New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-10
Russia S Need
of Railroads
Heavy Movement OF War
Supplies Has Emphasized
the Lack of Adequate
Transportation Facilities

nendltureS, lnlenucu loi t"c "N"N f
10 cover the cost of projected construc-
ton Of new lines Of railroad. Total eH-
penditures Of this character the coming
year are expected to approximate $780,
OOO. 1000 While a good share OF TINS
money will be spent on those new iines'
the construction of which has been
fastened by the necessity of transport
ing ammunition and other war supplies
from the White Sea and Arctic Ocean
ports 10 the battle front, liberal pro-
vision is said to have been made Tor
building branch lines in Siberia OF
great commercial Importance.
The war has greatly emphasized the
need of developing the great agricult-
ural resources Of Western Siberia, as
well as the rich stores of gold, silver,
copper, iron and coal to be found in
that region. The completion OF the
trans-Siberian line impaired a strong
impetus to such development in the
ten-year period preceding the outbreak
Of the war. Emigration from Euro
pean Russia during that time was pro-
ceeding at the rate of nearly 100000
persons a year, and this great influx OF
people naturally tended TO enhance the
growth and riches OF the country from
year to year. Exports of butter from
Western Siberia. for example. which
began In 1897, amounted in 1913 to over
us, 900, 900 pounds. But owing to the
inadequate transportation facilities 1t
has been possible to ship abroad from
Siberia only such high priced products
as butter and others of small bulk.
Great difficulties have attended efforts
to market surplus grain, prices Tor
which have often sunk below the cost
Of production. Agricultural settlement
has been confined largely to a Mario"
territory along the trans-Siberian rail-
road and the banks Of the principal
rivers, which have afforded the only
means of transportation.
Wider and more profitable develop
ment of this vast area Of fertile lands
has awaited the construction OF branch
railway lines. Some of these have now
been completed, and a number Of others
will, if possible, be constructed IN the
next few years.
The Tyumen-O msk line was con-
structed before the war, and the double
tracking of the trans-Siberian has been
completed from Omsk to the junction
with the Amur Railway. The Amur
Railway is built along the border OF
Russian territory adjoining Manchurla
and. with the Ussuri Railway from
Kbsbarovsk to Vladivostok, provides an
all-Russian route to the Pacific as an
alternative to the older route from
Kuenga eastward over the Chinese
Eastern Railway.
During the present year, according 10
an article in the Weekly Bulletin is-
sued by the Canadian Department OF
Trade and Commerce, three new impor-
tant railway lines have been opened for
traffic. and the construction of fourth
will soon be completed, as follows:
u) The Altai Railway (5li miles runs
south from Novonikolaievsk 10 Semipala-
tin,k. an important trade point on the up
per Irish River.
f2) The Kuundin Railway GOO miles,
runs south from Tatarskoi. on the Siberian
Railway 100 miles cast OF 0msk, to Slav-
gorod.
,s) The Kolchugino Railway lsf mllesl'
from the Siberian Railway 20 koehusino'
ssrve. the Kuznetsk coal fields and region
rich in other minerals. Concessions for -V0
miles of other lines have been granted to
rr;vate ,yndicste. which has also obtained
authority for establishing a large metal
lurvical and coke factory near kurnetsk'
90 The Mnusinsk Railway CTS miles, .
shortly To be completed. will run south from
Achin,k. on the Siberian line. to Minusinsk
on the upper Yenisei River. traversin2
rs0ion with fertile soil and valuable de-
posts OF coal and iron.
The following railroads in Siberia
are TO BE- constructed, if possible, by
1922. and at any rate not later than
1921:
IN Tn. South Siberian line Q,ooo
miles) will run from orsk, In orenburg
Government, European Russia, through Ak
nolinsk to Slavgorod. the present terminus
NJ III. Kulundn Railway. and Barnsul
b. tat
way and the Kuznetsk- Bsrnaul branch OF
the Kochugino Railway. II will be ex-
tended later to Minusinsk. The railway
will provide an outlet for the agricultural
products of the Kirghiz Steppes. the upper
Irish and OBJ rivers and the foothills OF
IN. Altsi, and for the copper. lead and
vino of the Semipalatnsk and Akmolinsk
districts.
(2) The Akmolinsk-Spsssky Copper Mines
Railroad will connect the proposed South
Siberian trunk line with mineral areas 10
the south.
(3l The sla, gorod- Semipalatinsk-Verny
lire Il 900 miles,. Verny promises TO be the
trade centre for an extensive district ana
slso IN. emporium for trade with inner
Mongolia. A railway Is already being con-
structed TO Verny from the rashksnt Rail-
way in Russian 1urkestan. Rail connec-
ton with Western Siberia should therefor,
render possible the exchange Of Siberian
grain and other products for the semi
tropical products of Turkestan.
~ The Petropavlovsk-K Rail
,o.a 200 miles, will run south from
Siberia "a Kokehetsv.
Is and 81 The Kolehugino-K u,netsk-Tele-
be.se and Kuznetsk- Barnsul lines are pro
3ected extensions OF the Koichugino Rail