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Chapter 1241 Hangzhou city also wants to build a railway

Chapter 1241 Hangzhou city also wants to build a railway
"You mean to build a railway from Hangzhou to Suzhou, pass through Jiaxing Mansion, and connect the two cities of Suzhou and Hangzhou?"

Coincidentally, Hangzhou merchants, who were more powerful than Wuhu merchants, submitted a request to the Zhejiang provincial government to build the Suzhou-Hangzhou Railway, and the provincial government that gave way to Hangzhou was shocked by this.

Hangzhou businessmen couldn't sit still after the Ningsu Railway opened to traffic.Hangzhou City has been competing with Suzhou City. One is the most prosperous city in Zhejiang Province, and the other is the most prosperous city in Jianghuai Province.So they applied to the provincial government of Zhejiang Province to build the Suzhou-Hangzhou Railway, from Suzhou to Hangzhou City via Jiaxing Mansion.

"Ahem, I have long wanted to build a railway in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. A few years ago, Zhang Yandeng and Zhang Yandeng competed with the Ministry of Industry for the right to build the first railway south of the Yangtze River. But as you can see, the Ministry of Industry approved It was Zhang Yandeng's application." Wang Yehao, a civil affairs official in Zhejiang Province, was also a veteran official of the four dynasties, helping the Kyushu Army to suppress the field in Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

As the parent official of Zhejiang Province, he was deeply concerned about the fact that the Ministry of Industry took the lead in approving the construction of railways in Jianghuai Province.

"Everyone says that Jiangnan is good. There is heaven above, and Suzhou and Hangzhou below. Our Hangzhou is ranked after Suzhou. Even the first railway line was robbed by Suzhou City. Is there anything in Hangzhou that is inferior to Suzhou City? No way?" Hangzhou businessman complained.

This kind of resentment also lies in the fact that Suzhou City and Hangzhou City are both developed commercial and handicraft centers at this time. The two cities are too similar and within the economic radiation range of each other.However, Suzhou City faintly overwhelmed Hangzhou City by half, which made the merchants in Hangzhou City quite critical.

"The predecessor of Jianghuai Province was Nanzhili. It is reasonable for the Ministry of Industry to approve the construction of the first railway in the south in Jianghuai Province. You need to consider that Nanjing City is still in Jianghuai Province." Wang Yehao said.

The merchants in Hangzhou City look at me and I look at you, quite helpless.Jianghuai Province is under the jurisdiction of Nanzhili, the most affluent place in the world.However, Zhejiang Province inherited Zhejiang Chengxuan's Political Envoy Division, and its prosperity was inferior to that of Nanzhili.

Since it is the most prosperous place, the Jianghuai Province pays the most local taxes to the capital every year. It is normal for the capital to have a preference for this place, and only the Jianghuai Province can build a railway of more than 200 kilometers without encountering problems. to local financial difficulties.

"My lord, things like railways can run around the clock and speed up transportation, which is similar to the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. Our Zhejiang Province relies on the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and the eastern sea, and has today's prosperity. If you miss it With the opportunity to build the railway, our influence may be covered by the Jianghuai Province in the future." Hangzhou businessmen continued to lobby the chief executive of the province.

As merchants of turnover goods, they know how important transportation is.The local water network in Suzhou and Hangzhou is vertical and horizontal, and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal connects the north and the south, and it is close to the East China Sea and the Yangtze River, so it is easy to develop in the age of the ocean.

Now that land transportation such as railways is on the rise, they are keenly aware that this may be a sign of a new round of transportation revolution, and they must be ahead of it.

Wang Yehao unconsciously tapped the wooden table with his index finger. He also wanted to build a railway in Zhejiang Province.

For him, a civil affairs official, being able to complete the railway construction during his term of office is a major political achievement.Even if it can't be transferred to the sixth department, it can still be famous in the local chronicles of Zhejiang Province.

"Although the Ministry of Industry has not approved the construction of railways in our province, if private businessmen form railway companies to build railways spontaneously, the Ministry of Industry may agree." Wang Yehao took the initiative to propose the idea of ​​building a new railway to the businessmen.

Since you don't really want to build a railway in Hangzhou City?Then you find someone to raise money and build it yourself.

"what?!"

The merchants in Hangzhou were dumbfounded when they heard that the chief executive here urged them to build the railway.

They were envious of the opening of the railway between Nanjing City and Suzhou City, so they wanted to let Zhejiang Province, where Hangzhou City is located, also start a railway construction plan, but they didn't expect to need to pay for the construction themselves!
"My lord, are you joking with us? We don't know anything about this kind of iron monster..." The merchants in Hangzhou looked like bitter melons.

Unexpectedly, Wang Yehao's face was serious: "Of course I am talking to you seriously. Although there is an inevitable competitive relationship between Hangzhou City and Suzhou City, the two cities also complement each other and form a prosperous circle. Ministry of Industry Our province is not allowed to build railways without authorization, but the exploration of railway routes is going on. What is lacking is funds and talents. Now that the [-]-mile railway from Nanjing to Suzhou is open to traffic, the talents who build railways will be free. Then The only thing left is the availability of funds. If some of our folks can take the initiative to propose to the Ministry of Industry to contract the [-]-mile railway from Suzhou to Hangzhou City, the Ministry of Industry will definitely agree to this matter.”

"The Ministry of Industry has issued a circular to each province. If there are private businessmen who are willing to invest in the construction of roads and railways with a mileage of more than [-] miles, they can report to the Ministry of Industry. The Ministry of Industry will personally approve and reply. Important road sections The Ministry of Industry will also send technical personnel to give guidance. Do you think the Suzhou-Hangzhou Railway is an important section?"

"..."

Many Hangzhou businessmen who came to complain heard Wang Yehao flickering for a while, thinking about the feasibility of investing in the Suzhou-Hangzhou Railway.

It sounds a bit like the Arabian Nights.

However, the opening of the Ningsu Railway proved the feasibility of the technology.With the real thing here, people have to be tempted.

"If we only connect Jiaxing and Hangzhou to the Ningsu Railway, then we will suffer too much. The Ningsu Railway covers Yingtianfu, Zhenjiang, Changzhou and Suzhou, and we only have The land of two prefectures. It is better to extend the railway from Suzhou to the four prefectures of Jiaxing, Hangzhou, Shaoxing, and Ningbo, so that we can maintain similar influence with each other.” Wang Yehao looked at the railway construction of Zhejiang Province from the perspective of the overall situation .

If the railway from Nanjing City to Suzhou City runs along the Yangtze River, then the railway in Zhejiang Province surrounds Hangzhou Bay.

"The distance from Suzhou City to Ningbo is more than [-] miles, which is probably farther than the distance from Nanjing City to Suzhou City. The railway in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces was built with government funds, and it is estimated to cost a lot of money. I'm afraid it will be difficult for us ordinary businessmen..." Businessmen in Hangzhou lacked confidence in investing in the construction of the five-hundred-mile railway.

The Beijing-Tianjin railway is only more than [-] miles away, and the [-]-mile railway from Nanjing to Suzhou City has to be carefully considered by the richest Jianghuai provinces before they dare to start construction. Who knows how much the [-]-mile railway will cost.

"How about... I wait for the government and business to jointly organize it, and see if the Ministry of Industry will agree?" Wang Yehao asked tentatively.

(End of this chapter)

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