The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1877-06-09
Gke 8ulletin.
THE CAPITAL OF THE CAR.
what Most Interested AN American
on llis First Visit 10 ~ Petersburg


On visit to st. Petersburg, u stranger,
looking upon the imposing edIhces and
wide streets, ask where al the poor people
live. He will lind them 10 the cellars, or in
wretched buildings on the outskirts. 1t 10
= city Of places, and stands on several
islands. carved Thy sire ans that diverge
from the river Neva, and by artificial canals.
Bridges are, therefore numerous, spanning
the streams 10 every direction. Tile site
OF st. Petersburg was originally swsmpy.
but Its founder, Peter the Great, in the
beginning Of the last century, seeing the
commercial and political advantages Of the
location, ordered piles to be driven for the
stone foundations Of buildings. The country
around Is hat and the soil sandy.
st. Petersburg Is In latitude 50 deg. 58
min. Attic same altitude on the Ameri.
can continent snow 10 almost perpetual, but
in st. Petersburg the warm or mild days
OF the year average l0i The thermometer
during July and the beginning Of August
often rises to 80 above zero, and some.
times above 30e. In winter It sometimes
falls to zoe or 400 below zero, averaging
about l29 below, Preparations for win.
ter, by means OF double doors and win.
dows, are made toward the end Of Septem.
Der, although the double doors and win.
dows are only casually needed before No.
yember, The gigantic stoves Of stone or
brick coated white with porcelain, and
rising in various architectural devices
nearly to The ceiling, are also put In order
10 September. Fuel is cheap, and the
dwellings have an internal temperature
of Summer, Great care Is take in regard
to winter clothing, and the air being clear
and bracing, colds are almost unknown.
however, common.
Snow usually falls In the latter part Of
October or early in November, and some.
times as late as the first week in May. The
Neva and its branches are usually frozen
be fore the middle OF November, and the
Ice breaks up about tho middle Of April.
At this there Ia public ceremony. The
commandant Of the fortress, rowing in
state across the river under salvos of ar;il.
lery, visits the emperor in his magnificent
winter palace, and gives him cup Of its
water in token Of restored navigation The
Ice disappears by the beginning OF May,
and vegetation becomes rapid. During
June and July the days are very long, and
the sun is only short time below the hor-
zon. Those who can afford it betake them
selves to the islands aud villages OF the sub.
urbs.
A feature 81. Petersburg IL the eques.
trisn statue OF Peter the Great. erected in
1872. The horse, having rushed up q steep
rock, il rearing al It's precipitous brink,
with his fore feet In the air. His height is
seventeen feet, and that of the emperor
eleven feet Faconet, the artist, told the
empress Catherine that he could not prop
erly model horse and its rider In that
position without seeing models. General
Melissino, bold and expert rider, then
offered to ride horse up a steep mound
perpared for the purpose. He did 30. and
accustomed the horse to halt at the brink
aud paw the air. After the horse became
trained the general rode up the mound
repeatedly for the study Of the artist.
The winter palace. when occupied by the
emperor, contains G,OO0 persons, in differ.
ent ways connected with either his court
or his household. The interior is filled
with pictures and rare ornaments. Con.
nected with the palace is the Hermitage,
built by Catherine H., which contains pic
ture galleries, a museum Of arms, statuary
and curiosit!cs, and u theater.
The principal street 10 the Nevski Pros
pekt, or Neva Prospect, four miles long
and 100 feet broad. 1u it is the cathedral
of Our Lady oil Kazan, richly adorned in
the interior with gold, silver and gems.
Its blue dome is studded with stars. An
other Greek church is similarly domed.
The great bazaar, with its $1,000 merchants,
is also in this thoroughfare, also the mill.
tary headquarters, the palace Of the Arch.
duke Michael, that Of the Metropolitan,
or head OF the Greek church, and the con.
vent and church of St. Alexander Nevskoi,
the letter OF which con tains sarcophagus
otpure silver, in which the body Of the
saint is preserved. In the citadel 10 the
church OF st. Peter and st. Paul, with
tall, slendar rich.y gilt spre, $50 feet high,
which towers above its surroundings and
is seen from every part Of the city. 1t con.
tains the bodies Of all the Russian mon.
archs since Peter the Great, inclusive.
The population Of St. Petersburg is about
100000. ..I I'D s.
In Peters museum in the academy Of
science is the efigy Of Peter the Great in
wax, habited in court dress that was
worn by him, and shoes made by hls own
hands. The wig is Of bis own black hair,
clipped after death. His eyes were black
and his stature about six feet three, accord
ing to rod shown, which is said to have
been exackly of his height. The stuffed
skin OF the horse ridden by him at the bat.
tie Of Pultowa is also exhibited.