The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-05-24

quarters. administration town, private
residence quarters, civil administration
quarters and Chinese city, the latter
being removed some distance from the
rest Of the town. Around a circle from
| which the principal streets extend the
town club, the theater, the post and
telegraph offices, the judges Office, the
town hall and police headquarters have
been built.
The harbor is of such depth that
steamers drawing thirty feet can steam
up alongside the immense docks and
piers. which are we'll protected by the
breakwater. Their cargoes can be I'M
loaded direct into cars. which run for
5000 miles or more to st. Petersburg.
Had Russia not intended to maintain
her hold on Manchuria this model city
and harbor. which have cost already
something like $25,OOO,oOO, would new
err have been built. The railroad con-
Meeting it with the Transsiberian line
at Oman, in Siberia is now practically
completed and has been turned over
from the engineering to the operating
division of the Russian railway depart
ment. From Oman it runs via Tsitsihar
to Hardin, where one line continues
southeast to Vladivostok. Russia's port
ON the Japan sea. while another line
extends almost due south from Har-
bin through central Manchuria via XII
rim. Mukden and Newchwang to. the
ports of Dalny and Port Arthur. From
Newchwang the road connects with the
line already constructed from Shanhai-
kwan to Picking. The city Of Hardin,
in the heart of northern Manchuria, on
the great navigable Sungari river. is
an illustration Of Russian enterprise.
Five years ago no such city existed.
Today it is thriving trade center Of
$4,000 people. with wide streets, large
buildings, electric lights and other
characteristics of a modern and pro-
gressive western American city. 1t IL
located at the head of navigation on
the Sungari and was selected by the
Russian engineers as the best point of
junction of the roads running respec-
lively to Vladivostok and Dalny.
AS l have already intimated, Man
churia is the richest and most impor-
tant province of the Chinese empire.
The country is bounded on the north
and east by the Amur and Usuri, on
the southeast by the mountains sep
arating it from Korea and on the south
by the Yellow sea. But on the west
only the few remains of an ancient
wooden barricade separate it from
Mongolia. The exact size Of this ter
ritory is about $4,000 square miles.
Think of that! 1t is considerably more
than twice the size of the combined
areas of New Jersey, Pennsylvania.
Delaware. Connecticut, Vermont, Mas
Rhode Island. New Hamp-
shire, New York and Maine 1t is
more than twice the area of Japan and
is fully seven times the size of Eng
land and Wales. .-s ~
With the exception of the barren
steppe between the rivers Sungari and |
Nonni and the mountainous and DOGGY !
district in the neighborhood of kirin |
great possibilities in the way Of agri- |
culture are to be found all over Man |
churia, and in the hands of an agri- |
cultural race it would undoubtedly be- /
come one of the supply houses of the
world. In general the climate is about |
the same as the New England states.
It varies from. so above to about 10 be- |
oW zero in the winter and from about |
70 to so above during the summer.
The agricultural produce is of varied |
nature. The cultivation of the poppy |
or opium is the most profitable for the
Manchurian farmer, and the red fields
greet the eye of the traveller in almost |
every direction. Along the Slngari |
he farmer devotes himself almost ex-
.lusiyely to the production of the pop |
oy. Among the other plants raised
Ire number of a medical nature
'oots, grasses and bark. various &C.
'eals, wheat, oats and maize. millet,
'ean plants. tobacco, indigo, rice, ali
kinds of vegetables and pears, cher
les. apricots. apples and grapes.
In mineral wealth Manchuria is very
ieh. Gold is mined in many parts in
| primitive manner, and with the in