Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-01-23

ness. Mr. Woodruff is globe trotter
London. Budapest, Vienna New York
and other capitals. but he declares that
for genuine wickedness they are out
classed by Irkutsk.
''IrlIutsk is not only the wickedeSt,
but it is the fastest city in the world"
said Mr.. Woodruff soon after his re-
turn to New York. There is more
night life in that little town of 100000
people than there is in all Paris or New
York In one of the gambling houses
there l saw as much as 500. 600 staked
on the turn of a card a dozen times IN
an evening Why, the gamblers at
Monte Carlo are pikers compared with
some of the sporty citizens of Irkutsk-
In the cafes saw gay parties drinking
bottle after bottle of wine at $50 per
bottle. In all my travels l have never
seen so many beautiful and well dress
ed wonderland women of all nation
alities.
BRILLIANCE YVES WITH VICE
THE opera there is almost as bril-
liant as the opera in Paris. Duets. sui
cides. murders, are of weekly occur.
renee. but a formal reception at St
Petersburg could not boast of any
more culture than is TO be found at a
smart entertainment in one of the
fashionable homes in this Siberian
city,
Irkutsk is the capital of eastern ST.
IBERIA. 1t has wide streets, lined with
fine buildings.
Irkutsk has among its citizens more
millionaires than any city of it's size
in the world, and they have to spend
their money in the city, for the rea-
son that they are not allowed to leave
the province. Most of them-especial-
ly the rich ones-are convicts or the
descendants of convicts who have.
amassed fortunes in gold mining.
The Baikal mountains near Irkutsk
are filed with rich veins of gold, and
it is no exaggeration to say that thou
sands of men in this comparatively
small town in the heart of Siberia
have become rich beyond the dreams
of avarice.
The monastery of St Innocent,
which cost upward Of 100000. is one
Of the finest specimens of architec-
ture in the world. The city has more
public institutions than any city of it's
size In the world. Its cathedrals vie
with any TO be found in Russia. ST.
Basil's alone excepted. It's opera
house is eclipsed only by the Opera in
Paris.
With these refnements came COR
geous hotels and cafes. The principal
cafe in Irkutsk is as grand as any
~
least four times as high All the deli
cacies of the world are to be had. in
Guiding the rarest wines. and at prices
that would stagger Pittsburg million
aires
Irkutsk is a meeting place Tor rns |
vicious from all quarters of the globe. |
There is nothing secret about any Of |
the vice. Every type of beauty is to 1
be found-beautifuI geisha girls in ma
tive costume vyfng with Viennese and |
Partisan women in the latest crea-
tons. All the gambling houses are |
wide open, the more important con-. !
Quoted under police protection. The |
cafes never close. and it is between the |
hours of midnight and 4 in the morn
ing that they are at their hveliest-
Every one drinks. Most Of the Rus
sian women smoke cigars. leaving
their Partisan sisters to enjoy the Gig
arctic
Ira gedies, as might be expected, are
frequent, and suicides are SO numer-
Ous that scarcely any attertion is paid
TO them except by the immediate
friends or relatives There is extreme
poverty IN certain districts, and there
Is a large class of poor ex-convicts
who make trouble from time to time
A regiment of 1000 soldiers and 20
mounted CossaclN are needed to pre-
serve order. and when disturbances
arise they make arrests by the whole
sale
Every road is carefully guarded, and
10 one is allowed to board train on
he Transsiberian railroad In either d.
'ection without having his passport
'crutfnized by at least half dozen
officials. A native of Irkutsk has TO
make the best of his life there Es-
ape is impossible. Even the nearest
ity. Krasnoyarsk. is $40 miles away.
During the sea son. which. as in all
Russian cities. is during the winter.
II sorts of festivities are in progress.
n addition to the opera. there are the
tiers. concerts by famous musicians
nd balls of almost Vtennese brtlIiance