Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-12-02
THE RUSSIAN CAPITAL.
An Americans Impression of the Magnifi-
cent City of the Neya.

An Americans Impression of the Magnif-
cent City of the Neva.
Cronstadt is the seward sentinel of
st. Petersburg. Seven islands in the
middle Of wide, shallow bay, the
islands covered by immense forts and
the channel to be traversed by vessels
winding between them, create an i'm
preston that this is not one of Russia's
weak points Indeed, one look into
the threats of those frowning guns
conveys an idea of impregnability.
The next impression of strength made
upon my mind was by the extent of
Russias wheat fields. 1t has so hap
pened that / followed the harvesting
of cereals through Belgium. Denmark,
Sweden and parts of Russia. From
the English channel to the Ural
mountain and, understand, far be-
You'd them, it seemed to be nearly
unbroken field of yellow grain.
America has no longer corner on
wheat. The average crop of the
United States is about twelve bushels
per acre. Ii Russia, by reason Of poor
farming, averages eight bushels per
acre, she can, think, owing to the
cheapness of her land and labor,
undersell u.s. Apparently she has
enough wheat harvested this year to
feed the entire world,
ST. Petersburg may well be styled
the Magnificent City of the Neva. its
streets are broad, buildings massive,
parks numerous, museums interesting
and its monuments grand. have en-
deavored to refrain from giving space
for reference to pictures, statuary,
churches, architecture and art, which
most travellers describe with minute
ness. But a part of the charm and
bloom of Eastern countries would be
wanting were the aesthetic wholly
eliminated from what say.
In front of the Hermitage Museum
at st. Petersburg are ten monolith
Siberian marble statues supporting the
portico, each one of which is fifteen
feet high, fully developing in the most
ideal manner Herculean strength. In
this great depository of National
wealth, among many other things is q
solid jasper vase ten feet broad, six
teen feet long and about nine feet
high st. Isaac's Cathedral has four
equal fronts in the form of a cross. At
each of the facades project great por-
ticos supported double rows of mono
18th columns seven feet in diameter
and sixty feet high-slxty-four in all.
Sublimely beautiful and in effect upon
the mind not unlike that produced by
view of the Egyptian pyramids.
The River Neva is here about half a
mile wide. 1t is crossed by ten bridges,
lighted by gas or electricity. Seen in
the evening. with miles of similar
lights reflected in the water from the
quays made busy by hurrying crowds
of men, women and vehicles, the sight
is one of exceptional beauty. Driving
in the streets of st. Petersburg is some
thing to be remembered. The private
carriages are fine barouches, quite like
our own, and generally drawn
by black Tartarian or Bulgarian
stallion horses. Those animals have
long names and tails and are
driven at rate of speed that
would make the commissioners of Cen.
trail Park stare and clear the concourse
of people in short time. The drosky
is small four wheeled, one-horse car.
riage, very low in the body, seating
two passengers and driver in the
front. All drivers wear long surtout
coats reaching to their feet, plated
over the hips and hustled behind. The
cap is low, broad on top, with curved
rim, exactly like that of a gentleman
stove-pipe hat. Around the top of the
hat are attached several small quilts OIL
feathers, in numbers according to the
Cossack or provincial rank of thu
driver. The harness is made of very
small pieces of strong leather. 1t il
attached to the carriage or wagon b,
double traces, one to the whiflletree,
and one at the end of the axletree out
side of the hub-an extra precautioI
against accidents. Over the horse
shoulder and his collar is raised an or
namental OK bow, about twenty inche
In height Within and on this bow are
arranged pretty tassels and small bells
In Moscow horses attached to omni
buses, hotel coaches and private car
riages are driven four abreast Bein:
conveyed from the depot in one @
those Oriental equipages one feels a
if he or she were entering the chario
races of the Olympian feats Brook
'yn Eagle.