The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-02-22

On a fret view of st Petersburg a stran.
ger, looking upon the imposing edifices and
wide streets, asks where all the poor people
live. He will find them in the cellars or in
wretched buildings on the outskirts. 1t Is
a city Of palaces, and stands on several
Islands, carved out by streams that diyerge
from the river Neva, and by artificial canals.
bridges are therefore numerous, spanning
these streams in every direction. The site
OF st. Petersburg was originally swampy,
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 coun-
try around is fiat and the soil sandy.
st. Petersburg is in latitude 50 degrees, 5G
minutes. At the same altitude on the Am
erican continent snow is almost perpetual,
but at st. Petersburg the warm or mild days
OF the year average 1914. The thermometer
during July and the beginning of August
often rises eighty degree above zero, and
sometimes ninety degrees. In winter it
sometimes falls thirty or forty degrees below
zero, averaging about twelve degrees below.
Preparations for winter, by means of double
doors and windows, are made toward the end
OF September, although the double doors
and windows are only casually needed before
November. The gigantic stoves of stone or
brick, coated with porcelain, and rising in
various architectural devices nearly to the
ceiling, are also put in order in September.
Fuel Is cheap. and the dwellings have an
internal temperature OF summer. Great care
is taken in regard to winter clothing, and
the air being clear and bracing, colds are
almost nHnuw Consumption of a scrof-
ulous nature is, however, common.
Snow usually falls in the latter part of
October mr. w rlv NnNnn,har aud .o-.,,an.
US late as the first week in May. The Neva
md It's branches are usually frozen before
the middle of November, and the ice breaks
up about the middle of April. At this there
Is II ceremony. The c~ommandart of the
fortress, rowing i'll state across the river,
under salvos of artillery, visits the Emperor
in bis palace, and gives him n cup Of its
water in token of restored navigation. The
ice disappears by the beginning of May,
and the vegetation becomes rapid. During
June md July the days are very long, and
the sun il only n short time below the
horizon. Those who can afford to, betake
themselves to the islands and villages of the
suburbs.
a feature of st. Petersburg is the eques-
trian statue of Peter the Great, erected in
l1S2. The horse, having rushed up n steep
rock, is rearing ut its p%recipitous brink, with
its fore feet in the air. His height is seven.
teen feet and that of the Emperor eleven
rect falconet, the artist, told the Empress
Catherine that he could not properly model
Il horse and its rider in that position without
seeing models. General Melissino, a bold
and expert rider, then offered to ride a horse
up steep mound prepared for the purpose.
He did so, and accustomed the horse to halt
at the brnk and 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 0 900 persons, in different
ways connected with either his court or his
household. The interior is filled with pic.
lures and rare ornaments. Connected with
the palace is the Hermitage, built by Cath.
airline H., which contains picture galleries,
n museum of arms, s~tatuary and curiosities,
and n large theatre.
The principal street is in the Nevskt Pros.
pekt, o miles long and $50 feet broad.
In it is the Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan,
richly adorned in the interior with gold and
silver and gems. Its blue dome is studded
with stars. Another Greek church is SINH.
larry domed. The great bazaar, with its TO-.
600 merchants. is also in this ~thoroughfare
also the military headquarters, the palace
Of the.Archduke Michael. that of the metro.
politan or head of the Greek Church, and
an ' aANA AAAAth Vi ~
Nevskol, the latter of which contains a
.sarcophagus of pure silver, in which the
body of the saint Is preserved. In the
citadel is the church of st. Peter and ::
Paul, with q tall, slender, richly gilt srl'.
20S feet high, which towers above its "a:
ro~undings and is seen from every port o.
the city. 1t contains the bodies # all tn.
Russian monarchs since Peter the GIcmi
inclusive. The population Of s.. pctcrrl.nyv
is about $50, 200.
In Peters museum in the Academy oi
Sciences is the effigy of Peter The Great it,
wax. habited in a court lrcsS tat was worn
by him and shoes made by his oYyn hands.
The wig is from his own DARK hair. clipped
after death. His eyes we're hack and his
stature about six feet three, according To 81
rod shown, which is said 10 haze bccu exact
ly of his height. The stuffed skin OF his
horse, ridden by him nj tn battle of Pnltowa
is also exhibited.