von Mecks. Dynasty of railroad kings.

Dynasty of railroad kings von Meck

Between the beginning of the reign of Alexander II, Russia is trying to make a "restructuring and acceleration" to catch up (and maybe even surpass) Europe. Particular attention is paid to the construction of railroads. The Emperor himself makes many of his close participate in the establishment of joint stock companies for the construction of roads.

Decisive in the fate of the railway enterprise were the decree of Alexander II on January 27, 1857 . the establishment of the Russian railway network and supremely approved in autumn 1857 . agreement on the transfer of official Warsaw-Vienna railway and building rights related branches and new railways in the hands of a private company. Railway matter passes into the hands of a small group of millionaires who have become, in essence, a monopoly.

The family of "railway king" von Meck rapidly moved into the ranks of the richest families in the country in the wake of "rail fever" 2 nd half of 1860 x 1870. Since that time and until 1917, many representatives of the dynasty occupied a prominent place, both in economic and in social and cultural life of Russia. But, of course, is best known name von Meck, a prominent builders of railroads.

Charles F. (Charles Otgon Georg) von Meck was born on June 22 1821 ., Descended from an ancient noble family ostzeyskoy, whose ancestors moved to Livonia from Silesia at the end of X VI century. Many members of the dynasty von Meck were on military service, first in Sweden and then in the Russian army. Father Karl Fedorovich, as initially selected the military career, and later entered the service of the Ministry of Finance Customs District official. He died of cholera, not rising to the pension and leaving a widow with young children without any means of livelihood.

At 19 KF von Meck was set up at public expense to study in St. Petersburg. He became a student of the St. Petersburg Institute of Railway and in 1844 after the successful completion of his entered the service with the rank of lieutenant in the Office of Communications. Young engineer soon gets a place chief of the distance of the Moscow-Warsaw highway. Further his service in the government department associated with work as an engineer and inspector on the construction of strategic roads in the western part of Russia.

AT 1848 . von Meck marries Nadezhda Filaretovna Frolovskaya, which became his loyal support and support to all of their joint life path. The marriage was a happy one. Evidence of this was, and their eleven children.

Promotion K.F.fon Mecca in the service was slow. Working in a government agency enough to satisfy the energetic and talented engineer, as was Karl von Meck. AT 1860 . he was in the rank of State Councilor at the insistence of his wife leaving government service to engage in entrepreneurial activities. It was a bold, resolute, and in many ways a risky step, which played a decisive role in the future of their families.

Care Karl Fedorovich from service coincided with the beginning of the deployment in the country wide railway construction and, in particular, with the construction of the Moscow - Kolomna Saratov Railway Company.

The rapid development of the industry of the Moscow province in 1841 already require fast, reliable and convenient communication with Moscow's southern provinces. In 1860, there were already 1,636 factories in the Moscow province. Raw materials for the majority of enterprises were taken out of the province. Delivery of goods from the quay of Kolomna, where they were loaded with the Volga and Oka on barges had less rainfall court, suitable for shallow waters of the Moscow River or on carts, was 5-6 days.

Society Saratov railway was one of the first companies with a wide participation of representatives of the national capital. It was established by 1856 . The initiator of the society became adjutant general S.A.Yurevich.The shareholders of the company have been the heir, Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich, Grand Duke Alexander, Vladimir and Alex, as well as many facial court. Railway project proved so attractive that aroused the interest and to the west. Its founders came vice-president of the Board of the Belgian railways, post and telegraph Brouwer de Gogendorp.

The financial basis of the company was guaranteed by the government equity of 45 mln. Rub. silver. The government provided insurance guarantee on shares of 4.5%. The Company undertook to build, within six years of single-track road from Moscow to Saratov by Kolomna, Ryazan Morshansk 725 miles long.

