Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1900-01-25
BIG RUSSIAN ROAD
SLAV PAPERS SHARPLY CRITE-
CISE SIBERIAN LINE.
BAD BUILDING CHARGED
Regarded as Very Doubtful If the Line
Will Reduce Oriental Freight Rates
Interesting Information Impaired
by American Consul-Great Cost
of the Road.

| When the Russian papers, held dowr
| by the weight of censorship, criticist
the new Siberian railroad, it may be
assumed there is something the matter
with it. r. r. Greener, commercial
agent of the consular service at Vlad-
livestock, his sent in two extracts from
Russian newspapers in which the
shortcomings of the road are set forth
in unvarnished terms. If what they
say is true, the road will have diff
Guilty in earning interest on the in
vestment, and win be anything but the
commercial success which has been
represented. rhe Dalny Vostok is
quoted as saying:
Opinions about the great Siberian
railroad vary widely; we think that its
general plan is excellent, but there is
room for improvement On account of
economy, the road was built very
light, little ballast being used in many
places; rails, on the western half of
the road, especially. weigh not more
than "a Kilograms 1929 pounds) to the
meter, thus making it dangerous for
speedy travelling. Further, the engi-
neers thought it advisable to lay the
line on marshy ground instead of on
the neighboring highlands, where the
ground is solid and firm; and in the
near future it will have to be relaid.
In some districts, again. mistake was
committed in the choice of direction
of the line. Tomsk, the capital of
western Siberia, was left eighty
versts (fifty-three miles, on the side,
and connected with the railroad by a
bad road. Further. in order to foster
home trade, the movable supplies and
rails were ordered principally from
Russian ironworks in the Ural district,
and they cost twice as much as if they
had been obtained in England. A great
deal of material was provided in adj
vance and rotted before it was used"
This paper goes on to enlarge upon
the cost of the road per mile, but con-
sidering the character of much of the
country through which the line is con-
structed, the figures do not seem ex-
cessive. 1t is said that:
"The general cost of the Great Sibe-
rian railroad is estimated to be $780,
100000 rubles $3.50, $50 ,00O). including
11S.OOO,OOO rubles $3.50, 200 ,O00) for the
construction of the Amur line from
Stretinsk to Khabarofsk, which project
has been changed by the building of
the Manchurian line. The last VII
is true that the Manchurian railroad is
constructed by joint stock company,
but, as most of the shares are in gov
eminent hands, the greater part of the
money must come from the govern
ment treasury. The cost of one mile of
railroad is calculated at about $4,000
rubles ($1S,025) for the West Siberian
division; $4,000 rubles 1925, 1850 for the
Trans-Baikal and Ussurian line The
construction of the railroad in North
America under similar circumstances
would cost great deal less than the
aforementioned sums, and yet these
are calculated for 1891. The real cost
will probably be increased to about 49,
900, 900 rubles $50 ,6O0,0O0) more, or
$1,000 rubles ($34,5O5) per mile for the
Trans Baikal line"
AS to travel and freighting over the
line, the Dalny Vostok thinks that
there will be good competition in the
Siberian line for passenger traffic, as
it will be quicker and cheaper, but that
it will be quite unable to compete for
freight business. The argument is as
follows:
when the Manchurian line, which
is about 200 miles long, is finished. the
distance from ST. Petersburg to Port
Arthur will be SITS versts 6 S19
miles,: from Berlin $3.50 versts 1881
miles,; from Paris, 1860 versts (7060
miles,. This distance could have been
in one week, but such speed
is impossible on the Siberian line at
the present time. At a speed of 25 miles
an hour it will take two weeks to
traverse the distance between London,
Paris, and Berlin to Port Arthur or
Vladivostock When the road is i'm
eleven days. As soon as the road is
finished, it will be the shortest route
between Europe and the far east; from
Paris one will be able to go to the car
ital of Japan-Yokohama-in seven
teen days At present there are two
ways of communication between Eu-
rope and the far east-west, by way of
Canada; east, by the Suez canal. The
first takes twenty-five days, the last
thirty-four days The center of oriental
trade-Hongkong-will he reached
in twenty days, while at present it
takes twenty-five days by way of Suez
and thirty-four days by way Of Amer
lea. Not only will travelling by way
of Siberia be quicker. but it will also
be cheaper. The fare now from Lon
don or Paris to the ports of the far
east is. first class, $500 to 1.S4O francs
(sS67 to sS75); while in Russia. thanks
to the lowered passenger tariff on great
distances, one will be able TO travel
from the German frontier to Port Ar
thur or Vladivostock for 107 rubles. or
2S5 francs (S5Tl. in first-class accom-