Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1918-06-29

monuments, one Of which is in honor
or the last cZar's visit There are
numerous churches. Roman Catholic
Greek Catholic and Luthersns. a
museum is noted for its collection Of
weapons and costumes of the far East.
and the Orient institute was opened
in 1899 for the study Of Asiatic Ian
guages. The crispness Of the air. the
newness Of everything and the gen
eral hustle and stir are suggestive Of
Alaska rather than the Orient, were Il
not for the ponies with their Russian
harness and the prevalent Russian
boards.
Piled High With Supplies.
All things consumed in the town and
all the adjacent territory must be in
ported, as locally there are only
bricks, matches, lumber and a bad
beer to be had. No risk of seizure be-
Ing fOreseen, great speculative posi-.
bilities being open to traders, and the
port offering the best means of send
ing PAOftciOnh anu GuuulLlOuh 10 nus
STA, combined to produce an extraor-
binary state of affairs In that far
away city. There Is a perfect glut Of
coal, kerosene, cotton, -four and NUM-
tons of all kinds waiting for further
transportation and with no protection.
European express trains could trav-
erse the long distance between Petr0-
grad and Vladivostok In less than
week; but it lie not possible to run
trains over the Siberian railway at
such high speeds. as the road is con
structed lightly. so the journey re-
qulres nine days, and previous TO TIA
war was done twice weekly by express
trains. The fare was more than S275,
the difficulties varying from sheets
and soap 20 pistols and mosquito wells.
The plan to construct this great
Russian railway was started as early
as 1875, but 1t was not begun until
1891. The VladivostOk station was
opened by the recent car in 1897. It
is an excellent building, but has been
used so much for the coming and 90
ing Of troops that its dirt and dilapida-
ton make the weary traveller feel as
though he had stepped into an aban-
doned emigration camp. Very light
rails are used on the tracks Of me
Trans Siberian road. but Russian en-
gineers believe in very heavy ties
timber may be had for the asking, 50
half dee ply embedded in ballast 10
give the tracks the strength Americans
provide with heavier rails.
II Is Free Port.
The importance of VladiyOStok lies
in the fact that it is the natural ware
house of this vast region, both from
a commercial and q military point Oh
view. Russia, China, Korea and Japan
are all interested In its trade ana
connected with it by railroad or snip
communications. 1t has been a fFes
port and Russia has been remarkably
liberal in encouraging other naaon'
In helping her TO build up an ever
growing traffic and develop the Fe-
sources of q rich inland frohue''
Germany is fully alive to the Yai0e
of this trade, whose value is ever
growing; and when the war gamble
over she would like TO possess It, me
presence Of large Korean agricultural
communities very near, great thint''
immigration tide surging in the u.S
trict, the unceasing activity Of no
japanese fishing boats that tFau"
along the coast. the fact that EorV
pean culture is not yet defnlte-y =
tablished-all these things appeal u
the German mind, with visions OF po'
sibilitfes for the future.
vladiyostok is immensely strong
a naval fortress being Eurrounus1
7e forts on the seawsrd side, ou' -
the rear there is a great open cola. ;
that now lies at the mercy o. 90,
sheviki sympathizers snd 0e..-s .a
spies. Russla's chief dread mas ~. 30.
of nearby Japan; so her fort -
Of vladivostok has all pointed 90" -.
that power that lies only 45o 1''''
across the Japan sea.