The construction of the Moscow-Kolomna started June 11 1860 . The main contractor for the works on the construction of this road section the board chose a company known Durov. But the "main figure" in contracts Durov was, according to Baron A.I.Delviga, K.F.fon Meck. He had contracts to carry out excavation work, linen, man-made structures of the road, at the same time was also the main figure subcontracted earthworks on the construction of the Trinity Railway.

Design was invited to the British way - experts with the practice of left-hand traffic. Therefore, there was only one in the Russian section of the Moscow-Ryazan drive on the left. The rails are supplied from the UK, metal parts for bridges and locomotives - from Paris, cars - from Berlin and Hamburg

The first section of the road from Moscow to Kolomna length of 117 kilometers was built very quickly, in just two years. Much of the credit for the successful completion of construction belonged to von Meck. Here he was the first to fully demonstrate their abilities and organizer of engineering, energy, initiative, ability to motivate people, honesty and commitment to doing business in the calculations. He always said that "honesty in the calculations - is also commerce."

After entering the first section of the road its further construction was suspended due to lack of funds. AT1863 . bankrupt company was liquidated. Instead, in the same year, the Society of the Moscow-Ryazan railway.Chairman of the Board, former official of the Senate, was elected the society PG background Derviz, who was previously in the Company Saratov railway post of Chief Secretary. He owns a large role at the beginning of a wide railway construction with the help of private initiative.

Former lyceum friend of the new Minister of Finance Reitern managed to get a concession from the government for the construction of the Moscow-Ryazan and Ryazan-Kozlovskaya railroad on highly concessional terms, and even buy abroad at the Berlin bankers initial capital for the construction of the line Kolomna - Ryazan.

The share capital of the new society was determined 15 mln. Rub. It is composed of the 10 th. Shares at 100 rubles. and each bond issue in the amount of 5 mln. rub. Government guarantee net income is set at 5% in the capital of 12 million. 152 thousand. Rub., Ie 3/4 of the total capital.

It was the first example of the Russian Joint Stock Company of bonds abroad in Berlin. Subsequently, the Berlin Stock Exchange, together with the Frankfurt began to play a major role in the deployment of Russian railway bonds, the proceeds of which were guaranteed by the tsarist government. According to estimates of the German researchers, Russian Railways more than 900 million. Reichsmarks was invested until 1876.

PG Derviz highly valued professional background of Mecca, as an expert and talented organizer. In addition, he became close friends with him shortly after taking the last in a row to build a road from Moscow to Kolomna and repeatedly used the extensive links and background dating mecca in the Ministry of Railways. Therefore Derviz gave it to Carl Fedorovich wholesale straight for 4,7 mln. Rub. to build a new section of the road from Kolomna to Ryazan, a length of 79 kilometers.

The construction of this section of the road began in the spring of 1863 . The work went very quickly and successfully thanks to the energy and diligence builder - engineer Lieutenant Colonel KF von Meck. Less than a year and a half, 27 August 1864 ., It was possible to open up the movement of Ryazan, in addition to the bridge across the Oka River.

Overcoming all obstacles, the road builders have handed over in operation, connecting Moscow to Ryazan.Wags joked about this, that if "Mohammed found his death in Mecca, then Derviz their salvation."

Major bridge over the Oka River was built in 1865 . He was the first in Russia combined bridge for railway and cartage. Construction of the bridge led military engineer Amand Struve Ye.

workshops that have been created for the manufacture of structures of spans of the bridge in 1871 .transformed into joint-stock company "Kolomna Engineering Plant".

Line Moscow-Kolomna-Ryazan was one of the most profitable in Russia. Von Meck acquired on the construction of this road is highly professional reputation of the builder and engineer. Construction of the line Kolomna- Ryazan and significant in that it marked the beginning of a fabulous background Derviz and von Meck.Both partner earned on the construction of the railway huge amounts. According to some reports the contractor Wholesale K.F.fon Meck received about 1.5 million. "Lucre", and for the early opening of the bridge over the Oka Carl F. received additionally 40 thousand. Rub.

