The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1901-01-05
THE GOLD OF SIBERIA.
COUNTRY THAT Is RICH IN AU-
RlFEROUS DEPOSITS.
Methods of Mining Are Still Slow and
Primitive-Russian Law Very Favor
able to Foreigners-Claim-Jumping
"Keep your eyes ON siberia!0

Keep your eyes on Siberia!"
That is what a scientific writer on
the old problem wrote only a few
months ago, and those who have visit
ed that supposedly bleak, cold and dis
NAL country may fairly echo his words.
Siberia has been misunderstood. For
forty years now mines have been OPEN
ed all over the country. In Tomsk a
minister of mines is permanently resi-
dent, as well as at Irkutsk, while the
number of people employed in the min
ing 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 a second California,
foreigners to enter and to take up the
industry of gold mining. Yet the gov
eminent Is most anxious that such
should be the case, and in order to ia
cilitate the Importation of foreign en-
ergy and brain to he great Siberian
gold fields, special concessions are held
out to foreigners which the native does
not enjoy.
Russian law Is peculiar, complicated
n a little awe-inspiring, and this may
have a great effect upon the capitalist,
backed up as it is by the extraordinary
prejudice which still exists in civilized
Europe against everything 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 summer.
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 bat
terry for quartz crushing-this state
ment on the authority OF Mr.. Shostok,
the minister of mines for Siberia. Nor
is there any machinery for the proper
washing of alluvial gold, and yet mil
lionaire gold miners, free men or ex-
lies, may be found by the dozen In
Tomsk, Irkutsk and Krasnoairsk. The
practiced miner, fresh from the fields
of western Australia, British Column
bia or California, would doubtless
laugh hugely at the primitive arrange
nients in use in Siberia.
The foreigner desiring to become a
mine owner in Siberia must first have
a letter of recommendation from his
ambassador or consul, and then he can
either rent OIL buy existing mines or
prospect for himself. He is not allow
ed more than five versts, or three and
a quarter miles of land, In any n par
ticular spot, but he can have as many
mines as he likes, provided they are not
on one III All the gold he obtains he
hands over to the government, which
assays and smelts it for him, crediting
him with its value, less 3 or 5 per cent,
according to the district, which is tax
money. nce in possession of the con-
cession, the miner may go to any part
Of Siberia, and If he knows his business
and Is careful there is every prospect
Of him becoming a rich man, for, if
anything, the protective laws of Russia
are more sever than in any other
country. Such a thing as claim jump
ing is unknown, robbery or murder al
most unheard of and food Is astonish-
ingly cheap, as also is labor. The gov
eminent provides each mine owner
with Cossacks to guard the precious
metal, and, in short, when one thor
oughly understands the conditions,
there can be no better way of pursuing
the fascinating hunt for gold than I'M
der the Siberian regime.
One of the most astonishing features
Of Siberian gold mining is that many
of the richest miners are exiles sem to
Siberia years ago for some political or
criminal ~offense, and, although they
have wealth in abundance, they cannot
leave that land Of snow, of steppes and
mountains until the great white Gear
should be pleased to grant his gracious
pardon.-New York Herald.