The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1902-01-25

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which have several stories. by its many
splendid equipages-in fine. by the
whole body OF its inhabitants being
very advanced In the progress Of civ
ilizatlon. and TO which the latest fash
Ions of Paris are not at all strangers.
At that epoch Irkutsk. refuge for the
Siberans of the province. was crowded.
Ii abouDded In resources OF every kind.
Irkutsk Is the emporium for all that
countless merchandise which Is ex-
changed between China. central Asia
and Europe They did not fear TO
draw there. the peasants from the val.
ley of the Angara, the Mongols-Khal-
kas. people from Toungonze and Bou-
ret, and TO allow the wilderness TO
stretch out between the invaders and
the town.
Irkutsk Is the residence OF the gov
ernor general of eastern Siberia. I'm
der him is civil governor, ia whose
hands is concentrated the adminlstra-
ton of the province, head OF the po-
lice. who has n great deal to do In a
town where exilcs aOound. and lastly
mayor. one Of the leading merchants,
an important parsonage by his Inn
mense fortune and 10y the influence
which he has over his fellow citizens.
The garrison OF Irkutsk was then
composed OF a regiment of foot Cos
sacks. which numbered about 1000
men, a body of foot gendarmes, who
wore the helmet and blue uniforms
striped with silver.
Besides, II Is known that ON account
of particular circumstances the brother
OF the ear had been shut up in the
town since the commencement OF the
invasion
TIA, sl;uailon must be given in de-
tail
II was a journey OF political impor-
lance that had led the grand duke into
those distant provinces Of eastern Asia.
The grand duke. after having visited
the principal cities Of Siberia. travelling
in military rather than pyincely style.
without any retlnre. escorted by q de-
tachment OF Cossacks. had zone even
as FAR as the countries beyond the Bal
kan mountains. Nlcholaevsk. the last
Russian town which IS situated on the
shores OF tie SEA Of Okhotsk. had been
honored by his visit
Having reached the boundaries of the
immense Muscovite empire, the grand
duke was returning 10 Irgu,sk, from
whence he would soon return 10 Flu
rope. when the news reached him Of
1 that invasion. which was as suddcn as
II was mehacing He FASTENED to re.
enter the capital. bot when Ee arrived
there communication wish Russia bad
been cut or lie still received a few tel
grams from ST. Petersburg and Mos,
cow. lie could even answer them
Afterward the wire was cut under the
circumstances already known TO the
reader
Irkntsk was Isolated from the rest or
the world.
The grand duke could DO nothing but
organize resistance, a thing which he
did with that tirmness and GOODNESS Of
WHICH he had given under other cir
cumstances inconiestablc proofs.
News Of the taking Of Ichim. OF
OmsE. OF Tomsk came successfully TO
Irkutsk. They could not count OH be-
Ing soon relieved. but they must pre-
vent at all price the occupation Of the
capital or Siberia. The few troops scat
tered over the province Of Amur and
those In the government of lrkutsk
could not arrive ia sufficient numbers
to arrest the Tartar columns. Besides,
since Irkutsk could not possibly escape
being invested. IL was Of the utmost
importance to put the town in posi-
ton to sustain siege of some length.
Those works were begun on the day
on which Tomsk fell into the hands of
the Tartars. AT the same time as that
last news the grand duke learned that
the emir OF Bokhara and the allied
khans were directing the movement In
person, but what he did not know was
that the lieutenant OF those barbarous
chiefs was Ivan Ogareff. Russian off,
Ger whom he himself had cashIered.
From the first, as has been seen, the
Inhabitants OF the province OF Irkutsk
had been ordered 10 abandon the towns
and villages. Those who did not seek
refuge In the capital were compelled to
retire beyond Lake Baikal, to where
the invasion would not likely extend Its
ravages. The crops OF corn and forage
were requlsitioned for the town. and
thnt last rampant OF Russian power In
the extreme east was prepared to re-
sist for some time.
Irkutsk, founded In 1911, Is situated
at the confluence OF the Irkut and the
Angara. on the right bank OF the river
Two wooden bridges. built on piles and
so arranged as to open the whole width
or the river for the necessities OF navi-
CATION. Joined the town with its out
skirts which extended along che left
bank. The outskirts were abandoned,
the bridges destroyed. The passage of
the Angara. which was very wide at
that place. would not have been posi-.
bic under the fire OF the besicged. But
the river could be crossed either above
or below the town. and as conse.
quencc Irkutsk was la danger of being
attacked on the east side. which no
rampant protected.
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