Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-08
Conquest by the Russians.

Ferghana was formerly an Independent
KLAMATH and Kokand, which is 1,176 miles
| east of the Caspian sea, was its capital
1t never was famous for anything in
particular. 1t never possessed the influ-
ence and attractions Of Samarkand or
Pokhara or rivaled their splendor in ar
chitecture or display of wealth; but its
| it has been much easier to make living
! out Of the ground here than anywhere
| else east of the Caucasus or the VOlga
valley.
! Kud-o-jar was the last of the khans
or kings of kokand and when the Rus
SLAMS approached his limited dominions he
distributed the ladies of his ample harem
| among his friends, with the exception of
| a few favOrites. and fed to Mecca, where
| he died four years later. His palace still
stands, and is used by the Russians as
a storehouse for military supplies. 1t is
| a cheap imitation Of the splendid tile
| enameled buildings erected by Tamerlane
and the moguis, and Is scarcely worthy
| of attention. Modern kokand Is much
more interesting than the old native city.
| because 1t represents life and progress.
| There is something doing every day in
the development of natural resources and
pacity of the country. The population Of
the Russian town Is about 10000, who
live on both sides of two long, wide, well
shaded streets named in honor of Skobe-
left. and Rosenbach, the Russian gen.
erals who massacred more natives in the
subsection of Turkestan than any others
| A station on the railway near kokand
is also named In honor of Skobeleff.
Buildings Of One Story.
The tendency of the earth to quake
| compels people to live in one-story build
ings, but there is plenty of ground to
spread them over. and, as in other Rus
sion settlements Of Turkestan, everybody
| has a garden and a grove, and sur
rounds them with high mud walls. so that
you can see only the tops of the trees.
This is aggravating. to visitor who has
heard of the artistic gardens and the
beautiful lawns which decorate the homes
| of the wealthy people. Being the head
quarters Of the military governor of the
| province and his administrative staff
| Kokand, like Tashkend. has a martial
air, and the largest buildings are devoted
/ to military purposes. The barracks are
| enormous; there are large warehouses
| and armories and arsenaIs, hospitals and
| officers quarters; a big Greek church,
/ where the soldiers may seek salvation; a
theater. where they may find diversion:
! a club, where. 1t is said, the officers gam
BILE and drink a great deal-more than is
good for them-and two fine schools for
| the education Of the children Of the mill
tary class, In which, fortunately, the
| civilians may share.
| Center of Extensive Trade.
| The Russo-Chinese Bank and other
| financial institutions have branches here
and do large business for the size of the
town. i do not know another commu-
nifty of similar population that has an ex-
| port trade of larger proportions and
| profits-chiefy cotton, wool, hides, Per-
sian lambskins and rugs-and the VOL
| ume of imports seems unnecessary until
| YOU come to understand the vast guam
| titles of merchandise of every sort that
| are shipped through the mountains by
! camel caravans into China.
This business is altogether In the hands
| of Jews who have the reputation of be-