The evening times., 1899-09-09
RAILWAY WORK IN RUSSIA.
Official Reports Concerning the
Great Trans-Siberian System.

Great Trnns-Siberian system.
The work on the great Trans Siberian
Railway is thus described in letter to the
State Department from Mr.. Hagerman, sec
ond secretary of the United States En-
bassy at st. Petersburg:
Each year the great Siberian Railway
draws the attention of state officials and
this year Prince Hilkoff, minister of ways
of communication, and Mr. Miasoiezdoff
| the newly appointed director of Russian
railways, have just inspected the line in
question. Both were called there to decide
on the questions of the utmost Importance
Two portions of this line may be said to
be in operation. During the first two
months OF the present year the amount of
freight transported on the great Siberian
Railway amounted to 233 1873 tons; and in
the month of May on the Central Siberian
Railway alone 1,200 cars of freight were
waiting two months for their turn, being
directed TO a famine-stricken district in the
direction of the trans Baikal. During the
first two months of the present year 10000
Workmen and settlers were carried along
the Siberian line.
The power of economic Impulse given TO
the great line can be seen in many ways.
In the centre of great ranges of mountains
are already being exploited by several
large companies Small villages are be-
coming towns On the other hand GER
tain industries that of the caravan for
irstance), are falling on; and a proof that
the railway is TO do a great work nine
wooden bridges on the line have been
burned down since last spring. This crime
is laid TO the principal carriers or cara
van proprietors who find no more work
since the railway has been inaugurated.
"A serious misfortune occurred in the
year 1897 in the trans Baikal district,
which was completely flooded. This occa-
stoned not only famine, but the necessi
ty Of making a new project of the line for
the railway for a distance of over sixty
six miles. This flood was followed by
famine. bringing with it great disaster and
much disease. The above resume indi-
Gates that the radical changes must be
made Immediately.
First, means must be organized to meet
the mass of passenger and freight traffic.
The great railway never expected such
success and has been built economically
steep hills, sharp curves, light rails, linn
tied quantity of rolling stock Of bad quail
ity, and still more limited number of
employees. In a word all was prepared for
a sleeping country to which gold alone
could entice. What must be done now? 1t
will be to change the light rails for heavier
ones, to renew the roadbed. to lengthen
and to increase the number of sleepers also
10 build switch stations at small intervals
on the line in order to increase the number
trains, and to change the wooden bridges
for iron bridges. II has also been found alb
solutely necessary 10 build large ware
houses to preserve cereals at various points
along the line.
Below Is a general view of the great
Siberian Railway as reached by all who
have inspected it. On the western portion
of the line since its Inauguration twenty
nine new switches have been built, and ten
others are being built at the present time.
All told forty-one will be built. This will
permit of the running of ten trains a day.
On this portion Of the railway the fifty
wooden bridges which existed are being
replaced by iron bridges. The long-ex-
pected iron bridge/over the Yenisei is now
ready. 1t is $500 feet long and 420 feet
wide 1t is considered one of the finest
pieces of engineering ever executed. In
order to overcome the heavy grades on this
railway 1t has been supplied with ,ocomo-
tives of the Malet system. Unfortunately
this portion of the railway cannot operate
more than five pairs of trains day, and
that is why the minister of ways OF COM
munication found this mass of goods wait
ing its turn for the last two months.
"On the trans -Baikal line nearly all the
grading is ready and the rails are laid for
366 miles from Strietensk and forty-six
miles from Muisoff; the total length of this
section of the railway is a little over 666
miles. Thus, 1t is expected that by June
of next year this section of the line will be
in operation. Ten thousand workmen and
convicts are working at the Chinese sec
ton of the line which it is expected will
be completed in three years.