The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-09-14
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
SOCIETY ON KIE.F'

Washington. D. c.. Sept. IS--Kief
Is the weelthiest. most important and
largest city In the immediate pav, Of
tho Teutonic invaders. and one of the
oldest and most important of Rus
sta's towns A statement given out
~ the National Geoxrap hic Society
/ today describes this place, the famed
mother of Russian cities" which is
now threatened by the southwark
sweep of the Austro-German armies
from Kovel and Lutzk. and by the
eastward advance OF the Austrians in
Galfcia-
"kief is beautifully situated on the
broad Dnieper among A. cluster of
golden hills. There are other cities
IN Russia 10 dispute its claim of be-
ing the cradle Of the modern empire,
but II is the undisputed cradle OF Or
/ thodoxy, the birthplace of Russia's
church. and It is stili a first religious
center Holy kief Is known as the
Russian Jerusalem. It in city OF
many churches, monasteries. sacred
relics and OF numerous saints. More
than quarter OF a million pilgrims
have regularly visited the Holy City
each year during times of peace AS
a place OF pilgrimage Russian K!ef
ranks with Mecca. with Jerusalem
and with Rome.
TT is n prosperous city, a modern
and progressive one. In its newer
| parts. the streets are broad and
straight. and are built UP with fine
| homes and public buildings In the
old quarter. there are modern build
/ ings from three to six stories high.
which Is a rare thing in Russia. The
Krostchattk Is a splendid thorough
fare, cut upon the most approved OF
I Western city plans. However, like
Petrograd, the wide. regular streets
of the Southern metropolis are a heri-
tage from the founders.
Take away the churches, with their
turnip, pineapple and pear-shaped
domes. take away the pilgrims and the
visiting peasants, and kief has little
that Is typicaily Russian. VITA the
growth of its industry and commerce,
it has adopted the modern city habit.
a habit which is the same the world
around.
Despite It's obtrusive newness
Kief Ia an ancient city. It's fortunes
have been intimately connected with
t,ne fortunes of Russia. 1t was found
ed about the beginning Of the seventh
century. and its authentic history be-
gins with the arrival Of the two Scan
dinavian knights. Askold and Dyr who
left Novogorod to take possession OF
1t Kisf early became Christian and
the Greek faith WAS carried 10 the
rest of the Russians from here. In
the eleventh century, there are said
to have been 400 churches within Its
| walls The relations between Byzan.
tia,m ana Kief were close, and much
of tne Greek culture that has mixed
| itself with Russian life entered the
empire by way OF this city.
> "Kief has been barly battered in
; more than 1000 years OF wars and
, internal disorders. but II has had q
= saving way of quickly covering up It.
wounds and beginning afresh with
redoubled courage. AZ one time, 4
. was the capital of the Russian State
il was subject for more than two gen
erations to the mongnls, when Il fel
to the possession Of the Lithuanian
= principally for 23s years. For eighty
/. five years. II was under the sway o
s Poland, and was finally reunited L
e Russia In 1896. II is by far the mos
s I'm portant city In the Ukraine.
The city les on the right. or west
. hank OF the Dnieper In the midst O
a fruitful region. which. during recen
years. has been making rapid prog
re.s. II is 62s miles southwest o.
!. Moscow by rail, and 4o6 miles b,
Z rail north northeast of odessa. Tha
part OF the city built along the river
side is flat. while behind, the street.
run up and down the hills and through
, | picturesque Rullies Kief Is rated a.
one OF the most beautiful cities II
Russia.
e '.lief ranks next TO Petrograd and
Moscow In educational and scientific
, institutions. Its university Is famou
r and has more than 1000 students. TIL
e city Is also the MagdeburR Of Russia
, the center OF tine empires beet suga
industry. This industry has beel
steadily gaining In importance. II
1910. 10000. 600" tons OF best suga
. were produced in the Tsar's realm
" while Just before the war it's produc
tion had risen TO more than 10000,
, 900 tons There are innumerahle ricl
> refineries in Kief. Further, there 1
n a considerable manufacture Of ma
\ es1inery. chemicals. hardware, pape
q and tobacco Tho conserved fruit
: OF Kief have a European reputation
q | and during recnet years they hav
3 been successfully competing with Eng
). fish conserves Kief has a populatio,
/; OF nearly $50. and ha. been rapid!
I adding numbers through the last tel
venrs. The city Hos aTa miles from
|. Odessa and IN. Black Sea on a lin'
as the bjr1 flee"