The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-06-06
THE RUSSIAN FAIR-CITY.
THE EFHEMER COMMERCIAL
MART OF NIzHNI NovGoRoD.

A Temporary Caravansary Where
100000 Merchants Assemble
Once n Year.
To traveller visiting Mimi Novgo-
rod for the first time there is something
surprising, and almost startling, in the
appearance of what he supposes to be
the city, and in the scene resented to
him as he emerges from the railway sta
tion and walks away from the low bank
OF the Okla River in the direction Of the
VolKa. The clean, wel-paved streets;
the long rows of substantial buildings;
the spacious boulevard, shaded by
leafy birches and poplars the
canal, spanned at intervals by grace
full bridges; the picturesque tower of the
water-works; the enormous cathedral of
Alexander Nevski the Bourse the
theatres; the hotels; the market places
all seem to indicate great pop
ulous centre of life and commercial
activity; but of living inhabitants there
is not a sign. Grass and weeds arc grow
ing in the middle of the empty streets
and in the chinks of the travcl-worn
sidewalks; birds arc singing fearlessly
in the trees that shade the lonely and
deserted boulevard; the countless shops
and warehouses are all closed, barred and
padlocked; the bells are silent in the
gilded belfries of the churches; aud the
astonished stranger may perhaps wander
for q mile between the solid blocks of
buildings without seeing an open door,
vehicle or a single human being. The
city seems TO have been stricken
by q pestilence and deserted. If
the new conner remembers for what
Mimi Novgorod is celebrated, he is
not long, of course, in coming to the
conclusion that he is on the site of the
famous fair; but the first realization of
the fact that the fair is in itself a sepa-
rate and Independent city, and city
which during nine months of every year
stands empty and deserted, comes to
him with the shock of a great sur
prise.
The fair city Of Nizhni Novgorod is
situated on a low peninsula between the
rivers Okla ana Volga, Just above their
! junction, very much as New York City
is situated on Manhattan Island between
East River and the Hudson. In geo.
graphical position it bears the same re-
lation to the old town of NiZhni Nov
| gorod that New York would bear to
Jersey City If the latter were elevated
on steep terraced bluff four hundred
feet above the level of the Hudson. The
Russian fair city, however, differs from
New York City in that t is mere tenn
porary market "a huge commercial cara
vansary where 500, 600 traders assemble
every year to buy and to sell commodi-
ties. In September it has Frequently y "
population of more than 100, 900 souls,
and contains merchandise valued at ST.
900, 900; while in January, February
and March all Of its inhabitants might
be fed and sheltered in the smallest of
its hotels, and al of its goods might be
put into single one of its innumerable
shops. Its life, therefore, is a sort of in
termittent commercial fever, in which an
annual paroxysm of intense and un-
natural activity is followed by long in
terval of torpor and stagnation.
1t seems almost incredible at first that
a city of such magnitude-a city which
contains churches, mosques, theatres,
markets, banks, hote's, merchants ex-
shops and inhabitable buildings, should
have so ephemeral life, and should
be so completely abandoned every
year after it has served the purpose for
which it was created. When | saw this
unique city for the first time, ofi'a selesr.
frosty night in January, 1863, it pre-
sented an traordnary picture of lone
illness and. desolation. The moonlight
strcamed down into its long empty
streets where the unbroken snow lay two
feet deep upon the sidewalks; it touched
with silver the white walls and swelling
domes of the cd. fair cathedral, from
whose towers there came no claugor of
bells; it sparkled on great snowdfifts
heapcd up against the doors of the
empty houses, and poured food of
pale light over thousands OF snow-cov-
cred roofs; but it d d not reveal any
where a sign of human being. The city
seemed TO be not only uninhabited, but
wholly abandoned to the arctic spirits of
solitude and frost. When | saw it next, at
height of the annual fair in the autumn
OF 1870, it was so changed as to lie al
most unacceptable. 1t was then sur
rounded by great forest of shipping /;
its hot, dusty atmosphere thrilled with
the incessant whistling of steamers; mcr-
chandise to the value of 125, 900, 900
rubles lay on its shores OF was packed
I into its 6000 shops; every building within
its limits was crowded; 60. 900 people
were crossing every day the pontoon
bridge which connected it with the old
town; a military band was playing airs
from Offenbach's operas on the great
boulevard in front Of the Governors
house; and through all the streets of the
terminated and reawakened city poured
great tumultuous flood of human life
George Keanan, IN Century