Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-16
RUSSIANS IN MANcHuR1A.
Appearances Indicate That They Have
Come to Stay

What the Russians have accomplished mt
Hardin the great inland metropolis of Man
churia, is told in report to the State De
partment by Mr.. Miller, the American con-
sui at Niuchwang. Hardin Is on the Sun
gari river, at the junction of the Manchurian
branch of the Siberian railway and the
Chinese eastern branch where it starts
south to Dainy and Port Arthur. being dis
tant from the last point 800 miles Mr.
Miller says Hardin is destined soon to be-
come the commercial center of Manchuria
as 1t is the geogra phical center and that
the city on all sides for hundreds of miles
is surrounded with rich and productive
agricultural country producing corn, beef,
oats, barley. beans, millet. hemp. tobacco.
vegetables and some fruits. The vicinity
also abounds in minerals, timber and large
areas of grazing LANDS.
OF the administration of this metropolis
Mr.. Miller says:
1T is as distinctly a Russian city as
though it were located II the heart of Rus
STA. and none but Russians and Chinese are
permitted to own land, construct buildings
or engage in any permanent enterprise. The
city has been created by the Russian gov
eminent under the management of the
Manchurian Railway Company. The land
for many miles in each direction has been
secured SO 10 make il impossible for any
foreign influence to gain a profit or foothold
close to the city and foreigners are not
recognized as having any rights whatever.
but are permitted there by Sufferance. The
Grief railway engineer is the administrator
of the city. and up to the present time has
had complete control of everything, but in
the new scheme for the government of
Manchuria some form of municipal organ
iZation will he permanently established
With "a population in 1891 OF ~ O)0 Har-
bin by the census of last year. showed
population of 63.00o. exclusive of soldiers
and only 100 of whom are foreigners. There
are no Americans. The city has elegant adj
ministration bui dings railway shops costing
over 81 GG0.0e9 hospitals. commercial tech
nical. Russian and Chinese schools. clubs
hotels and a bank, representing a total
investment in buildings alone of s15,450ed0
TIE capital for most of the private enter
prises is furnished by Siberian Jews. The
city will soon have electric light
system and an electric tramway. An auto
mobile lire is already In operation between
the old town and the administration city.
Hardin was started primarily as a military
center and an administrative town for the
government and direction of railway ar
fairs. It's marvellous commercial develop
ment was an afterttought- The manufae-
tare of -four is a leading industry.
Mr.. Miller confirms the statement recently
made at the Russian embassy here that
s257 5O00a0 is modest estimate TO place
on Russia's investments In permanent prop
critics in Manchuria.
He thinks the outlook for American trade
in Manchuria Is exceedingly gloomy He
says: When YOU see the great flour mills
continually charging and increasin in
number, when you see the numerous brew
cries being constructed. when you see Rus
sian engines and German. Austrian and
Danish machinery and products and hear
of the successful development of Russian
lumber mil.s and the Introduction of Rus
sian cotton goods, and see in the Chinese
stores Russian oil and cigarettes where be-
fore were American. and where YOU hunt
with straiHing eyes to find something from
the United States, one is not seriously inn
pressed with the statement that under Rus
sian occupation our imports into Manehuris
are sure to increase