A kind of "Rubicon" in the history of railway construction in Russia in the 80's of XIX century. It was the construction of the Ryazan-Kozlovskaya railroad. Concession for the continued construction of the Moscow-Ryazan railway to Kozlov was given again, State Councilor von Derviz under the patronage of the Minister of Finance Reitern. The Charter of the new society was approved on March 12 1865 . Wholesale contractor was selected again Carl F. von Meck, who led all the work. Building it was handed over to him for 6 million. Rubles.

The length of the Ryazan-Kozlovskaya railroad is 197 kilometers and it was built with unusual rapidity before. Less than 1.5 years, September 5 1866 ., The road was opened to traffic. Prominent Ministry of Railways official, Baron A.I.Delvig, recalling his inspection of the construction of roads, thus indicating the thoroughness of execution of works produced by its main builder KF von Meck. It is interesting to note that the supplier workers and materials during implementation of the work he was later famous railroad builder Samuel Polyakov.Service engineer at von Meck was a good school for the future activities of the entrepreneur.

According to the Company's Charter major concessions were given, for example, the device subgrade of the road in one way. On the whole capital was given a government guarantee of net income in excess of 5%. For the construction of the road, in fact, it has been used only bond funds and equity remained pure "Grist" business leaders, and government-guaranteed. Moreover, as Witte testified, "often, failing to place the bonds in private hands, the government has left them behind. Thus, the actual railways were built for public funds, or funds guaranteed by the State, which because of this included in huge debts, management of the entire rail business was given to private entrepreneurs in almost uncontrolled possession. the only "official" contractor's profits background Mecca on the road Kozlovsky was 280.2 thousand. rub. And by "saving" means building it, according to some reports , had made a "millionth profit."

Since the late 60-ies. X I XB. tsarist government "is taking the path of unlimited protection to private railway companies, guaranteeing them not only higher income, but to a large extent and the provision of capital construction". This decade was a "golden age" for the founders and concessionaires, grown rich on profitable railway contracts in the period of "concession fever '60s - 70s. Among them one of the most successful was Carl F. von Meck.

A major role in his business career played obtain the concession for the construction of the Kursk-Kiev railway. The new Government's commitment to even greater financial protection of private railway companies most clearly expressed in the construction of this line. December 24 1866 . by the decision of the government of the competition committee, the company was left for Derviz von, von Meck and Prince SA Dolgoruky. The partners received a concession for the construction of the Kursk-Kiev road on favorable terms. The government almost has assumed full implementation of the equity capital, and appointed "poverstnaya cost" of the road was much higher than the actual value.

Kursk-Kiev railway was built in two years and opened to traffic on December 17 1868 . Preferential terms of the concession enabled founders - contractors to get through the treasury of about 6 million rubles.. It was established corporation operating the railway, which was in fact fictitious, although formally considered valid, however, the road management, built exclusively on public funds, in fact, is at the disposal of the founders. It should also be noted that non-governmental part of the shares from the beginning has been assigned by the founders, and has not appeared for sale on the stock exchange. Contemporaries recognized, however, that the way management was impeccable, and the established order did not harm the case. Moreover, the road brought 4,376 rubles. a mile and a half of net income.

KF von Meck, and subsequently participated in the tenders for concessions for the construction of railroads.Receiving lucrative contracts and skillfully organizing business, KF von Meck gradually amassed a huge fortune.His multimillion-dollar capital it held in the shares of roads built them Landvarovo-Romenskaya, the Moscow-Ryazan, Ryazan-Kozlovsky, the Kursk-Kiev, Morshansk.

By the end of his life he had the rank of State Councilor. He died from a severe heart attack.

According to the spiritual testament of the children of Hope Filaretovna heirs were announced: sons - Nicholas, Alexander, Maximilian, Vladimir, daughter - Alexander, Julia, Lidia, Sofia and Lyudmila. After the death of her husband's family rail and industrial business for some time I had to deal with his wife, Nadezhda von Meck Filaretovna, which came by the will of inheritance law.

