The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-02-28
IS NOT A BARREN
HOME OF ExILES
Siberia Is a Thriving Agricultural
Country Says Consul

washington, rem. % ne p"p"l''
conception that Siberia Is a great bar
rem prison country. peopled largely b.
the political enemies of the Russian
government. receives a severe blow
through IA report which United States
Consul John +. Jewell. stationed at
Vladivostok. has made Ia the De-
partment of Commerce and Labor.
Mr.. Jewell portrays vast country,
I'm the steady development of which
the scientific exploration and study of
changing conditions of soil and eli
mate, the introduction of improved
machinery the building of double
tracks on portions of the Trans-Si-
berian railway laying out of new
towns and the improvement of har-
bors were all factors.
Siberia manifested keen interest
the last year or two. Mr. Jewell says,
in getting into closer communication
with the outside world.
Means were discussed" says he,
whereby the great rivers and other
bodies of water of Siberia could be
connected by canals and joined by
locks in recently discovered pass
through the Urals with the water
ways of European Russia, thus max
ing il possible TO transport cargoes
from Nikolaiefsk on the Amur Ia St
Petersburg In barges and vessels Of
the Volga type Siberians greatly de-
sire to avoid having their grain COM
pete with that of tn emother country,
also a great grain-p producing land, in
the markets Of the latter. and there
fore they would open a direct road to
the world market by combinations Of
railroads and waterways. They are
so much interested in this subject
because their produce, after benS
harvested. must often be brought hun
dreds Of miles by cart to a railway.
on which rates are high and which
leads at great distances to grain
exporting countries.
lone of the most interesting parts
Of Siberia is that embraced in the
government of Amur. where, in 1911,
distinct advance was made in many
respects. Among questions receiving
attention were the encouragement of
the export trade. amendments to the
customs tariff. development of trans
portation facilities, erection of ware
houses. building of new roads, i'm
provement of the credit system, en-
couragement of immigration and the
ccasting trade and navigation. and the
Improvement of existing ports and the
opening of new ones. Agriculture,
received special attention.
A Through Russian Line.
"The construction oc the railroad on
the north bank OF the Amur river is
progressing and by 1915 It will be
completed as far as Khabarovsk. This
road when completed will provide 4
railway across Asia entirely in Rus
sian territory without depending on
the Chinese Eastern line across Man
churia. and will open up rich coun-
try. Large quantities of materials are
being used in the construction of this
line and IT is proposed to extend 1t at
once from Khabarovsk to Nikolaiefsk
on the Pacific, and this section of the
Amur railroad has already been be-
gun.
"A writer in the Dalny Vostok, n
newspaper published i'm Vladivostok,
says in regard to the Amur railway;
"The work has made such rapid
progress that 1913 will see the open
ing of traffic from the starting point
to Blagoveshtchensk and 1914 to the
terminus at Khabarovsk. Consider
ing the fact work began only In 1909
and that the natural obstacles to be
overcome in the shape Of external
frost, impenetrable thickets of virgin
taigra, or native bush, bottomless
swamps, rivers, mountains, etc, have
been apparently endless, ii must be
admitted that the results are nothing
less than brilliant.
"Unconlirmed reports are circulated
from time to time that American cap
italists have sent out agents to buy
copper and lead deposits in Siberia
and to organize shipments of ore &c
the United States. These reports
usually add that il is proposed also
10 omen retail stores Of iron and stee
products i'm this country, and tina
negotiations to this effect are beint
made with the proper departments
Shipping in Russian Hands.
"In 1911 total of GIG vessels en-
gagged in foreign trade entered thu
port. of which $50 were Russian, 20
Japanese and six American. Besides
these. there arrived SOB sailing ant
| fcrty-six steam vessels engaged In tn
| coasting trade and flying the Russian
flag. In 1911 the law prohibiting for
eigners from engaging in the coastinI
trade was enforced. A change coul'
| be noticed only in the increase in tn
| amount of goods transported by Rus
sian vessels already engaged In tn
| trade, as during 1911 there was m
| increase in the number OF Russian
| vessels. This is because there are n
yet not enough large parcels of carg
collected along the coast to maxi
steamer transportation pay, and tn
cargo is carried mostly by small sail
ing vessels. Out of 225,S06 tons o
cargo. i'm the turnover of the coast
ing trade. about 100000 tons ar
| transnorted hy sailing vessels with