ "a when this has-been completed the
~ may Siberia be the new Klondike, bu
with many less disadvantages.-N.
- Herald.