The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-27
LEGEND OF ST. PETERSBURG.
Tale of the Foundation of the Russian
Capital.
London Telegraph.


On glorious spring morning toward
the close OF May two hundred years ago
a momentous historic event took place in
very quiet way, with not even chroni-
cler TO describe the details. Woodland
water and cloudless sky formed the frame
work Of the picture. the foreground of
which was occupied with a number of boats
sailing on the surface of broad river
and manned with warriors, fierce looking,
oddly dressed and wrangling among them
selves in loud tones. They were the famous
"Bombardier" regiment which had achiev-
ed feats OF proweSs a few weeks before
during the battle with the Swedes and
their captain the most imposing
figure of them all, sitting in the Prov OF
stout vessel ahead OF the rest. The
weather was bright and bracing. and the
breeze caused the face of the blue, broad
Neva TO wrinkle. as 1t lost itself in the
his back to the sea gazing at the smiling
islands in front, which were literally COW
cred with dense forests; indeed, had it
boats he might have fancied himself in
country Heretofore unvisited by man.
The whole district. Swedish down to
couple OF weeks before mad recently been
tain now landed on the most pleasantly
situated and attractive of the islands, and,
with a few of his officers, was making his
I'm the air above arrested his attention
Looking up he beheld a great eagle flap
ping its wings and then swiftly descending
He did not then know that Ii was a bird
tanned by the men who were wont to load
the boa with timber, but looked upon
its appearance as a good omen for his un-
dertIking. Selling bayonet. therefore.
he cut out two sods of turf. placed them
one on the other like the beams of a cross,
then made a wooden cross from two boughs
and, pressing il into the sods. exclaimed:
I'm the name of Jesus Christ let there
be church on this spot. and let its name
be those of the chief apostles: Peter and
Paul,'' And it was he had said. The
church. with its golden spire now sur
mounts the terrible fortress I'm which many
political prisoners have persisted niserablv
and the city around ii is st. Petersburg
for the captain of Bombardiers'' was
Peter the Great
Such is the legendary tale of the founda-
ton OF the northern Palmyra, which is
said TO have been jotted down by an officer
of TIE corps at the time. and to have
among the foundations or the fortress. But
history gives a more prosaic account
OF the matter. Petersburg was not built
on virgin soil. but on the site Of a rising
Hanseatic League. had used the Neva as
a commercial waterway, and the Swedes.
well aware of its enormous value as
trade route. took IL in 1917. built a fortress
on the stream Okhta, on whose banks
town soon arose inhabited by merchants.
who owned many q hundred ships.
I'm those vessels Russian produce was ex-
ported abroad and foreign wares were
brought back to Russia And so rapidly did
the well being OF these traders grow that
in the year 100. when Peter the Great be-
gar his war with the Swedes. many houses
were built of stone. Another generation
and IL would have been a formidable
STRONGHOLD OF Swedish power: but on the
the fortress aud entered il on the following
day.