Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-08-13
miscellaneous Reaains.
HISTORIC WARSAW
Has Been Scene of Much Fighting and
Bloodshed.

Thirty years ago Ferdinand de Les.
seps, fresh from the laurels OF th'
Suez canal and before the Panama
project had furnished them, said thai
the greatest European city Of the 2Otf
century would be Warsaw. He based
his prophecy on the act that h city
on account Of it's situation, could be
developed almost infinitely in regard t.
industries and consequently in regard
to population. The population he hao
seen grow from 161, 900 in 1860 to
4s3, 900 in 1885. In 1913, it was 900, 900
and when the val came this had reach
ed a million. Recently it was said to
have reached 1900, 600. About a third
of the population is Jewish. In 1914
the military authorities discovered
that the Notifications lea the city
were obsolete and this turned over to
factories much valuable land.
But it was not alone in industry
that Warsaw has developed. Its COM
merce has also grown 1t stands at
the point Of junction of the great trunk
lines which run from Berlin and Vienna
to Moscow, and so on to Asia, Siberia
and Pekin. Thus 1t has become the
great clearing house between the west
and the east.
The navigable Vistula at Warsaw Is
a third Of a mile wide. and here it is
crossed by one Of the longest railway
bridges in the world. Besides this
there are two road bridges. From one
Of them, the Alexandra bridge, there
is a comprehensive view of the part
Of the city which is on the terraced
left or western bank Of the Vistula.
The clock-faced turret of the Royal
Palace is seer above it's gardens, close
to the Gothic tower Of the cathedral
of st. John. But save for the cluster
Of gilt domes Of the modern cathedral
Of st. Alexander, few buildings break
upon the skyline. The architecture Of
Warsaw is Of no great interest. Its
place was taken before the war by the
p%rettiness Of streets and buildings and
the gaiety and kindness Of the people.
Warsaw has for more than a century
been associated with ideas Of Polish
and independence rather
more than Cracow, the ancient capital,
which managed to preserve it's indie
pendence until the 40s of the last CEN
fury. Although the Poles in Ma
poleon's army looked upon 1t as the
restored capital of a new and free
Poland, the European concert, passed
Warsaw over to the Russians in 1913,
and for II years it was the centre Of
intrigue and revolt which finally
found expression in the revolution Of
1880, which forced the Grand Duke
the city and for nearly a year left it
free to the Poles.
These things, the insurrection Of
1853, and the fact that many Warsaw
Poles were subsequently, driven into
exile, among whom were many paint
ers and writer's, continued to preserve
the legend Of Warsaw's patriotism in
lands. when in reality the city
was quite content with it's Russian
governors and the effects made in
matters Of religion and language to
keep the people willing subjects Of the
car as part Of the great Slavonic m
pire.
The city had it's beginning on the
beautiful terraces on the left bank Of
the Vistula, which in medieval times
had come into the possession Of the
Of Masovia, their retainers and
living on the right bank,
which gradually grew from a village
to q town.
While the exact date Of the founding
Of the city is unknown, as early as the
ninth century Conrad Of MaZovia had
a castle there. Casmir the Just is
supposed to have enlarged its fortifica-
tons. 1t was the residence Of the
dukes OF MaZovia until 1926, when
their dynasty was eXtinguished and
Mazovia va annexed to Poland. Be-
ing neither Polish nor Lithuanian,
Warsaw became the capital when the
two rival powers were united in a
kingdom. From 1872 onward the
kings of Poland were elected on the
field of Wala, on the outskirts Of War
saw.
Beginning with the 18th century, its
was continually disputed
among the Swedes, the Russians, the
Brandenburgs and the A%ustrians.
Charles Gustavus of Sweden captured
ii in 1876 and kept it for a year. The
Poles retook it, but lost 1t almost i'm
The Swedes Gid much for
it's establishment, but it suffered
much at the hands Of Charles XII.
In the partition Of Poland in 1894,
the city withstood successfully attacks
by Russians and Prussians until, in
Of that year, the Russians
captured 1t. street by street and per-
petrated a frightful massacre. From
1875 to 1906, the city was in posses
sion Of Prussia and it then became the
Of the newly created Duchy Of
Warsaw. and was held in pawn by
except for a short Austrian
interruption, until 1913, when it's pres
ent Russian character was forced up
on it.
The Vistula runs through the city
between a plateau on it's left bank and
fertile plains on the right, the former
in recent years having claimed the
part Of the population. Like
too, it is a city Of beautiful sub
urbs. among which are Praga and
New Praga.
The main city lies close to the river
and it is laid out in squares, but the
Of the old city are merely
developments from country lanes. The
walls of the city, memorials Of it's 18th
century sieges, inclose the suburbs, and
are entered by eleven gates.
Aside from its river and suburbs,
the city has another reminder of Paris;
is it's aZdowska and
Jerusalem streets. There are, too,
many fine parks OF both sides Of the
river.