New-York tribune., 1901-10-26
THE LAND OF THE CAR.
SPREAD OF THE FAMINE AREA IN RIJs-
SIA-PROGRESS IN THE EMPIRE

St Petersburg. Oct 5.-Acting upon additional
information from the Governor Of the Province Of
Samara the Minister of the Interior has officially
proclaimed famine conditions In five more districts
In this province namely. Samara district Bosoul-
minsk. Navocussensk, Nicolaevesk and StavropoI
This means that the bad harvest has already made
itself keenly felt that special medical and
relief organization is deemed necessary for these
districts. IL is likely that the list added 10
from time to time during the winter. The minister
also published to-day detailed report about the
relief given seven Siberian districts. Forty thou
sand rubies were assigned The present indications
are that little information about the famine will be
published in Russian papers which Is not given out
by the Ministry of the Interior. The papers have
been made to understand that incorrect Information
or "colored" articles about the famine will not be
tolerated. and the Russian editors know when they
have been spoken to.
The optimists are trying to make capital of the
good business that was transacted the Mini
Novgorod annual fair. An inspired telegram de-
clareS that news of the bad harvest in West ST.
beria and the Volga and Kama valleys has mani
festly been exaggerated, seeing that orders from
and sales to those regions were not less vouminous
than they were last year. The critically inclined
direct attention to the fact that, owing the Chi
nese difficulties, West Siberia did not trade at the
fair at all last year. and think it only natural that
substantial purchases We're made this year. TO
pIenlsh stocks. On the other hand. il is denied
bluntly that the purchases for the yolga and Kama
rapidly losing it's importance as a gauge OF busi-
ness. except in territories where the cOmmunica-
tions are poor that stocks can be laid in only
once year The Journal of Commerce and In
dustry." which is issued by the Ministry OF FL
nances, remarks that not only in Mini NOvgorod.
but in all large commercial and Industrial centres
there are indications of change for the better IL
ATTRIBUTES this turn to the clearing up and settling
OF the financial atmosphere IL is probably true
that the factories beginning to do better busi
rnn han
governments orders for railway materials
The financial atmosphere is by no means wholly
cIoualess- The most hopeful" signs the pros
poets OF new loans which will enable the govern
ment to continue 10 support the South Russian
iron industries They were never based on private
consumption and. naturally. are not especially af-
fected by bad crops. The improvement in the out
look has revived speculation slightly the Moscow
raised a warning voice in several issues this week
rising prices at this uncture viii get their ngers
burned.
SIBERIAN EMIGRANTS RETURN
The bad harvests in portions OF Siberia last year
and this year have had the effect OF turning a
part Of the tide Of Siberian emigration back
Russia According to official source. 77.714 emil
grants and ls 721 men whom the peasant communes
sent to SOY out the land went to Siberia between
January l and September II 90. s.. and 49, rs
to famine, a circumstance that deters emigration
and occasions the return of many is the exhaus-
not sufficiently understood abroad that many por,
true Of nearly ali gooJ and ronSyaOer4 M l.
agricultural lands in West Siberia. Recent settlers
have been assigned lsnds distant from the railway
or navISable rivers. or have received forest and
marsh land which II would not pay them 10 tilI
under present conditions With additional railways.
Nth T. gsw markets for West Siberian grain in the
tT0,9nd' S MN f 1fl'ep 0GeS % OF & eHIItVaung tns
httie room for peasants there now.
There seems 70 be room for another class. The
nOblemen
aud has sold consd 'rable tracts s titled families.
element in Siberia The peasants nave transplan;ed
men men, sllpshod methods OF cultivation from one
Siberia So that this virgin country Is also reduced
Ieaven aErieulturaIIv and 6oitfraiIv For this re9
son., and no doubt others, law was promulgated
on June p which aims to transplant number OF
Crals. II aims 10 regulate the disposal OF certain
lands and privileges in the provinces of TOmsk and
Of IrkGjsk and Amdor ii IS sipulated that the
public domains may be sold at auction In consider
able blocks. This affords opportunity 70 capital
lists from al classes Of society, Mobiles, however.
lands without cash payment. To the noble is given
a plot for ninety-nine years free from any pay
form certain agricultural labors At the end Of this
period. II he chooses 10 purchase outright; ne IS
value Of the land for thirty-seven years. II he
nine years under an easy leasehoId.
1t has been dsSdsd to MI lRggs tract @ ,b ct sha
pose of boring additional oil wells m
The EeTmRk and three Finnish ice breakers VIII
operate In the northern waters OF Russia during
the approaC hing winter Stronger efforts than ever
will be made to maintain winter communication
European markets.
New theatres have been opened in Kien and
Lodz. costing, respectively 100000 and 10000 rubles
THE SILK INDUSTRY GROWING
Rapid progress Of the silk industry in Turkestan
is chronicled I'm the economic press. The output
during the last season was 10000 pools OF
cocoons. which were purchased by Sart Armenian
and French merchants The methods OF culture
are primitive. but the climate is extraordinarily
favorable
II Is stated tina: in the spring work will be be-
gun a railway of 30 versts (a5out one hundred
and hfty miles, connect the lakes OF LadoSa
and Omega IL will start from the Finnish railway
at SerdoboI and Petrozavodsk.
4 member of the faculty OF the Moscow Imperial
phone. when attached electric lamp by
wire will transmit sounds through the medium OF
were made in which the two lamps were sepa-
rated by a thick wall The inventor read in a low
voice lecture his discovery. and his words.
spoken into the mlcrophone were cohllortdoiy auu-
ible In the next room. With characteristic care
lessness the Russian newspapers failed to state
whether the lamps burning. but 1t Is probable
Mr. Percdolsky. OF the AnthropologicaI Museum.
this city has discovered in the netghborhood OF
large quantity of objects characteristics of the first
half OF the neolithc period
The press has recently contained several small
paragraphs which would attract attention in
other countries but which are interesting novelties
in Russia. The furniture and cabinet workers or
Minsk have organized a club OF four hundred mem
bcrs-a club under official control. but neverthe-
less a club union The workingmen OF Nico-
layef have also been encouraged to organize a
union IL appears that IL is the governments
avOwed policy To direct the workingmen'S move
Inent by means OF organizations under official con-
the local chief factory Inspector The new system
is said 10 have been conceived and planned by the