The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-01-23
PROGRESS IN SIBERIA
THROUGH ITS RAILWAY
The Country Changing and New Indus
tries Arising.

The Country Changing and New Indus
tries Arising.
Five years have elapsed since the
Transiberian Railroad was opened for
q sufficient distance across the Wild and
isolated plains OF Siberia 20 affect The
economic aspects of that country Most
Of the results have from time 10 time
been indicated in these columns; # viii
be Interesting now to summarize some
of the conclusions deduced from an able
analysis Of the effects thus far VI the
railroad upon the development of 81
IBERIA. This analysis has just appeared
in La Revue Economique RUSS -
whose facilities for studying the whole
questions give rJre than ordinary value
TO the broad congratulations based UDon
the data collected.
In the first place. the development Of
the past five years would have reached
still greater proportions II the times
had been normal, but Siberia's tI9de.
prosperity. and growth have been unfa-
yorabIy affected to some extent by the
unsettled polite ] conditions IN China
and Mauchuria AID by the two bad crop
years Of 1900 and 1901.
Still. as everyone knows. the inmi-
grafton has been enormous, and the ef-
fects Of this inpOuTing upon agriculture
and the towns have not hitherto been
y
Russian farmers who removed 10 Sibe-
ria. having some knowledge Of modern
agricultural methods, introduced GyS-
tens Of farming that are less rCdimen-
tary than those DractiCed by the oiUe-
rians, besides bringing in new methods
they are giving much more attention
than the Siberian farmers have e-sr
done 10 the raising Of cereals for OK
port
On the other hand. a large part Of the
immigrants have settled in the towns
The growth Of the urban population and
particularly of the towns on the railroad
line where it crosses the rivers has been
one of the most marked results Of the
building Of the road
The road has ruined most Of the fairs
formerly held for the exchange Of COM
nloditics and has corTesp0ndiugiy in
creased the importance Of the towns as
permanent business centers. Omsk, for
example was dead and seemingly beyond
hope Of resurrection; but now its popuIa-
ton has doubled and it has become q
very active business center.
The railroad has exercised an extreme
y favorable influence upon che develop
meut OF the mining Industries. II was
impossible until the road vas builJ. TO
transport the perfected mining machin-
cry OF today to the gold mines Of the
AitGi and balkal- 10 the inning district
tributary to Irlutsk or TO the aurifercus
regions of the Amur. All these districts
are now supplied with considerable guam
titles Of the best modern machinery.
The railroad has actually created the
coal Industry. The mining OF coal Is in
dispensabIe TO the future development
o.; manufacturing. The search for re-
sources Of this fuel began with the first
studies for the building OF the railroad.
ard the day Of considerable production
conceded with that of the opening of
most Of southern Siberia by the com
pIett0n of the road Several great coz
fields of the country are today in pro
cess Of development. One of them lies
along the upper Irtvsh, another is in
the province of TOmask near the vii
lage Of Sudjenka- another in the prov
inrr Of ITkutsk. near the village OF
Chiremkh0vO. The furnaces of the loco
motives are fed today with Siberian coal
The development Of coal mining is con
tiuuaIIv increasing. and il viii be pro-
drced I'm export quantities before long.
Thus the railroad is completely trans
/ forming the mining business. For q
long time two-tbiTds Of the contribution
of Russia 10 Inc gold output has come
from Siberia. though nearly ali the min
ing was confined to washing placer
eraveIs; now the extensive quartz veins
are beginning TO be worked and the
mining Of gold is expected 10 develop
in Il proportion more nearly commen
surate with the resources in this metal
New York sun