Semi-weekly herald. [volume] (Durango, Colo.) 1907-1917, 1910-08-22
eokhara and the Caspian sea, and the |

Bokhara and China. Ashkabad is the
capital OF the province of Trans-Cas
pia, the residence of the governor gen
eral and commander in chief of the
military forces and headquarters OF
the several branches of the civil and
military administrations. The Rus
slams have avoided the difficulty which
has perpiexed England in India by
concentrating both civil and military
authority in single head, which is
supported by cabinet or ministry and
large staff of civil and military
officers, each having his own bureau
and Jurisdiction. The organization is
! similar to that in Poland, the Cauca-
sus and other outlying provinces of the
| Russian empire. Civilians are en-
ployed in the financial, auditing, post
office, judicial and other departments
where the duties are purely civil. The
| railway, the engineering works and
similar technical branches of the gov
eminent are under military control.
The people of the towns and villages
take care of themselves and have as
much home rule as is practicable, the
local government being organized on
the Russian regular plan Trans-Cas
pia Is divided into several districts,
and each district into volosts. Each
yolost elects an elder, called an ak
separate organization from the army.
| and he tn
own officers, who report to the gov
ernor general and commander in chief
There are officers on every railway
train, usually captain or "A lieuten-
arbitrary authority, so far as the pas
sengers are concerned, and can put
them off the train and send them to
prison from any station. according to
have regular beats, covering distances
from $50 to 300 miles, and com
partment is always reserved for them
in the tirst-class coach.
Ashkabad is splotch of green upon
| he desert-a city of $1,000 inhabitants,
i'll addition to garrison of 10000
soldiers living in enormous white bar
racks, onestory adobe buildings, and
| long rows of tents inclosed by mud
walls that have been whitewashed.
The town covers very large area,
like all Russian settlements in Turke-
stan. The streets are very wide, and
every one who settles here is allowed
all the ground he wants, for there is
plenty of room. Trans Caspia is b.t
country and most of its surface Is un.
occupied.
The streets are wide and well sha
ed with trees. The railway station is
hidden in a grove of locusts and nut
berries, and for wide area around
the city are luxuriant gardens inclosed
within mud walls.
In the center of the town is an Ole
lisk, erected in memory of the artil-
lerymen who were killed at the mas
sacre of Keok-Teps, and around the
pedestal are planted several guns t,at
were captured from the Afghans sew
eral years ago. The green donos Of
two big Russian churches arise above
the greener boIghs of the trees and
the gilt crosses upon their crests sig.
nifty much to me people. The German
element, from tie Baltic provinces of
Russia, have Lutheran church Of
| neat design, near he railway station,
but there is no sign of a mosque or
| a synagogue, although the activity
of the business quarter has attracted
large numoor Of Pcrsians and Jews.
There is neat museum, filed with
military mementoes and specimens of
natural history; there is high school
for boys and one for girls, and a
military school, in which young Tur-
comans, the sons of the chiefs and
other men of Importance, are educated
for military careers. There are sew
eral newspapers printed in the Rus
sian language, theater subsidized by
the municipality for the diversion of
army officers who are exiled here, a
military club, numerous shops with
| oho" WihuoNo,
other features of a flourishing Russia
city.
| This leads me to remark that the
government of the United States might
find it profitable to initiate the Rus.
sian policy by furnishing more di
version for the officers and soldiers
|it sends to the Philippines. The Rus
slams act on the theory that content
ment is necessary for the proper per
Torrance of military and civil duty
End to make their officers contented
good deal of money is expended
for amusements. There is always
race course, theater and a club for
social purposes, and the government
usually provides the land and the
buildings.
Ashkabad is an ancient settlement
although 1t never had any particular
importance and 1t is in the center OF
a very fertile district and prosperous
population. An idea of the financial
condition of the Turcomans may be
CLEANED from the official statistics re.
ID.