Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-03-16
Hancaster fntelligenrer.
TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 10, 1890
The Cars Tenants.


A queer story is told of the Winter
Palace of the Gar, which may be given as
illustrating 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. 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 ma
terials for a number of huts or cabins,
which in course of time they erected under
the shelter of the chimney stacks. 50
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 establishments.
Accordingly wives and families, one after
another, found their way out on to the
imperiai leads. Several of the single men,
bers of the guard, finding such tempting
opportunity of setting up housekeeping
economically, took wives to themselves,
and after a while quite 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 gradually to the accumulation
of domestic animals. Fowls multiply
amazingly, and goats become numerous
and flourish so we'll in the bracing atmos-
phere that at length it was suggested that
a COW might conveniently be added to the
farm stock. How the animal was elevated
:,,co h,,f &c cfofoA a
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 society. Even at that time it is
said that the Russian emperor felt SO little
confidence in his personal security that
nobody ever knew in which bedroom he
was going to sleep. A large number was
always kept ready and unoccupied, and at
bedtime the Car 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
splendor. 1t is the residence of the Gar
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 belonged to his high ad-
miral, Count Apraxin, who bequeathed it
to Emperor Peter II. 1t was SO CON-
pletely 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.
CustiGe gives a terrible description OF
the rise of this monstrous citadel In order
to complete the task at the time appointed
by the Gar, the interior works were con.
tinued during the great frOsts and when
the thermometer outside was 30o below
zero of Reaumur, 5000 workman were
daily shut up in halls heated to 3OO OF
Reaumur in order that the walls might dry
the quicker SO that these poor wretches
had to endure difference of co. of tenn
perature. No wonder considerable mum.
Der of them died daily &; and it is said
that those who were engaged to paint the
interior of the most heated halls were
obliged to place On their heads kind OF
bonnet of ice in order to preserve use o
their senses under the burning tempera
ture.-Gldbe.