Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1916-12-11
MAY BE ODESSA.


forces, descending through the Trans
ylvanian passes, have occupied Bu-
charest. the Rumanian government
has been forced to transfer the ma
tional capital temporarily, at least, to
some adjacent friendly city, just as
Belgium, Serbia and Montenegro were
forced to do, and as France did when
the first rush of the Germans menac-
ed Paris. The capital achiyes were
moved first to Jassy, near the Russian
frontier, but it is probable that before
many days Odessa, known as the cap
itaI of southern Russian. and, next to
Petrograd, the greatest seaport in the
Cars domains, will extend it's hospi-
tally to King Ferdinand and his min
listers. The National Geographic So
ciety describes this prospective asy.
lum of the Rumanians In the follow
ing war geography bulletin:
IF Odessa were as gay and friv-
olius today as it was prior to the out
break of the European war, the Off
cial set of Rumania would feel en-
tirely at home In the great Black Sea
port, for life among the upper classes
of this south Russian metropolis was
almost as rapid as in Bucharest, ia
n!liarly known as the Paris is the
Near East. In fact, before the war
TO other city, save Bucharest, so close
ly resembled Paris and Vienna in its
hectic night-life as did Odessa, with
its hundreds Of sidewalk cafes, its mu-
hicipal opera, its palaces of chance
and its gilded halls of the half world.
With its half dozen excellent har-
bors to which came ships of many
climes for cargoes of wheat from Rus
sias inexhaustible grain fields, and its
level plains to the north over which
produce could be shipped from and
imports could be distributed to every
part of the empire, Odessa's remarka-
bic growth to a city of more than
100000 inhabitants in the course of
less than century and a quarter is
not altogether surprising. It's total
imports and exports before the war
were valued at hundred million dol
lars year.
A unique analogy between this
prospective temporary capital of Ru-
mania and Of the capital city of the
United States may be drawn. Both
were started about the same time
during the last decade of the eigh-
teenth century-and both were begun
not through the natural demands of
commerce. but through the far-seeing
wisdom of the chief executives of the
two nations. And, perhaps, the odd
est coincidence is the fact that both
were planned by foreign civil engi- /
neers of the same nation, for while
MAJOR LiEnfant was devising the City
of Magnificent Distances, with it's
its diagonal avenues and its
circles, to be erected on the banks of |
the Potomac, Voland, also a French
man, aid out Odessa on the shores of
the Black Sea. While President
Washington was dreaming into being
the beautiful city which bears his
name, the czarina, Catherine the Great, |
was giving her energies to the up
building of municipal bulwark which
would mark further advance to-
ward the chief object of the Russian
Bears desire-Constantinople.
Like Washington, Odessa was laid
out in the midst of a virtual wilder
ness and swamp. An isolated Turkish
fort, Khaji-Bey, stood on the site of
the present city at the time (1789)
when it passed into the possession of
Russia. although Greek colonists in
the early years of the Christian era
had taken advantage of the Bay of
Odessa. A French captain, de Ribas,
was in command of the Russian troops
that StOrnpd tha Font