Russian Development of Manchuria 



l 7 



to 1,000, and that for only a short dis- 

 tance and at rare intervals. 



In October, 1903, the regular number 

 of trains dispatched for through traffic 

 was thirty per day. Eighteen local 

 trains were dispatched in addition. 

 These local trains connected the two 

 extremes of the town, viz., the old town 

 and Prestin, with the administration part 

 of the city. 



There are also about 400 nesoshticks, 

 or Russian carriages, for public use, and 

 the average earnings of these vehicles is 

 5 rubles ($2.58) per day. 



There is also an automobile line ready 

 to start four machines to operate between 

 the old town and the administration 

 city ; each vehicle will carry ten per- 

 sons. These machines are now on the 

 ground and will carry passengers for 20 

 kopecks (10 cents) each way. This 

 line is in connection with an electric 

 tramway that is to run a loop line 

 through the river town, or Prestin, and 

 a double loop, or figure 8, line through- 

 out the administration town. This is a 

 private corporation, with a capital of 

 250,000 rubles ($128,750). The same 

 company is to provide an electric-light 

 system for all three sections of the city. 



DISPOSAL OF LAND 



Harbin was started primarily as a mili- 

 tary center and an administration town 

 for the government and direction of rail- 

 way affairs. Its growth into a splendid 

 commercial and manufacturing city was 

 not originally provided for by the pro- 

 moters, and it has been somewhat of a 

 surprise to them, but the fever of mak- 

 ing it a great Russian commercial and 

 manufacturing city has now taken pos- 

 session of the railway management, and 

 every system of promotion and protec- 

 tion that can be devised to increase its 

 growth along these lines is being ener- 

 getically encouraged. 



The capital for most of the private 

 enterprises is furnishedby Siberian Jews. 

 Chinese are furnishing money for the 



construction of some of the finest private 

 buildings, such as hotels, store-rooms, 

 etc. In the administration part of the 

 city no private buildings of any kind are 

 permitted. 



The old town was the first to be laid 

 out, and the land was sold to the public 

 at the rate of 1 ruble (51.5 cents) per 

 square sagene (49 square feet) the first 

 year, but this rate is now increased to 3 

 rubles ($1.55) per square sagene. Fol- 

 lowing this, in 1 901, the administration 

 town was laid out and construction work 

 began on buildings covering 20,000 

 square sagene (198,000 square feet). 

 Later the river town Prestin was laid 

 out, and in a very short time all of this 

 was sold at a price of 17 rubles ($8.70) 

 per square sagene, and most of it is now 

 covered with substantial brick struct- 

 ures, there being 850 buildings, con- 

 structed at a cost of 8,000,000 rubles 

 ($4,120,000). Recently two very large 

 additions were laid out adjoining the ad- 

 ministration town, and the land has been 

 sold at prices ranging from 5 to 15 

 rubles ($2.57 to $7.73) per square 

 sagene. This was purchased largely by 

 speculators, and is being bought from 

 them now at from 20 to 40 rubles 

 ($10.30 to $20.60) per square sagene 

 (49 square feet). 



The administration has already re- 

 ceived over 2,000,000 rubles ($1,030,- 

 000) for land sold to private parties. 

 Many elegant residences and substantial 

 structures are in course of construction 

 in the additions adjacent to the adminis- 

 tration town. A hotel and theater com- 

 bined was built at a cost of 60,000 rubles 

 ($30,900) and rented for 25,000 rubles 

 ($12,875) per annum. 



All of this land is secured on an 

 eighty-six years' lease. 



THE RUSSO-CHINESE BANK 



This is the only banking institution in 

 the place, and it has an elegant home in 

 a structure of stone that has a steam- 

 heating and electric-lighting plant of its 



