THE SAMARA-ZLATOUST RAILWAY.
99
41) Simskaya. (736 v.). Is picturesquely situated at the foot of a mountain ridge. The Sfma works of Messrs Balashov, within 8 versts of the station, are connected with it by a tramway. These works were founded in 1759 by Miasnikov. They contain two blast furnaces, and produce mainly cast-iron (about 1,300,000 puds per annum). For this purpose, iron-ore is brought from the station of Viazovaya, whither it is forwarded from the Bakal mine. The Shishka, which is a conical mountain standing half a verst from the works, emerging on its western side from a small lake, contains a large cave at a height of 100 sazhens. At a small distance up the Sima, is the mountain call- * ed Yamaze-Tau, which has another cave of still larger dimensions, where Pallas found bones of man and animals. In general, caves occur very frequently in the southern Ural.
The Sima works have about 5,000 inhabitants, and employ about 300 men regularly, and about 800 occasionally. The valley is surrounded with high tree-clad mountains. There is a hospital, a school, a very good  theatre, and
Cutting through the Dergach mountain (phot, by Arsentiev).
tea and reading rooms open to the public. A telephone  connects  the  works with other manufactories in the district.
Here begins again the ascent toward the watershed of  the  rivers   Sima and Yuriuzan. At its highest point is the station.