CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1903-04-02

Siberians OF the province. was crowded.
II abounded In resources OF every kind
\ lrkutsk Is the emporium for all that
\ countless mercha ndise 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 Ans:ara. the Mongols-k
kas people from Toungouze 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 a civil governor. In whose
hands is concentrated the administers
tiop OF the province. lead Of the po-
lice. who has great deal TO do in
town where exlles ABOUND. and lastly
a mayor. one OF the leading merchants.
an important parsonage by his I'M
mense fortune and by the Influence
which he has over his fellow citizens.
The garrison OF Irkutsk was then
composed OF regiment of foot Cos
sacks. which numbered about 2.ooo
men. body OF foot gendarmes. who
wore the helmet and blue uniforms
striped with silver.
Besides. IL Is known that on account
Of PARTICULAR circumstances the brother
Of the czar had been shut up In the
town since the commencement OF the
Invasion.
That situation must be given In de
tail
1t was n Journey OF political impor-
\ tancc thn, had led the grand duke into
I those distant provinces OF eastern Asia.
The grand duke. after having visited
the principal cities of Siberia. travelling
In military rather than princeiy style.
without any retinue. escorted 10y 4 de
tnrbment of cossacks. had gone even
as far as the countries beyond the Bal
kan mountains Nicboiaevsk. the last
Russian town which Is situated on the
sborrK of the sra OF Okhotsk. had been
honored by his visit
Having reached the boundaries OF the
imm.n<. Muscovite empire. the grand
siuk. uns returning TO trgutsk. FROM
whence. he would soon eturu TO En
I rop.. when the news reached him OF
| that Invasion. which was xs sudden Ms
I Il was m.naciug He hastened TO re
enter the capital. but when be arrived
tber- communication with Russia had
been cut OF He stiii received few tel
I gfn.e from si f-,-rsburg and Mos
cow liz. could even answer them
Aft.rward the wire was cut under the
circumstances alr,ady known TO tb"
reader.
Irkuisk was isoinsed FROM the rest of
I the world
Th. grand duke could do pothing hui
I orsantg,. rs-.tStancr. thing which hr
did with thai Htmness and ccolness of
i wIrch h. uad gwen under other ctr
cnmSinnc,-- incon,rstablc proofs
News OF the taking of ichim. OF
/ omSk. OF Tomsk. came surs--ss'vcly Ia
[ lrsniSk They could not count on i'r
Ing soon relieved. bu, they must pss'
eeni at all price the ocrupaneu OF the
capital OF Siberia The few troops scat
tered over che province OF. A+.s-r aud
those in the government of -.iSs
could not arrive Ia suiicieui uugnipcrs
TO arrest th.. Tartar columns. .i'>.,ics,
since iriu;sk could nor possibly escape
being Invested. IL was OF the utnlust
Importance TO put the town IN pos
tion 10 sustain sage of SON" ivuSth.
ThoSe works were legun ON the day
ON which Tomsk fcll into the hands OF
the Tnrtars At the same time as iiIat
last news the grand duke learned that
the emir of Bokhara aud 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 offi'
Ger whom he himself had cashiered.
From the tirst. as has been seen. the
inha biinnts of the province OF irkutsk
had been ordered 10 abandon thp 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
r1vaeer. The crops OF corn and forage
were requisitioned for the town. and
that last rampant Of Russian power in
the extreme east was prepared to re-
sint for some time.
Irkutsk. founded In 1911. ts situated
at the confluence OF the Irkut and the
Angara. on the right bank of the river.
Two wooden bridges. built on piles and
- arranged as 10 open the whole width
Of the river for the necessities of navi-
cation. Joined the town with its out.
skirts which extended along the 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 possi'
Bile under the Ore of the besiagcd. But
the river could be crossed either above
or below the town. and Ms conse-
Quence Irkutsk was In danger OF being
attacked on the east side. which no
rampant protected.
II was. then. In works OF foriitication
that the hands were trst employed.
They worked day and night. The grand
I .t..t.. fs...., a .,trttal Ia finu in