The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-27
RUSSIA TO DRAW
FROM RICH SIBERIA

Young man. go west was Hor-
ace Greeley's advice TO young am
bilious Americans. Young man. go
east will be Russia's advice to her
coming generations" says A. ].
Sack. director of the Russian In
formation Bureau in the United
States.
"Russia's unlimited possibilities,
the future Of her economic develop
ment, lie in Siberia and the Far
East. In 1858 there were 3,936.00o
people in Siberia and the Far East.
In 1911 the population OF Siberia
reached 9,36s.o00. From Iss7-1e14
the population OF the main Siberian
cities increased on the average rs
times.
This remarkable growth OF pop
ulation was due to the Trans-Sibe
rian Railway. built at the end OF
the nineteenth century. which bound
Siberia and the Russian Far East
into an economic unit. connecting
il with Central Russia, and through
the Pacific with the outside world.
During the five years from 1906 to
1910. $1,000. 900 acres were added
to the cultivated area. In 1914 ST.
IBERIA and the Far East produced
over 400, 100000 pools Of grain Ga
pood is thirty-six pounds). Export
of grain from Siberia into Euro
pean Russia increased from $780,
900 pools in 1901 to $4,000 pools
in 1910. From 1911 TO 1915 Siberia
exported about 100000 tons of but
ter yearly. and would have export
ed more IL there had not been a
shortage of refrigerator cars on
the railroads. The export of eggs
from Siberia increased from $4,000
pools in 1901 to $4,000 pools in
1910.
Still greater are the possibilities
OF getting coal. minerals, oil and
timber from Siberia and the Far
Fast. The coal resources of the
kuznetzky Basin alone are esti-
mated at 100000. 600. 900 tons-and
upon the great stretches of the
Amur and the Maritime Provinces
there are number of coal beds, the
volume OF which is estimated ap-
proximately at $40. 00O.oOO tons. the
total coal deposits in Siberia and the
Far East are estimated by some of
the biologists at 1000. 0o0, 700, 900
tons.
The northern part of SaghalIn
abounds also In oil. The oil area
OF the Russian part of Saghalin Is
estimated at 1870 square miles.
The four years of Bolsnevism
have resulted. according even to
Bolshevist statements. in the de-
struction of so per cent of Russia's
railroads. Therefore, Russia's eco
nomic resurrection urgently re-
quires an intensive development OF
the metallurgical industry as soon
as the country returns to normal
conditions The Ural mountains are
one of the chief sources of Russia
Iron ore supply, and there are still
vast deposits of metal in that re-
gion. But, in order to develop min
ing In the Ural mountains to full
capacity, great quantities of coal
are needed. This coal can be brought
from western Siberia. Russia's
needs in metal can be met further
through the development of the ST.
berian deposits. principally the AL
tai-kuznetzk and Kolchugin mines
which contain according to esti-
mates. 3o.500.000 tons of good iron
ores tmagnetite, hematite and linn
onite). The total iron ore deposits
In Siberia and the far east are es-
timated at about 100000 tons.
Turning to other metal resources
of Siberia, we must mention the
Amur province which contains enor-
mously rich gold fields, including
the world-famous gold territory of
the Lena. Zeia and Booreia rivers.
Together with the maritime prov
inces, the Amur provinces produced
more than one-third of Russia's en-
tire gold output. The entire Chuk-
hotsk peninsula, as well as the
stretches of the Anady. and Chuk-
hotsk districts OF Kamchatka, con-
tain gold deposits. They are. in fact,
continuation of the gold lands of
Alaska and, according to experts,
contain even richer gold veins than
the latter territory.
with regard to timber resources,
1t must be said that Siberia contains
half of the forests of Asia. The
amount of timber In the Amur and
the maritime provinces alone 10 es-
timated at sos, 1000, 900 acres. In ex-
porting timber. Russia can take, and
we feel certain she will take, the
leading place In the worlds mar
ketsr