The Meeker herald., 1904-03-12
Russia's Transportation
Problem in Siberia
BY CHASE $. OSBORN IN GOLFERS.

tExrLANAroRY NoTE..-In the war between
Russia and Japan, the latter power has
gained control Of the seas by number Of
daring attacks on her enemy's fleet. This
causes Russia to depend almost entirely
on the Trans-siberian railroad for the
conveyance Of troops and supplies to the
scene OF the war between i've and six
thousand miles away. Thus, this great
railway system becomes the key to the sit
ustion and many critics say the outcome
Of the war depends on the condition Of the
roadbed, equipment, etc. In watching the
progress Of the war, It will be Of value to
know something of this rnilroad, hence
the following. The writer Of this timely
article was for many years commissioner
of railroads of Michigan. He has Just re-
turned to the United States after nm ex-
tensivetrip through Siberia. All his state
ments ARE bassed either upon actual obser-
walton or upon Russian offlc iai hority.l
When 1t comes to the transportation
of troops and supplies under war
pressure over the Trans-Siberian
railroad. In the course of present
events, his imperial majesty, NiclO-
las Alexnndrovitch, autOcrat OF all
the Russias and "most august presl-
dent of the committee of the Siberian
railroal," has cause to feel thankful
that he Is autocrat enough to call
himself only an honorary figurehead
regarding the affairs of the railroad.
The great Trans-Siberian railroad
was built as war measure, but its
critics have said that 1t would never
justify itself in this sense, but would
prove of greatest value rs factor In
the colonization and development of
Siberia. The test comes all too soon
for the Russian government. What
its capacity. may prove In the way of
moving soldiers and war material
can only be estimated by what the
road has done in the past, compared
with conditions that obtain to-day.
In 1900 the Trans-Siberian railroad
carried 708,OO0 tons of pay freight,
and yet the company was absolutely
unable to move nearly all that was
offered. The same condition obtained
in 1901, 1902 and last year, and the
very. best the road could do was to
carry 81, OOO, coo puds, or l, 900, 900 tons,
and under the strongest commercial
pressure, which, however, was less
intense than it would be in time of
war. Suppose 60 per cent Is added to
this as the conjectural capacity in
war time, which 1t IL confidently be-
lieved il excessive, and we have an
annual capacity of 1,5W,0OO tons,
which would indicate u poverty OF
equipment having no parallel in this
country. The Pennsylvania system
handled rs much as 10000, 600 tons In
single year some years ago, and last
year probably handled between 7h-
OO0, 600 and 100, 600, 600 tons. The mile
age Of the Pennsylvania system and
the Trans-Siberian il about the same,
NO that the comparison means some
thing. In America n trainload. may
be MS high as $500 net tons, and In In
stances higher, and 500 tons is about
the average. In European Russia
the maximum trainload is a, 600 puds,
or 800 tons. The maximum trainlOad
on the Trans-Siberian is 27,5OO puds,
or 800 tons. The average is not more
than half Of this, consequently the
freight moved last year was carried
by 1000 trains, which would be eleven
trains per day, counting all days.
These figures IRE given for the pur-
pose Of conveying some idea Of the
rolling stock and motive power of the
road. There are no statistics given
out to show how far this tonnage was
hauled, and consequently these fig
ures do not mean all they should.
SPEED OF TRAINS.
In the passenger service last year
1924, GOO passengers were carried for
one mile or more. A fast train, SO
called, departs from Moscow once IL
week, and slow train once day.
The fast train makes the run from
Moscow to Vladivostok, distance
of 7878.versts in.eigl,teen days, if 1t
has good luck, and to Port Arthur,
73l versts further, In two or three
days longer. No one has ever tried
to compute how long the slow train
requires to make the through run,
but it is not short of month. A
verst is $500 feet, or about two thirds
Of mile. The T'rans-Siberian rail-
road is laid with rails weighing fifty
pounds to the yard. The standard
American rail may be said to weigh
eighty-five pounds. Heavier rails
are to supercede the present light
ones on the Siberian road, and l5,-
O0O,OO rubles have been appro-
priated to start the work, but the
rails are not down, and will not be
for some years.
The guage Of the road Is peculiarly
L Il