Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-05-01
THE GEARS WINTER PALACE.
How Family Secretly Lived Upon Il
Roof and Kept a Cow.

4tSSA oAA ~A~Po ~ WV
A queer story is told of the Winter Pal
ace 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, 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 onto 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. So
snug and cosy 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 i'm
perial 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 while quite considerable col
ony had sprung up. How far the develop
ment might have gone on if the individu-
ais 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 multiplied amazingly, and goats be-
came numerous and flourished so well in
the bracing atmosphere that at length it
was suggested that COW might be con-
veniently added to the farm stock. How
the animal was elevated we are not in
formed, but it is stated as fact that it
was by some means hoisted to the roof,
and was eventually the ruin of the COM
munity. The lowing of the cow came to
certain official ears, and led to an investi-
cation 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 personal 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 Gar would quietly slip
into any one of them selected at the mo-
ment. 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 Admiral,
Count Apraxin, who bequeathed it to EN-
peror Peter Ii. 1t was so completely de-
stroyed by fire in 1887 that it was neces-
sary 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. The palace is four stories high, or
about eighty feet. The frontage is ASS
feet in length, and the breadth $50 feet.
The principal entrance is from the Neva,
and leads by magnificent flight of marble
steps to the State apartments of the palace.
A gateway, in the center of the building
facing Alexander's column, opens into a
large court. The most magnificent apart
ments are the Throne Room of Peter L.,
where the diplomatic corps generally pre-
sent their congratulations of New Years
day; the White Hall the Hall of st.
George parallelogram of l40 feet by 60
feet the Gallery of the Field Marshals,
and the Alexander Gallery The interior
is most gorgeous, suites Of splendid halls
being filled with marble, malachite, vases
and pictures while the crown and other
jewels are of almost inestimable value.