New-York tribune., 1900-10-01
RESOURCES OF SIBERIA.
A MINING ENGINEER TALKS OF ITS NAT.
URAL WEALTH.

With the opening OF the Trans-srberian Railway
IN the opinion OF students % political esorranbv
ana o. economic progress. has begun new era FOR
'hat vast Russian territory known as sIba-fa y,
~.1ic1 the 81 Petersburg Government only the
other day added by formal announcement y, a.,
neNauon the Chinese province OF Manchurfa OF
the mineral resources OF Siberia an nteressfns -,
count Is given BY Joseph Crankshaw a prominent
mining engineer Of London who came to the JJnirsI
states recently on = professional mission and VINO
useH s'aying for few DAYS al the Holland
rouse M Crankshaw. who has paid two visits
10 Siberia since the first o. this year. IN a tar-
with a Tribune reporter said:
The possibilities OF Siberia are enormous. IN.
TssIt5 as H as isrle as canada. and IT'S mineral
impression that the Russian Government is 90
settlement in Siberia but - far as nv obssrsssio1 ss
..r T sYI5 tle Sonyicts ere hs.naneiy treated In
which believe 10 have beer rS- s--1,sI "a = lettTr
Is true tHat the road is built up to the hiEhesr
pioneer railroads dre rarely if ever. as weii coz
and highly civilized districts
s9w and I-kutsk the length OF the line being about
49, veIslS or 4too miles; and the extension
Sso versts or 1000 miles The line IS laid with
used in this country twenty years aro For a iSr~
distance In Eastern siberia wood IS used in the
when they get near the Volsa petroleum from the
ton OF freight but four psssenger express rrsi-5
are IN commission. one starting from each terminus
The. Russian Government treats foreigners well.
hundred acres in the United states but sorslgnsr
can own as much property in Russia as a Russian
ana can exploit Il under the same conditions. Many
Americans are going over 20 Siberia 10 develop
with them. after once having satisfied Itself that
they have come into the Empire for legitinaats
Russia IS strongly protective country. but In
order 70 eneourage the mining industry the law
ma has haar Fa4
FOR ten years from the beginning OF this year. The
is reritted within month or two II the aThortisz
are satisfied thar the machinery has been imported
ing machinery is carried on the new Traus-Sberian
ta-iWay az less tnan the actual cost oI transporta
uoh- HeIOre Jqe rtli%ay was oulL the only way
OF getting such machinery into siberia was BY
transporting il over corduroy roads which must
stil be depended upon after the articles leave the
Within the next three years. believe. Russia
will take a long step forward as a gold producing
nation she vas once {ne second gold producing
United States through its development OF Cali
fornIa1s mines but then Australia came forward
and asterward South Africa Siberia is very much
Ike the Northwest Territory Gold IS found IN
point about ninety miles south OF ToInsk. which
IS sixty miles north or the ral-way rlsal away 20
the Chinese frontier and eastward 10 the Henesei
But there are in ali that region only three drsds
ing uacnlnes an oroushI IN ms ySSaT ne =
plant manufactured at Bucyrus. Onio. ana put
centrifugal dredge, imported by Dr. simon. OF Lon
don, and the third IS an American dredge ouJ ,, %
the New-Zealand type. which has been Installed
by Russian. The last IS the only machine nov IN
actual operatOn and IS said TO be giving very GOOD
results on low grade gravel The New-Zealand
pIacers run about six cents a cubic yard The
Siberian Dlacers run all the way rom SIX cents
10 s. 90
While there Is money 10 be made in placer min
ing in Siberia. I believe that great deal VIII Be
dropped there 49,,
one American for example. went out there with
several carloads OF machinery for placer dredE-
ing proposition which he had never seen. but W1ica
he had taken over from a man who had an opllol
on II and who had given him a glowing account o.
the property The last / heard OF him ne was
- ~Era air
war 70 end. -t--
believe that there are enormous quartz nnIIls1 ,
anywhere in the country Quartz reefs are knoSn =
10 exist hut the people have kept working along
IN their old fashion, and prospecting 1s exceedlsIy
difficult as the ceGRtEFA IS covered Win oenss
i1a forest IN the dstrCt where the reefs are SIT
uatAd But have seen there cong sloIrerales .Iiicl
IoOI-sd -arv much IKE tEose found in South africa
Jers are iron r1iuas along the line OF railway
hnt no coal deposits .hsTe1yet been located