Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-16
HAD A MARVELLOUS GROWTH
Population Jumped From $4,000 to
100000 in Ten Years
FAVORED BY GRAND DUKES
Are Alleged to Have Profited
Largely by Increase in Values
of Its Real Estate.

BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.
ODESSA, Russia, August II. 1910
There is boom town in southern Rus
STA with short history like that of some
Of our western cities-yesterday a viii
lage. today a fiourishing center of COM
merce and trade, tomorrow the metropolis
of the Black sea.
The boomers call it tie Winnipeg of
Europe but it was named Nicolaieff. in
honor Of Nicholas the Iron Gear, and it
is situated at the mouth of the River
Bug, at the head Of an estuary of the
Black sea, sixty miles north of Odessa,
and six hours sail from that port by the
ordinary steamers.
Until 1854 Nicolaief was sleepy and
insignificant village included in the area
which Catherine II wrested from the
great Turk by the war of ITS. During
the Crimean war it gained some historical
prestige by being temporary naval sta
ton after Sebasttopol was corked up
During the latest war between Russia and
Turkey in 1677-7S, it was used as
rendezvous camp but there was no bust
ness there until 1884, when railway
in the northern part of the empire was
extended down to touch the Black sea,
and N1colaief became an outlet for the
grain of southern Russia and an entire
pot Of much imported merchandise. a.
Favor of Imperial Family.
The convenience of the situation, the
superiority of its harbor over that of
Odessa, and the favor of the imperial
family and the clique Of sycophants and
spectators who hang around the grand
dukes, gave it preference among ship
pers, and since 1893 it has been grow
ing faster than Minneapolis or Seattle.
1t has jumped from eighteen thousand to
two hundred thousand population in
decade During the same time it has
acquired the largest shipping business in
grain. manganese ore and coal in the
Russian empire, and is booming along in
an extraordinary manner. The population
is increasing at the rate of ten thousand
year. The volume of business is gain 4
ing with even greater rapdity, the value
of real estate has advanced thousand |
per cent during the last eighteen years
and the wealth Of the community Is in
creasing at corresponding rate.
The success and prosperity OF Nicolaief.
the partially Of the grand Dukes and the
imperial court, through whose influence
much has doubtless been done to encour-
age the new town at the expense of Odessa
A deep harbor has been dredged. with a
channel of thirty feet the government
has built elevators, and the department of
communications has manipulated railway
rates and traffic arrangements go as to
divert the grain trade in that direction
1t is the unanimous opinion that Nico-
laieff is favored above all other cities By
the imperial family and the members of
the court. and that the benefits and ad-
vantages it enjoys have been entirely due
to their influence for two reasons:
First it is asserted that the grand
dukes and their friends are heavily inter
ested In real estate speculations at Nico-
laieff, and have made enormous sums of
money by the advance in the prices of
property, which is entirely probable.
Willing to Destroy Odessa.
Second, it is asserted that the grand
ing but anxious to destroy Odessa because
of their hatred of the Jews. Nearly all
the business at Nicolaieff is in the hands
everything. and will enjoy the benefit of
whatever is done for the Improvement
and prosperity of this city.
This is strange reason, but stranger
things have happened in Russia and even
more civilized countries. The court never
aristocracy, so society here. 1t is purely
business community, and the wealthy
classes are all Jews. 1t is asserted that
the governor general cannot round up
enough civilians of suff1cient rank to fill
his dinner table, while large number of
impecunious nobiemen and poor relations
OF the proud families of the court have
found lucrative situations at Nicolaieff.
One would think that the grand dukes
would keep out of such schemes after
their experience in Manchuria. It was
their avarice and grasping dispositions
that brought on the war with Japan. You
will remember that the first clash between
the two nations occurred in the Yalu VAL
ley Of Korea, where company organized
by the grand dukes was trying to steal
the timber.
That is historical fact. and there may
be equal foundation for the reports that
are SO freely repeated concerning their
speculations at Nicolaieff. If so the flu
ture prosperity of the town rests upon an
unstable foundation.
The latest story is that the naval head
quarters are to be removed from Sevas-
topol to Nicolaieff. through the influence
of the grand ducal circle, but it scarcely
seems credible that such perfect harbor
and such enormous investments in shops,
docks, warehouses, arsenals and other
plants as have been made there should be
abandoned to crafty a few greedy specu