The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-07-12

goes. Much of the land there compares with the northern part of the United States which you call your great north- west and with the adjoining country on the other side of the line belonging to the British It will raise wheat and all sorts of hardy cereals. We are finding 1t excellent for dalrying and 1t is impos- sible to tell what 1t may not be in the future. A large part of the value of Siberia is in its minerals. It has gold. silver, copper and iron. It has coal rock salt and precious stones and 1t is in short a world in itself which we have not yet prospected."
 Eight Million Siberians.
 How about immigratIon?" I asked.
 The population is steadily increasing" replied Prince Hilkoff. We are shipping in a vast number of settlers over the rail- road and the steamers take many from Odessa down through the Suez canal and about Vladivostock and other parts of eastern Siberia The immigration began along about 1880 and In 1880 about 10000 had imnigrated. After that the number coming in increased much more rapidly, and at present villages. towns and little cities are growing Up all along the line of the railroad. The total population of Siberia is now about eight millions. of which large proportion Is Russian. The Trans-Siberian alone carried 10000 im- migrants last year and we shall take more this.'
 How about the settlement of Man chura? Will you not establish Russian colonies along the line of the Eastern Chinese railroad?"
 T have nothing to do with the Man churian end of the line" replied his ex- tc aad 11xy vNfday 10 company and Is more directly under the charge of the Minister of Finance. don't believe that colonies would pay there. The land is poor and there is no inducement for emigrants to take it up" Dalny vs. Vladivostock.
 What is to be the great city on the Trans-Siberian road. your excellency?" l asked.
 'I think 1t should be Viadivostock." re- piled Prince Hilkoff. ''I should like to see the railroad metropolis of the Far East in our own territory and believe that we should go to work to make great city there. The only trouble at Vladivostock is the ice which fills the bav during the winter. But that could easily he broken up and kept open by ice breakers so that ships could call there all the year round. don't think so much of Dalny. the com mercial city we are building at the Man cnuflan end or the ITdnS-SlDerian road. It is true that 1t has an excellent har- bor open all the year round. but tl Is outside Russian territory and that I do not like"
 Big Chance for Americans.
 From this conversation with Prince Hil- koff and other sources learn that large part of the trans Siberian Railroad will have to be rebuilt. Tae rails are alto gether too light to stand the heavy traf- fc the road is now carrying. They are bending over the curves and will have to be changed in the near future It Is not l improbable that the whole line will be re- laid and If so the order for steel rails will approximate 1000 tons for the main line alone. This will be a great chance for our steel trust as it Is about the only company that could i'll such an or der. Branch lines will be built from time to time so that our steel makers should watch the movement and take ad- vantage of it.
 They Use Our Locomotives. find that American railroad machin- cry is popular in Russia. A large number l of the locomotives on the Trans Siberian are Baldwins and more Baldwins will probably be used in the future. Most of the cars are equipped with American air