Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22
TOWN OF ANGANCH|
IN STRATEGIC SPOT
Stands Near "Spark Cap
of Railway and Economic
interests of Japan.

THE little village of Anganchi, cap
tured by Japanese forces in the drive
on Tsitsihar, capital of Heilungkiang,
possesses an Importance far out of pro-
portion to its limited population because
1t stands near kind Of spark gap,'
Supercharged with the economic ambi-
tons and railway interest of Japan,
China and Russia in Northwestern
Manchur1a," says a bulletin from the
headquarters Of the National Geo.
graphic Society.
NorthernmOst Station.
"Anganchi is 2 miles south Of Tsi-
tslhar station, the junction of the Chi
nese and Russian controlled Chinese
Eastern Railway and the narrow-gauge
spur line leading north to Tsitsihar
City. Anganchi also is the northern
most static i on the new Chinese OPP
Grated, JapaneSe-built railway line from
Taonanfu. An extension of this line,
entirely Chinese owned, runs from An
ganchi through TsitSihar Station to the
CITY OF TSltS1har, roughly paralleling
the narrow-gaTge line and crossing over
the main line of the Chinese Eastern
Railway on a bridge.
"Angancht was practically unheard
OF until the new line, pushing I'D from
Taonanfu during the last decade, built
its terminal in the town, 2 miles short
OF the important junction at Tsitsihar
Station.
In a land which has constructed
more miles of railway in recent wears
man any other part of the world, and
which in some places laid new lines at
the rate OF mile a day, It NAV seem
strange that the Emile gap between
Anganchi and TsitSihar Station was not
closed for many months.
Treaty Rights Involved.
'"Treaty rights, dating from the close
OF the RusSo-JapaneSe War. were in
volved. The Taonanfu-Anganchi rail-
way was built with funds loaned to the
Chinese by syndicate of Japanese
banks, who In turn gave the construc-
ton contract to the South Manchurian
Railway Co.
when the line reached Anganchi
the Chinese Eastern Railway, Jointly
controlled by Soviet Russia and China,
objected to the crossing of its main
line by railroad linked with the south
Manchurian Railway (Japanese) inter-
ests. Consequently, when the line was
finally continued to Tsitsihar Station, to
Tsitsihar itself, and to the City of Tai
anchen beyond, only Chinese capital
was employed.
aside from the yards and station Of
the railroad lines, Anganchi possesses
little to distinguish it from hundreds of
other mud-walled villages in the wind
swept farming and grazing lands of the
Nonni River Basin. The inhabitants,
several hundred in number, are mainly
Russians, although the influx of Chinese
has been noticeable since the compile
ton Of the railway lines to the north
and south Of it.
Heavy Traffic Reported.
"Tsitsihar Station, the actual meeting
place of the Chinese Eastern main line
and the new north-south railroad,
boasts no houses not connected with
the railway interests. The new railroad
crosses over the Chinese Eastern on a
bridge. Nearby Is the old narrow
gauge line connecting Tsitsihar Station
with the City of Tsitsihar.
According to reports received by the
United States Department of Com
merce early in September, the new line
from Anganchi north through Tsitsihar
to Taianchen broke all records for
traffic in Manchuria early this year
Construction work is being continued
on the line to KoShanchen. Eventually
it will reach the Siberian border and
connect with a branch of the Trans
Siberian Railroad at Blagoveschchensk.