The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-07-13
THE JERUSALEM
OF RUSSlA-KIEF

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Kief 10 the wealthiest. most important
and largest city In the immediat path OF
the Teutonic invaders. and one of the old
est and most important Of Russia's towns
statement given out by the Natonai
Geographic Society at Washington de-
scribes this place, the famed mother or
Russian cities" which IL now threatened
by the southwark sweep OF the Austro-
German armies from Kdvel and Lutsk.
and by the eastward advance or the AUS
TRANS In Galicia. .....-
-Kief Is beautifully situated on the
broad Dnieper among a cluster of golden
hills. There are other cities In Russia 10
dispute It's claim OF being the cradle or
The modern empire, but 1t Is the undis-
peIted cradle of orthodoxy. the birthplace
VI Russias church, and II is as well first
religious center. Holy Rief Is known as
the Russian Jerusalem. It Is city OF
many churches, monasteries, sacred relics
and OF numerous saints. More than 25O,OOo
pilgrims have regularly visited the holy
city each year during times OF peace. As
O place of pilgrimage, Russian Kief ranks
with Mecca, with Jerusalem and with
Rome.
Old Streets Are Broad.
eft Is a prosperous city, a modern and
, progressive one In it's 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 buildings from three to six stories
bigh, which is a rare thing in Russia. The
Krostchatik Is a splendid thoroughfare,
cut upon the most approved of western
fity plans. However, like Petrograd, the
wide, regular streets<of the southern me-
tropolis are a heritage from the founders.
Take away the churches. with their
tuEnlp. pineapple and pearshaped dones.
Al H. Ill - nxsA h. Nftat
peasants, and Rief has little that n typi-
caIly Russian. With the growth of Its
Industry and commerce. 1t has adoptedthe
modern city habit, a habit which Is the
same the world around
Despite its obtrusive newness, Kfef is
an ancient city. Its fortunes have been
intimately connected with the fortunes Of
Russia 1t was founded about the begin
ning OF the Seventh century, and its au-
| thentfc history begins with the arrival of
the two Scandinavian knights, Askold and
Dyr, who left Novogorod to take posses
sion Of It.
. Christianized In Early Day.
"Kief early became Christian, and the
Greek faith was carried to the rest of the
Russians from there. In the Eleventh CEN
fury, there are said to have been 400
| churches within its walls. The relations
between Byzantium and Kief were close,
| and much Of the Greek culture that has
mixed itself with Russian life entered the
empire by way of this city.
'Kief has been badly battered in more
than 1000 years of wars and internal dis
orders, Lut 1t has had a saving way Of
quiz ky covering up its wounds and begin
ming afresh with redoubled courage At
one time 1t was the capital of the Russian
state. 1t was subject for more than two
generations to the Mongols when II fell to
the possession Of the Lithuanian princi-
pality for 239 years. For So years It was
under the sway of Poland and was finally
reunited to Russia in 1886. 1t Is by far the
most important city in the Ukraine and
| one of the most beautiful in Russia,
1.-THE city lies on the right, or west
bank of the Dnieper. In the midst OF a
| fruitful region, which, during recent years
| has been making rapid progress. 1t Is 62S
| miles southwest of Moscow by rail and 406
| miles by rail north-northeast of Odessa.
Manufacturing Center. Too.
That part Of the city built along the
riverside is fiat while behind the streets
run up and down the hills through pic
| turesque gulhes.
| "kief ranks next to Petrograd and Mos
| COW In educational and scientific instltu-
| tons. It's university is famous and has
| more than 5000 students. The city Is also
the Magdeburg of Russia. the center OF
| The empires beet sugar industry This in
| iustry has been steadily gaining in i'm
portance. In 1910 lO,COO.OcO TONS of beet
| sugar were producea In the cars realm,
| while just before the war its production
| ! ad risen to more than H0,c09,Oe0 tons.
| There are innumerable rich rehneries In
/ FSief. Further, there IL considerable
manufacture OF machinery, chemicals,
hardware, paper and tobacco. The con-
| served fruits Of Kief have a European
reputation. and during recent years they
have been successfully competing with
l English conssrWes. Kief has a population
| 81 nearly $4,000 and has been rapidly
adding numbers through the last 10 years
| rhe city lies 30 miles from ODESSA and the
glack Sea on a line as the bird files