During this period, Hope Filaretovna even finds the opportunity to provide financial assistance to Pyotr Tchaikovsky

Eldest son of Charles and Nadezhda von Meck was Greve. He was born June 15 1852 . in the town of Roslavl. Even during his father's lifetime, aged 21, was helping him in railway matters. AT 1876 . VC. von Meck married the daughter of a large Moscow vodka manufacturer Elizabeth Mikhailovna Popova. After the death of his father in 1876 . Greve has become, at the choice of his mother, co-guardian of young brothers and sisters inherited property and took over the family businesses. VK von Meck was chairman of Libava-Romny railroad was part of the management of railways and other companies controlled by the family of von Meck. However, his organizational skills greatly inferior to the outstanding merit of his parents. He is no different, and firmness of character.

Assessing the quality of business VK von Meck, it is fair to say that after the death of his father discovered that a commercial business that were heavily entangled, burdened with lots of debt. The situation is also complicated by the new policy, which led the Government with respect to the private railways and their owners since the early 1880s. After the accession to the throne of Emperor Alexander III. Witte wrote on this subject: "In the reign of Alexander III, firmly established the idea of public value of railways, which largely eliminates the possibility of buildings and in particular the use of railways by private companies, not pursuing the idea of nation-wide, and private interests ... ". This new situation affects the affairs of the family von Meck. Successors railway King, and, above all, the eldest son, had not only unravel its debt obligations, but also to fight hard with the ministries of Finance and Communications for the preservation of the family business.

Greve has been well received in the palace spheres, he had the rank of gentleman of the bedchamber of the highest court and could on occasion use their connection. It was he who helped his younger brother Nicholas to strengthen the position of the family von Meck in the leadership of the oldest and most profitable railway - the Moscow-Ryazan, entering it on the board and, thus initiating a new stage in the history of the family business railroad kings. With the activity of Nikolai Karlovich linked new business off the train family von Meck.

N.K.fon Meck became a talented successor of his father's business, one of Russia's largest railway and industrial leaders end X 1 X - Early XX centuries. Not having special engineering education, practice Nikolai possessed all the subtleties of a new business for themselves, starting to work in this area with the lowest levels: at the depot, a clerk at the Nikolayev railway. He consistently and purposefully makes his way in life.

By this time his marriage to Anna Lvovna Davydova from the famous noble family of the Decembrists, Tchaikovsky's niece. In 1884 he was elected a candidate member of the Board of the Moscow-Ryazan railway. It begins its active work in the railway business.

Since the beginning of the 1890s. the Russian government has again begun to take an active railway construction. The initiator of it acted as the Ministry of Finance headed by Sergei Witte. To activate building embarked on the creation of large rail monopolies on the basis of the private railway companies which operated successfully and proved its viability.

In some cases, the organization of rail monopolies Witte (at that time the Minister of Finance), he actively contributed to the expansion of railway undertakings. So it was with the Company Ryazan-Kozlovskaya railroad, enlarged in the years 1891-1892. the Company Ryazan-Ural road, and with the Society of the Moscow-Ryazan railway, converted to the Company of the Moscow-Kazan Railway. In both cases, according to official sources, the initiative belonged not so much to society as Witte himself, "which in this respect has to direct the company, they are not themselves denied the impact." It is with this exposure has been linked and change management Board of the Kazan Railway, which led to the arrival of a young and energetic leader Nikolai Karlovich von Meck, ready to implement an extensive plan.

With his name is associated with the company's entry into the path of active railway construction, expansion of intensive enterprises, transforming it into one of the seven largest railway monopoly Russian early XX century.

