Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 October 1893 — Nourishes 10,000,000 People. [ARTICLE]

Nourishes 10,000,000 People.

It has been said that Egypt is the creation of the Nile and with equal truth may it be said that Eastern Russia Is the creation of the Volga. The whole history of the country has been intimately connected with that river for more than 1,000 years; the character and pursuits of all the East Russian tribes have been greatly modified by it, and upon it now depends, directly or indirectly, the welfare of more than 10,000,000 people. It length is nearly 2,300 miles audits greatest width in time of high water 30 miles. It washes the borders of nine provinces or administrative divisions of the empire and on its banks stand 39 cities and more than 1,000 villages and settlements. The waters of the Volga River system annually float nearly 5,000,000 tons of merchandise and ftirnish employment to 7,000 vessels and nearly 200,000 boatmen.