Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-05-17

allied 10 good business brains" was the
reply. THE trade In teakwood is large
ly done by foreign syndlcates. There
is one English company far IN the
Interior which has capital Of $1,000
900. II ships its timber to all parts Of
the world, There Is no wood 30 good
as .eak for certain kinds Of shlpbuild-
ing, for railroad ties and other things.
The wood does not rot when in the wa
ter and at the same time II Is easy to
handle. We have some OF the largest
teak forests of the world and our ship
ments Of teak amount to thousands of
tons annually. The teak is sold by
weight and It brings about $50 per ton.
We have "a forest department admin
istered by British officials and so far
about half the forest areas are being
held In reserve"
MONEY IN TEAKWoOD.
Tell me more about the teakwood
forests Mr.. LOTUS. Is not the same
kind Of timber found In the Philip
pinesY'
Il doubt it," was the reply. II believe
that the chief teak forests are restrict
ed to siam, Burmah and Cochin China,
know they are planting out trees In
Java, but such as grow wild there are
not Of the superior quality Of our teak.
II takes about 90 years to grow tree
so that II Is large enough for lumber.
and whether the trees could be grown
IN the Philippines or not | cannot tell.
II is not right to speak Of teak for
est. There are no woods which are all
teak, but the trees are found scattered
through, the other woods. They are
gotten out by means Of elephants and
the work Is very expensive. and very
hard. The elephants are costly. They
have to be trained TO the work, and
they can work only q certain number
of hours of the day, and only so many
days In the year
I'm what part Of the country are the
best forests?" | asked.
"They are in the upper provinces
The wood Is cut and brought to the
river and noated down to Bangkok,
from where 1t Is shipped to all parts
of the world. The government has GER
tain taxes that have to be paid for fell
ing and shipping, and altogether the
expenses are great For this reason a
large capital is required. Nevertheless,
the business pays very well and for
tunes have been made in IT,"
SLAMS NEW RAILROADS.
''How about your new railroads."
asked,
"They have opened up many parts
which until now have been compare
lively inaccessible" said Mr., LOTUS,
'The railroad from Bangkok TO Korat
has been completed and 1t Is doing a
good business. This road began It's
construction In 1892, when his majesty
the king dug the first spadeful OF
earth. He used spade made Of silver
and ivory and put the earth into a
wheelbarrow Of ebony and silver. The
shade was Of a New England pattern
and the wheelbarrow was OF American
design. At the same time the crown
prince took the wheelbarrow and
wheeled Il about % yards along the
line Of the road and dumped out the
earth. This was to show that the king
and the court were thoroughly inter-
ested In the undertaking,
"Tel me something about Korat the
terminus Of the road" said /.
"Korat Is a big city surrounded by
rich plains II Is q great center OF
trade II lies l65 miles from Bangkok
and in the past about two weeks have
been required for the trip between the
two places. BY the railroad II IS made
in 10 hours They are now extending
the railroad on 10 the north and Il will
eventually connect with Chlengmai. the
creat center ~ i~Rha ~ northern Siam.
From there line will eventually con-
meet II with the Burmese railroads now
being built toward China. I doubt not
that in time the Chinese and trans
Siberian systems win be connected, 80
that one may really go from Paris TO
Bangkok by rail"
Another railroad is TO be built from
Bangkok westward down through the