Durango semi-weekly herald. (Durango, Colo.) 1899-1907, 1906-07-30
HOME OF THE pouMA
is SPLENDID PALACE

HOME OF THE pouMA
is SPLENDID PALACE
Famous Tauride, Built BY Catherine
The Great, Used for the
Meetings.
By William E. Curtis, In Chicago Rec
ord-Herald.
ST. PETERSBURG, July 6.-By
one of those strange freaks of his
tory the Tauride Palace, in which the
douma sits, happens to be one of the
most characteristic whims and ex-
travagances OF that extraordinary
woman. Catherine the Great, empress
of autocrats, the Cleopatra of modern
times. She built II in 1888 to bestow
upon her most enduring favorite and
| lover. Prince Potemkin He was an
able general. He subdued the Tartar
Khan of Crimea and added that beau
tiful peninsula to the Russian en-
| prize. The territory was then called
''Tauride." and Catherine christened
the palace In honor OF the hero OF
the Tauride,' when She gave 1t to
him as his reward with fortune as
well as her own robust but tickle at.
fections.
With Potemkin as her escort she
made journey from st. Petersburg
to the Black Sea to inspect her new
possessions and in order that she
might be properly impressed with the
value of the conquest the prince hur-
riedly built model villages along the
| route. which she stopped to admire.
Some of them have since become
places of importance, and several,
like katerinoslav and Katerinodar,
were named in her honor.
After taking possession of the pal
ace Potemkin gave his empress one
of the most sumptuous entertain
men ..,. eyer e9ntrlYea BY human ex-
Nero, Callgula and other afcRiiat4sFafi
prodigality and splendor. He invit-
ed 600 guests and received them
standing at the side of the empress
In a uniform that was almost covered
with diamonds and other jewels. 1t
weighed as much as a coat of mail.
and his golden helmet studded with
gems was so heavy that 1t could not
be worn and an aid de camp carried
II upon n cusbin at his masters side.
The banquet was served on dishes of
gold and in the middle of the feast
ballot was danced by the Grand Duke
Alexander and Constantine and 200
OF the daughters OF the nobility and
the most beautiful young women OF
the court. This banquet occurred
and the ballot was danced in the very
its sittings.
Potemkin lived In Tauride Palace
for six years until his death In 1891.
when Catherine bought back the pro-
perty from his heirs at an extravagant
price and occupied 1t herself for a
time. When she died her crazy son
and successor, Paul, who hated Po-
temkin. had the place stripped of its
decorations, dismantled and remod-
eled as stable for the horse guards
He had Potemkin's remains taken
from his tomb and dumped upon a
dung hill. Alexander I. restored the
palace and for rs years It was used
for the entertainment OF royal guests
and persons OF distinction and finally
became an asylum for decayed and In
digent members OF the imperial fam
| lily and pensioners OF the crown. like
Kensington Palace and Hampton
! Court at London 1t was restored and
1 repaired throughout In the '90s 80
that when the government was look
ing about for a suitable place for the
| sessions of the new parliament the
Tauride was practically prepared for
that purpose.
The architect was Staroff. Rus
sian who designed several other OF
the principal buildings of st. Peters
burg under the patronage of Gather
inc the Great The facade is Greek
with a noble Dortico supported by six
immense monolithic pillars OF granite.
Upon this portico you can find. from
morning till night, crowd OF cur
ious looking people, similar In appear
ance Except for costumes) and pur-
pose to those that assemble daily In
the waiting room of the house OF rep.
resentatives at Washington. They
all want something. or have sugges-
lions to urge upon the leaders; they
have sent In their cards to members
OF the douma and are waiting patient
ly for the replies, or they hope to
catch the object OF their interest as
he passes in or out. The door is
guarded by a splendid specimen of q
Russian soldier, a Goliath In stature
but as gentle and courteous as any
angel who guards gate. The peo
pie who form the waiting crowd fur
nish an interesting study and even {
stranger can classify them by theil
manners and their faces. their ex
pressions OF anxiety or contentment
their air OF humility or assuranc,
and the quality OF their garments.
Behind the palace Is a large garden
and grove. beautifed with fountains
and statuary. which has been opel
to the public for half century and 4