Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-04-07
The Cars Tenants.

In the time of Nicholas, the father of the
present Car, q number of sentries were
posted on the roof to guard against fire OIL
foes. Finding the climate up there not
altogether so comfortable as could be wished,
this permanent watch at length contrived to
convey on to the roof the materials for q
number of huts or cabins, which in course
of time they erected under the shelter Of the
chimney stacks. So snug and cOzy did
they manage to make themselves that it at
length occurred to the married men among
them that, as there was plenty of room up
there, they might as well enlarge their
establishment. Accordingly wives and
families, one after another, found their way
out on to the imperial leads. Several of
the single members of the guard, finding
such tempting opportunity of setting up
housekeeping economically, took wives TO
themselves, and after while quite q con-
siderable 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
ually to the accumulation of domestic ami
mails. Fowls multiply amazingly, and
goats become numerous and flourish so well
in the bracing atmosphere that at length it
was suggested that COW might convenient
ly be added TO the farm stock. How the
animal was elevated we are not informed
but it is stated as fact that It was by some
means hoisted to the roof, and was event
ually 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 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. \
large number was always kept ready and
unoccupied, and at bedtime the Gar would
quietly slip into 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 splen-
dor. IL is the residence of the Car and his
court during the winter, and stands on the
left bank of the Neva, on the site of house,
which in the reign of Peter the Great be-
longed to his high admiral, Count Apraxin,
who bequeathed it to Emperor Peter ii.
1t was 50 completely destroyed by fire in
lS47 that il was necessary to rebuild it, and
one of the not least remarkable facts con-
nected 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 Car,
the interior works were continued during
the great frOsts; and when the thermometer
outside was thirty deg. below Zero Of
Reaumur, 6,00O workman were daily shut
up in halls heated to thirty deg. of Reaumur
IN order that the walls might dry the quick
er; so that these poor wretches had to en-
dure difference of sixty deg. of tempera-
ture. No wonder a considerable number
of them died daily; and it is said that those
who were engaged to paint the interior of
the most heated halls We're obliged to place
on their heads a kind OF bonnet of ice in
order TO preserve use Of their senses under
the burning temperature.