The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-10-23
TIE SIBERIAN MINES.
why NIhIlism is So widespread In Russia.
Letter from GERMANY.

Why NIhIIism is So Widespread In Russia
Letter from Germany.
If person of sane mind were to in.
form you of his or her intention to spend
vacation in Siberia, you would un
doubtedly smile audibly, and opine thal
the party making 30 audacious an asser
ton would be a it subject for the lunatic
asylum. Still, I am bound to confess
that I have just returned from tlE
to that Arctic region; where I made
quite a stay, in company with my friend
Robert Lemke, the eminent political
economist, and a student of political phi,
losophy, than whom there is none more
thorough and more searching. We have
been through the land of the Nihilists
and, however earnest we might have beer
in our desire to discover important In
formation, all our efforts would have been
in vain had not an influential American
at st. Petersburg, whose name l have
promised not to mention, given us such
letters of introduction that all portals
were opened wide to us, and we saw and
heard what
ONLY A PRIVILEGED FEW
have seen and heard for a good many
years. It is easily understood that the
Russian Government, under the trying
circumstances of the present day, is no,
very liberal in granting extended privi'
Ileges toinewspaper men; and, had l trav-
elled in that capacity, I might have been
denied access to the sources from which
I have drawn the information about 8
good many things in Russia. The large
cities, however, are not the places for the
accumulation, of knowledge such as we
desired to get; and, after idling a few
days at Moscow, st. Petersburg and its
villageatures, ne started for the Siberian
mine.
Until We came to Tobolsk, there was
still some civilization about and around
us. But after that, we received fore
taste of the horrors we were about to wit
ness. For days We dragged along in q
miserable carriage, without meeting any
thing or anybody, except the lonely Gov
ernment posts, with their stupid "Starost'
and his subordinate Cossacks. At last
we saw in the distance towering noun
tain, and within its cleft side a colossal
opening, similar to the pit of volcano.
From within
FOUL AIR AND D1sAaREEABLE SMELLS
saluted our nostrils, and for some time we
had to draw our breath hard. With our
pocket-handkerchiefs crammed into our
mouths, we entered the gigantic mouth
of the rock. From the walls dirty water
dripped down in large drops, forming a
little. rivulet, which gathered in pool
outside the entrance. Toward the east
and the nosth the territory rose as high
as 1000 feet above the sea. A chain,
several miles in length, of snow-capped
glaciers gave to the mine the character
Of an unapproachable fortress. To the
left of the entrance an enormous guard
house was built, occupied by number
of Cossacks. The establishment was
about as filthy Us any habitation for hu-
man beings can well be. The furniture
consisted only of few rough benches
and a large table. In front Of its door a
double file of muskets were stacked, be-
tween which a bearded Cossack marched
up and down. We showed our letters to
the young officer of the day, who regard
ed US wonderingly, searchingly. He
seemed at loss to understand the grant
ing of a privilege so seldom sought and
so rarely granted. A guide was given US,
and we passed long, narrow and dark
corridor, which, to Judge from, the. incli-
nation of the floor, led, into the depth.
The ground was so slippery and so wet
that we were in danger of falling more
than once.
PEsTILENT1AL IIAsMA
filled the air; and, in spite of good fur
cloak-the gift of friend in Moscow
actually shook with the cold. The dark
ness was 30 intense that neither of US
could see the other.
We had gone on perhaps ten minutes
when I perceived, far in the distance, the
trembling, uncertain glimmer of light;
and I felt sure that we were approaching
the mine proper. The ground became
softer and more Shiny, and cold more
penetrating. At every setp we sank into
the marass for several inches, and there
was smell of pusrefaction, as in char
eve are in front of the mine" said our
guide, pointing to a high iron railing
which surrounded long cave-its mas
siye rails, through the crevice of which
hardly rat might have squeezed itself
being covered with rust. The locks were
fastened with chains Of immense thick
ness and weight. A guard made his ap.
pearance, and upon the word of our guide
he opened the Lockout only with q
great deal of strength was he enabled 30
far to turn the railing upon its hinges
that We could pass through into the inte.
rior. We stepped into q room which,
although it was large enough otherwise
hardly permitted a full grown man to
stand upright, and was lighted only by q
poor oil lamp, which left all surrounding
things in darkness.
"Where are WEI" asked the guide
"In the dormitory of the prisoners" he
answered. Formerly this was well.
yielding lode; now we have made it into
sleeping-room." We shuddered. This
subterranean cave, into which neither
sun nor moon could ever send ray oil
light, was called an apartment; and in
this terrible grave, the air of which was
pregnant with fearful miasma, the unfor.
tunates banished here by the unpitiablt
law of despotism were compelled to rest
after the days work, upon poor bed o.
strawl Into the dripping walls of ths
rock alcove-like cells had been hollowel
out, and the entire room gave the i'm
preston of an enormous beehive. Every
cell harbors FIVE prisoners during thu
night; and above each of the single cot
strong iron bar was fastened, to which
the unhappy mortals were locked ant
chained like 30 many dogs. No door, nj
window, no chair, no table, no shelving
everywhere the naked rock and rusty
ironl The straw which served as a bee
for the delinquents was
WET AND HALF ROTTEN;
it looked and felt like mass of dung. A
little bag filled with straw served as {