The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-02-11
WAR STOPs CAUCASIAN RAILWAY.
Proposed Line From Dargh-K och to Cor
Opening the Persian Markets to Russia.

$50 w Asasstos
II there is one man in this city who Is disguised
with the Boer Wal 1t Is Maurice c. Vsllon, . Wall
Street promoter. II Is not Indignation al the
British over an alleged unrighteous war or anger
against the Beers for the trpuncing they gave
the British In various places that causes his dis
pleasure. He does not care which side wins; but
he Is anxious to see the war come to q speedy close.
The reason for this is that be Is the authorized
American representative Of the European pro-
moters Of the Central Caucasian Railroad. for
which he is seeking capital in this country. Il
can't understand" said Mr.. WALTON, the other
day, why American capital should be affected
by this war l took to a number Of the leading
capitalists In this city the plans Of the railroad,
and showed by the authority Of no less an engineer
than Otto Ossent, the late Chief Engineer Of Con.
%struction Of the Edkichehir- Koniah line Of the
Anatolia Railway Of Turkey, now constructing the
railway from Pekin to Hang Row, in China, that
the road was bound to become a paying invest.
ment within the first thirty days Of its operation.
| read 10 them parts Of a report made by \. ".
F1lkoyitch, a Lieutenant in the Russian Navy,
who has been particularly famous in Russia in
connection with mining and railroad affairs, 10
the same conclusion. | succeeded in highly in.
teres,ng n number Of these men, and just as the
money was about to como in that would make the
road a surety this Boer wal started, and each and
every one Of the capitalists came TO me and said
that, owing to the complications tina, might arise
between the other foreign powers and England in
case Of an intervention, they did not think il would
Re wise to invest their money in any foreign en-
terprise which might be affected In a war between
European nations, They told me when the Beer
rar UNA oxnx 10 en,,. a,I M, ~. - ~ a.
felt a. they do now | would have no trouble IN
raising the desired amount. What | am kicking
about Is that from present indications 1t looks like
II will b. a pretty long wait"
The plan Of the railroad, which has been an.
proved by Engineer Sta,ovsky Of the Russian
Government, IL to connect the towns Of Dargh-
Koch and Corr; over the pass Of Mount Mag in
the Caucasus Mountains, along the valley OF the
River Ardon. The total length OF the line is only
1922, miles A number Of tunnels will be neces.
sary, OF which the longest will be that OF the sum.
init. II Ia estimated that the cost OF construction
and equipment Of the road from the time he nrst
pick Is struck until the fu' , equipped road runs
lis first train will be $50, OOV, 100, according TO the
figures OF Engineer Ossen,, or about sl63. 900 a
mile, In his report Ossent announces that the
Russian Government has promised a subsidy
Of 900, 600 rubles, or s5+0, 000a year, for a period
~oftwenty yearstmaking a total subsidy of $40, 500.
900 as soon as the work OF construction is begun.
Tn only means Of communication at the pres.
ent time between European Russia and Trans.
C~aucasia Is by a military pike between Tifis and
' lhllttuNhSt, VII wv NDht Vi udNelllIR and tlA
carrying Of freight is ex ceedingly high, even
during that part OF the year when Il Is passable,
Annexed 10 this report are maps which indicate
plainly. the advantages offered by the proposed
In his report, NJ. Filkovitch says tina, the road
has prospects Of at least l. 500, 900 tons of freight
for the first veal, on accounted the petroleum fields.
the mining Observation-Disclosures grain prod uct
of Caucasia. But to his mind the greatest good
that will come OF the building Of the road Ia that
it may be the means Of opening TO Russia the
markets Of Persia and the Far East The recent
demonstration of the good will existing between
Persia and Russia in the immense loan that was
made to the forner country by the Russian Govern.
ment makes especially pertinent these words:
IF, later, the administra ton had in view the
extension Of the Central Caucasian toward the
commercial markets Of Persia or If it considered
il desirable 10 bring 10 Russia by a short road all
the shipments Of Egypt, Arabia and Asia Minor,
our route hasin this particular also all ad vantages,
as II will be the mos, direct route to the Suez Canal
by way Of Erzeroum. Aleppo, Damascus and
Jerusalem. II could also be extended toward
I}agtad and as far as the Persian Gulf Tina
Ottoman Government will grant to a private
corporation a concession for the extension OF the
road, without raising the special obstacles. and
the particular technical difficulties on the part
OF European capitalists"
NJ Filkovitch says that, figuring. the expenses,
Of the corporation at 60 per cent OF the prohtable
receipts there would be fully an per cent dividend
on a capital Of s23, 100, 900.