Nov. 1 1890 . Nikolai Karlovich became a member of the Management Board. And in the next, 1891 ., It was renamed the Society of the Moscow-Kazan Railway, and N.K.fon Meck still a young man becomes chairman of the board of the new society. In this capacity, he directs them to stretch for 27 years, until the nationalization of the company after the 1917 revolution. All this time, he successfully manages one of the largest Russian railways. It is distinguished, by all accounts, an extraordinary capacity for work, thinking sobriety, the exceptional energy of purpose. Becoming head of the Kazan Railway, it is all your mind, energy, experience, and the court sent a communication on its development.

For the first nine years of his management of the length of the Moscow-Kazan Railway has increased nine-fold - from 233 miles up to 2.1 thousand kilometers.. And in 50 years of existence of the Company (with 1863 .) Length of its lines has increased more than 13 times. In fact, a new extensive rail network was created in the Middle and Lower Volga region: Ryazan - Kazan, Ruzaevka - Penza - Syzran - Hinds, Inza - Simbirsk Timiryazevo - Nizhny Novgorod.

Nikolai Karlovich von Meck's success was based on the professionalism, thoroughness of research works, elaboration of projects. Obtaining a license contributed to von Meck communication with members of the royal family and courtiers. He enjoyed the support and patronage of the Empress's sister, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, who moved close to Nikolai Karlovich with the royal court, and many St. Petersburg dignitaries.None of the owners of other private railways had such benevolence and the location of supreme power, as he did. In many state institutions, particularly the Ministry of Finance, the Department of Railway Ministry of Railways Nikolai Karlovich had friends and patrons who supplied him with information, give advice, defending its interests, helping to eliminate unwanted competition. The rapid development of the Company's Moscow-Kazan railway provided its shareholders a high return. In 1890-ies. dividend on shares of the company reached 32%.

NK background Mecca Society Kazan Railway is obliged not only to the expansion of enterprise scale, but also dramatically improved its technical equipment, modernization of equipment. He invited her to the company of talented engineers Nolteyna, Krasouski, Belotserkovtsa. Moscow-Kazan railway became a kind of experimental platform to develop and test new types of locomotives. Before the war there appeared the powerful locomotives, designed by EE Nolteyna and freight cars increased weight. At the initiative of the Kazan Nolteyna on the road were cars, refrigerators for transportation of Siberian oil, the first in Moscow refrigerated warehouse was built, equipped with German firm "Borsig".

Nikolai Karlovich and sought to convert the commercial side of the company. To its credit, von Meck need to say that in 50 years of existence, the Society of Ryazan, and then Kazan Railway, it is, "despite sometimes former heavy circumstances, never resorted to government guarantees, but rather from the net profit paid to the treasury for the time of their the existence of more than 12 mln. rub. ". By the end 1912 . rolling road consisted of: locomotives - 517 (1865 - 31), passenger cars - 685 (1865 - 69), freight wagons - 14858 (in 1865 - 768), including 107 wagons of glaciers that were built specifically for the transport of butter oil from Siberia to the Baltic ports.

For the development of the grain trade in the area of road constructed granaries and huge mechanized elevators in Moscow, Kolomna, Zaraysk and Ryazan, as well as the station granaries in Penza, Kazan, and Tambov provinces Simbirsk. AT 1913 . the Moscow passenger station built by "cold storage" of reinforced concrete with the engine cooling for perishable products. In the same year began the construction of the section from Moscow to Ramenskoye (42 mile) third and fourth paths are adapted for movement on them "electric trams" (EMUs) to serve suburban and commuter traffic, reached in this area of great intensity. In the same 1913., Simultaneously with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Moscow-Kazan Railway, was the beginning of construction on the site of the old, the new grand Moscow station for passengers on the project of academician AV Shchusev Architecture

The number of workers and employees of the road before the war reached 30 thousand people. It took to solve social problems. At the initiative of Nikolai Karlovich consumer cooperation was established, which provided a railroad cheap products: flour, vegetable oil, salt, barley. AT 1913 . Stores were opened in Moscow, Perovo, Golutvin, Ruzaevka, Syzran, Kazan, Simbirsk, Penza, Arzamas, Nizhniy Novgorod. On line Arzamas - Moore cruised car shop for the railway.

