Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-21
THE RUSSIAN WINTER PALACE.
A Structure that was Erected by Peter
the Great.
We found that it was undergoing re-
pairs, says a correspondent of the Hartford


We found that it was undergoing re-
pairs, says a correspondent of the Hartford
Times, but went through 100
of the 1000 apartments. The
palace was built by Peter
the Great, but each succeeding monarch
has made his own additions. The State
apartments are enormous and very mag
niticent. The design seems to have been
to make them light as possible, and rock
crystal, in candelabra and vases, adds to
this effect. The present Emperor occupies
the palace only for few days at time,
and his private apartments are unOsten.
tatiOus. Altogether, the most elegant are
those belonging to the Duchess of Edin-
burgh. These beautiful rooms. furnished
with exquisite taste, and ready at any
time for occupation, open on one side into
a summer garden filed with tropical
plants, while on the other side the outlook
is into the broad open space into the Gen.
tire of the city. Here one can in winter sit
inside the great double windows, a perfect
protection from the cold, and view with
satisfaction the broad eXpause of snow,
the multitude of vehicles, and the life and
gayety without.
Among the apartments occupied by
Alexander IL. we were interested to see
the dining-roOm where the attempt was
made to take his life. BY happy deten
ton he reached the door just as the dyna-
mite placed in the cellar tore to pieces the
floor under the table and the wall on one
side of the room. Another apartment of
historic interest is the bed-chamber where
the late Empress died, and where she was
kept alive for some time by medicated
air, which was introduced into the room
by means of pipes. After it had been
proved that she lived only to suffer, the
supply of air thus prepared was cut of,
and she died within half an hour.
We saw on the walls of this place the
original painting Of THE Chocolate
Girl" a lovely water-color, and learned
that she was waiting-maid to the wife of
Nicholas, the grandmother to the present
Emperor, and that she is still living in the
palace; she is now 80 years Of age, and is
regarded with interest as a relic of the
olden time.
The apartments of the Emperor
Nicholas are touching in their simplicity.
The furniture is mahogany, covered with
leather, and the appointments are such as
might belong to any private gentleman.
They are all, including comb, very bad
" broken, guarded with scrupulous care.
The bed on which he died is narrow cot;
and portrait which was taken, with his
eyes closed, as he lay in bed after death,
is placed on the pillow. Some may recall
the engraving of the grand, beautiful
face, which was exhibited in Hartford at
the time of his death, at the store of Mr..
Charles Hosmer, and many among US re-
member the Emperor as one who loved
our Governor Seymour. His proud spirit
could not. brook the modification of his
defeat in the CTimean war, and he forced
his physician to administer poison to him
in such way that he would appear to
have died of paralysis. The poor man was
obliged to obey or lose his life, which,
however, did him little good, fer in the
course of a few days he was assassinated
in Germany, whittier he had fed for safety.