Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 118, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 May 1911 — RUSSIA’S NEED OF RAILROADS [ARTICLE]

RUSSIA’S NEED OF RAILROADS

The Duma Considers a Bill to Allow Private Lines to Be Built ii| the Empire. The Russian government has introduced a bill in the duma permitting railways to be built by private companies. It; states that in Russia the railroad mileage is only one-tenth that of America and one-fifth that of western Europe. The supporters of the proposition claim that the increase of the Russian network of railroads is absolutely necessary for the further development of the productive forces of the country. The government on its own account cannot, it is stated, increase its railroad building program, owing to a large number of unavoidable expenditures, hence it finds it necessary to grant cdnceßßlons for private railway construction. To private railroads of importance and significance the issuance of government guarantees will be permitted, the administration accepting the capital of shareholders not exceeding 3 per cent. These private railroad companies will receive remuneration for the outlays made on preliminary railway surveys and determination of directions and locations from the capital stock. The time limit for the purchase of a private line by the im- . perial government is twenty-five years.