The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1909-10-18
.SIBERIA'S WEALTH,
Not the Frozen Realm Imagined
by Americans.
RICH AND FERTILE COUNTRY

Our consm In ST. Petersburg Sends
Interesting Facts About . Land
Larger Than the United States, In
eluSins Alaska.
According to an ofacizl report made
to the state department by James W.
Ragsdale, United States consul in St
Petersburg. Siberia. Rnssia's great
Asiatic realm. is far from being the
frozen. barren country pictured to
themselves by Americans when they
hear its name.
In his report Mr.. Ragsdale sets forth
the results of his own observations
made while traveIing from Tientsin,
China. TO ST. Petersburg. He presents
a striking picture Of the development
OF Siberia and the wonderful possibIi-
ties there.
Mr.. Ragsdale comments on the igno-
rance that prevails throughout the
world as 10 Siberia. He says those
who have never visited the country
have only exaggerated ideas gathered
from descriptions that picture Siberia
as a cold, barren waste swept by
storms and Of little value to any one
THAT the winters are long and cold
there can be no doubt he says. 'but
they are no worse than the winters in
northern Canada. now being so rapidly
settled by people from all parts OF the
world. The soil. too, Of these vast ter
ritories is as rich and fertile as that OF
7 Canada and very much resembles the
\ lands in the great states Of Illinois.
{ Iowa and Nebraska. except that it Is
better watered and timbered."
Biaaer Than the United States.
Mr.. Ragsdale reminds us that Siberia
Is an enormous territory, representing
no less than 100000 square miles, or
much larger than the whole OF the
United States, including Alaska
'sThe country is beautiful from every
point OF view and viii some day be
thickly populated. Here game is plen-
tiful. and the trapper has field that
is rich in fur bearing animals, such as
the black and other foxes, ermine'
sable Of all kinds. otter, mink, marten,
weasel. squirrel. lynx and wolf. The
furs Of this locality find the best mar
kets in China. the United States and
England through the Pacific ports. A
better article found In Kamchatka and
other parts of Siberia. is sent overland
to Moscow, whence it is distributed e
the whole OF Russia. considerable
quantity finding its way 70 Leipzig"
Discussing the mines Of Siberia
speaking Of gold. Mr.. Ragsdale say
gold is known to exist In almost every
district. both in quartz and placer. bu
the methods are poor. Improved meth
DDS would double the output. Exceed
ingly rich gold discoveries have re
Gently been reported on the Siberian
coast. q territory as large as California
and Oregon. 1t is said these minei
will prove as rich as The mines a
Dawson and Nome The find is nea
|. the mouth Of the Aquatir river. whicl
!. is about 100 miles directly west acros
, the water from Nome. The output 0
gold alone from the Siberian mines TO
1907, Mr.. Ragsdale says, was values
= at about S26.OO0,O00.
Rich In Precious Stones.
1t is believed the coal deposits wi
d prove as extensive as those Of China
!, Iron and miscellaneous mineral
abound. Many Of the mountains, ei
q peciaHy the Urals. are exceedingly ric
, in precious stones.
2 Other features Of the country as d.
= scribed by Mr.. Ragsdale are the grea
3 navigable rivers. the abounding SUI
E. ply of fish. the prospects Of rich el
a. ports and railroad development. A
d ready thousands Of tons Of the fines
n. butter are being sent TO Denmark
Holland. Germany and England. 1t
Of late shipped to China and Japan an
= even South Africa from Siberia.