Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-03-18
The Cars Tenants.
From the Globe.

A queer story is told Of the Winter Palace
of the Gar, which may be given as illustra-
ting the great extent Of the place, and the
possibilities of mischief it affords In the
time Of Nicholas, the father Of the present
Gar, a number of sentries were posted on
the roof to guard against fire or foes. Find
ing the climate up there not altogether so
comfortable as could be wished, this perma-
nent watch at length contrived to convey on
to the roof the materials for number Of
huts or cabins, which in course of time they
erected under the shelter of the chimney
stacks. SO snug and cosy did they manage
to make themselves that it at length occur
red to the married men among them that,
as there was plenty of room up there, they
might well enlarge their establishments.
Accordingly wives and families, one after
another, found their way out on to the I'M
Derial leads Several of the single members
of the guard, finding such tempting op-
portunity OF setting up housekeeping eco
nomically, took wives to themselves, and
after while quite a considerable colony
had sprung up.
How far the development might have gone
on If the individuals composing this parasitic
little village had been reasonably cautious
and careful in their behavior it is difficult to
guess; but the establishment of families
among the chimneys Of the palace led grad
uaiIy to the accumulation of domestic ami
mais Fowls multiplied amazingly, and
goats became numerous and hourished so
well in the bracing atmosphere that at
length 1t was suggested that COW might
conveniently be added to the farm stock.
How the animal vas elevated We are not in
formed, but 1t is stated as fact that it was
by some means hoisted to the roof, and WAS
eventually the ruin of the community. The
lowing OF the COW came to certain official
ears and led to an investigation And the
total breaking up of the queer little society.
Even at that time it is said that the Russian
Emperor felt so little confidence in his per-
sonal security that nobody ever knew in
which bedroom he was going to sleep. A
large number were always kept ready and
unoccupied, and at bedtime the Car would
quietly slip into any one of them selected at
the moment.
The Winter Palace is described as the
largest palace in the world, being one-third
larger than that of the Emperor Of Austria,
and unsurpassed in point Of splendor. 1t is
the residence of the Car and his Court dur
ing the Winter, and stands on the left bank
of the Neva, on the site of house which,
in the reign of Peter the Great, belonged to
his high Admiral, Count Apraxin, who be-
queathed it to Emperor Peter II. 1t was SO
completely destroyed by fire in 1887 that it
was necessary to rebuild it, and one of the
not least remarkable facts connected with it
is that its present form was the work of two
short years.
Custine gives terrible description Of the
rise of this monstrous citadel In order to
complete the task at the time appointed by
the Czar the interior works we're continued
during the great frosts; and, whom the
thermometer outside was 80 deg below zero
Of Reaumur, 5000 workmen were daily shut
up in halls heated to 80 deg of keaumur in
order that the walls might dry the quicker;
so that these poor wretches had to endure .
difference of so deg of temperature. No
wonder considerable number Of them died
daily; and it is said that those who were en-
gagged to paint the interior Of the most
heated halls were obliged to place on their
heads a kind of bonnet Of ice in order to
preserve the use of their senses undsE the
burning temperature.