The Alaska daily empire., 1914-09-14
AboutSt.Petersburg
 By Gertrude B, MsIlsus
$4uA4A4AA4N444HH1H4HeHHN

Going up the Gulf of Finland the last stop the steamer makes before reaching St. Petersburg is at Cron- staat the adyanve guard and sea haven of the Russian capital, Usually fog and rain make the outlook rather dismal, but one sees gllded spires cleaning through the mist and IS somewhat encouraged. After pass ports are carefully examined and duly stamped one is allowed to so ashore and receive his first impressions of the domain of Russla's autocrat, and to view the world through the win dow to the west"
 St. Petersburg lies on both banks of the River Neva in a low plain which has the double disadvantage of being subject to inundations and dlth' sulty of drainage. The myriad gilded spires of the Greek church lure One on into the city, and there, there is no disappointment in store for him The streets of the city are broad, well kept. and lined on either side with well constructed buildings in both the residence and business districts. Waler communication throughout the c.ty is afforded by the Neva and It's many tributary canals and these are supplemented by many bridges, not a few of which are of the pontoon var le,y. The main river boasts two very fine steel bridges. These last men, tioned bridges form the line, in the anchorage. between the larger vessels which sail the Baltic. and the smaller craft, the former lying below the large bridge and the latter above. So look ing down the river one sees a maze Of high masts and rigging, and in the other direction an interesting con Remuneration of lumber rafts. cargo boats, fat boats. and booms of fire wood all of which navigate in the upper river where the larger boats cannot go.
 The most prominent features of a Russian city are the spires of the churches, and perhaps the urpermost characteristic of the Russian people is their religion. As one leaves the 1 Stockholm steamer he crosses the lower steel bridge on which stands a Greek shrine which cost millions of roubles. and every moment claims a breath of prayer and dropped head The better classes perform this de votional rite very unobstrusively, but the peasant bows until his head all most touches the pavement, crosses himself three times, while his long straight hair and uncouth garh swerye with the wind. Practically every shop and house in Russia has its shrine and burning lamp near the door. and strangers always bow and cross themselves before they address the inhabitants. Many foreigners car ry out the custom of the Russians so that they may in their shops bet
 ter accommodate the natives with whom them desire to transact busl. ness.
 St. Petersburg has the unenviabIe reputation of being the most drunken city in the country. and its streets are crowded with intoxicated men on every Sunday and holiday-and holi- days in Russia are as frequent as are the Sundays. Their fayorite beverage is whiskey. and, strangely at a var lance with their distasteful intention, the Russian always visits the shrine at the door before he calls for four finger glass of liquor. Their intense ly religious disposition, their love of whiskey, and the dense fog of super sution which ever envelopes them, form the three toothed key to the whole problem of the Russian status today.
 Near the center of the city. on the south bank of the Neva, is a row of buildings which form the chief fea- ture of the capital. The middle one Is the immense winter palace which the Nihrists have made quite notorious The palace faces the river upon one side and upon the other looks out up- on the square in which rises the Alex andef column comemmorating the events of the Napoleonic wars. This column is of Finland granite and is said to be the largest monolith in ex- istence.
 Over on the east side of the palace and connected with it stands the her mitage which was built by Catharine the Second and which now contains the chief art treasures of the city. These include some very valuable paintings and some ancient and modern pieces of sculpture. No one is permitted to enter this building without a passport from the police, which must be presented to the guard at the door, The halls are elegantly fitted up and in any other city would be crowded every day with visitors, but the hand of despotism is upon the throat of Russia, and sometimes a foreigner feels almost glad when he is we'll outside of her imperial halls, even if they are decorated with choice specimens of art.
 The finest church in all the city is the famous Isaac's, a magnificent structure which is simply loaded with ornaments. Each side has an entrance and colonnade of Finnish granite The edifce is crowned by four small towers at the corners, and an immense dome in the center, all l of which are covered with gilt. The