Cheap apartment buildings were built in Moscow and the Moscow-sorting station for the workers. A near Prozorovskaya platform (32 miles from Moscow) by the Company on an area of 677 ten located in a dry, with sandy soil area, with beautiful pine forest, is arranged village, or rather -. "Garden city", for the construction and commissioning of houses in hiring employees of the road. to work on a project invited young engineers and architects Semenova, Shchusev, Tamanyan, Ivanitskii.

At acquaintance with construction plan affects not only its reasonableness and expediency, an exact calculation, but also moral approach to the problem.

Here are just a short list of suspected sites:

- Church with 500 seats;

- School campus, includes 5 schools;

- Hospital campus, which included a hospital, a nursing home two with all the necessary services. The project was developed by architect A.I.Tamanyan.

- Recreation area: Pond with boat station, and facilities for playing tennis and croquet;

- A variety of cultural and socio-domestic buildings and construction, special waste incinerator.

And all this with the maximum preservation of the forest. The total estimated construction of the village was 6 mln. Rub. In addition, technical schools, telegraph school were opened to train railway staff. In the village were built boulevards, bridges, drainage, paved tram tracks, held electric and telephone network, water supply.

But come 1914 ... The war and then the revolution is not allowed to implement a plan NK von Meck.

During the First World War NK von Meck army was engaged in the supply of bread. To do this, the stations were equipped with additional warehouses and barns, he organizes special hospital trains, workshops, making clothes for the soldiers. Both his son Marc Attal and go to the front.

The revolution abruptly changed life "railway king". In the first year after she was arrested, but vypushenaHere are some records of his employment list (replacing the work book in those years).:

- Member of the Technical Committee;

- Chairman of the Local Transport Section of the Supreme Technical Committee;

- Member of the editorial part of the special and technical publications at Rio;

- Senior Consultant at the People's Commissar of the SS;

- Chairman of the Economic Section of the Central Office of Planning at the RIO.

During this time he worked on a project of the Moscow subway, offers locomotives replaced steam locomotives, is developing a system of high-speed trains and trains enlargement.

In the years of the NEP Nikolai Karlovich he was engaged in planning, working in the permanent representative of the State Planning Commission of the People's Commissariat of Railways. Along with the daily practical work, he reflected on the prospects for the development of railways in the country. It was at this time out of his book on the history of railway transport and economy of Russia: "transport economy and its prospects in our country," "The Future of Railways Western Siberia", and others.

But his fate was sealed. No loyalty to the new government or forty years of experience for the benefit of Russia could not protect him from death. AT 1928 . Nikolai Karlovich von Meck was re-arrested when he tried to OGPU immediately after the "Shakhty process" to create a "case" of a certain "subversive" engineering organization, "enclosing the entire country." The arrests in Moscow seized the workers of the People's Commissariat of Railways. June 2 1929 . in "Izvestia" published an article alleging that von Meck "strenuously guarded property of private railways and tried by all means to increase it at the expense of the former state railways." OGPU could not, however, charged to "prepare" for an open process, and they were shot in the spring1929 .

The family of "railway king" von Meck for a long time was closely linked to Russia took place in a difficult process of economic and technical modernization. The fate of his vividly reflected the distinctive development of ways one of the most important groups of Russian business in this transition, it is extremely difficult period.

• Vladimir (1852-1893) - Bedchamber, chairman Libava-Romny railway (1876-1881).

• Nicholas (1863-1929, executed) - Entrepreneur, philanthropist.

• Alexander (1864-1911) - bibliophile and philanthropist, one of the founders of mountaineering in Russia.

• Maximilian (1869-1950) - a diplomat, the Russian consul in Newcastle (until 1911).

According to the article by ML Gavlina