New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-13
A RUSSIAN SLUM.
TUE RECEPTACLE OF GREAT EN-
pIRES DERELICT HUMANITY.

r,x rort.r.ATIoN OF RUSSIAN sI.UMs-
RAPIDLY CHANGING CONDITIONS
OF THE COUNTRY
=, ,,o nrescrt moment Russia is practically
-, AGITATION in European politics. Nothing o. IN
,,,oraI importance takes place in Europe
-, ber advice being consulted. and in late
.,s no, even withou, her consent. Every
-, v,ould Ike to have her for a friend, and
w. are ANXIOUS to measure strength with her III
-, Year atgor year she goes on acquiring more
,a--;,orv she is not yet able to get all that
40 would Ike &C have. but she manages to gel
-, deal and sees to it that what she cannot
-, lust now does not fail into dangerous
rgsrs hands
uhat attention is called to in this paper is the
,,ernal process Of development which Is gong
~ in the Russian Empire while II is making
,,cb strides in its foreign politics. OutWard'y
,s,prs seem to lie moving smoothly, but no"
dos this success compare with what is gong on
!, the country itself? Taken negatively the
.urs of country are advantageous places 10
s,udy its internal sccia! evolution They are It's
human refuse heaps, into which are thrown ac-
,or6ng 10 The moral standard Of the nation al
those who have proved wanting IL the struggle
~ succeed AID many who have been found
s,ncerous to the general welfare. at present
,ss,e * hardly another country in the world
lsyinr claim To- recognition as civilizinS force
N which more people are beng ground down into
sums on account Of their inability to adapt
themselves to new conditions and higher stand
ud Of life than in Russia. II is an incvi'abie
condition Of affairs. The country is in transition
safe developing gradually into more or less
modern commonwealth, and natural laws are at
work under which some find themselves unable
10 compete.
l. is not many months since that visited IN
company Of a Russian investigator, the largest
stun in lhe empire. The following report is
made in al friendinoss to Russia, and IN the
firm conviction tina; some day there Wih he
evolved Oui Of her present chaotic social con
dhiors great nation in both its home and for
eign politics.
The younc man who WAS guide and companion
n these Investigations was AieXei Syrsky, who
+ one OF the few Russians who have gone into
he subject in a truly personal way. Ho has pr2c-
ITALY had 10 fight his way out Of the gutter,
ud it was the impressions received during his
eufortiess childhood that eventually inpelled
tin to make the study Of the poor and criminal
lis life work He is now about thirty years of
.se and supports himself and wife by journal
Em in St Petersburg.
THE MONASTERY"
The Stun he took me to see is situated in the
zbalkansky Prospect in St. Petersburg about a
fsndred and fifty PAGES from the Ani;chikon
Palace where the Car and CzaIina sometimes
i've From the street one would hardly take it
~ slum indeed. the high board fence sur
runding II shuts out from view all but one
kidding and it is necessary TO go through the
gateway leading into the Courty ard 10 see the
others Here there are four two-Storled. dirty
brick buildings and they are called by the people
who live II them the Viazemski Lavra' OF
Monastery The name is merely an attempt al
sarcasm on the part Of the dodgers for the place
gives the impression of anything but a mones-
terry Tn buildings remind one of tumble-down
ienement- houses, such as may still be seen IN
some Of the large cities in the United States, and
there is look OF general shabbiness and neglect
10 The yard which recalls many American back
alleys Al night dray wagons and droskies take
~ most OF the yards space. and III the daytime
is given over 10 a rabble OF tattered and
bear-eysd tramps beggars and "oui-of-works
Of all ages and conditions.
The property belongs to the princely family
Of Vazemshi being rented by them TO middle
men who re-rent it, in the shape Of spots" 20
sleep on, TO all who can pay ten anG I'VE kOpecKs
tnight One night last winter l0.lO men. w0m-
q and children slept in the i've buildings WhlCh
err al inclOsed in space not much larger IMAM
baseball diamond" Mr.. Svirsky did not con-
foer il advisable TO visit the place in respectable
e@ihes so We put on old suits-mine came from
'he cyOrnik o. the house in which was hVing
and smeAred our faces and hands with burned
cork When ready 10 start out / looked very
Much like the ordinary Russian peasant, and so