New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-07

~ "A tomb This is how Harry de
N Windt, the noted traveller, de
scribes in The Manchester Guardian the
Siberian town Of Tobolsk, TO which Mich
olas Romanof, once Gar of all the Rus
sas. and his family have been exiled. De
Windt writes:
"Tobolsk is the ancient capital OF Siberia
and contains 10000 Inhabitants, largely com
posed before the war Of Germans engaged IN
The leather and tallow trades. It has been
stated that the ex-Czar Is being conveyed 10
kls place Of exile by special train from
pyes;s, which can hardly be correct, seeing
that Tobolsk can be reached only by river
7 had 10 travel there for I'VE days from
Moscow via Nijni-Novgorod, up the River
Volga 10 Perm. thence across the Cral Noun
tsirs by rail TO Tiumen, and down the lrtysh
River
"Tbe province OF which Tobolsk IS chief
town is eight times the size Of Great Brit
Gin. and is sparsely peopled by Russians
Tartars and fur-clad Ostiaks and Samoyedes,
Yet il was once of considerable commercial
Importance. which, owing 10 the Iranssi-
terian Railway, has now greatly decreased
"On approaching it from the river and
viewed from a distance Tobolsk presents an
imposing and picturesque appearance, "hlch
Is quickly dispelled on closer Acquaintance
for the place then assumes hsueSs' NE
less appearance which sinks into the SOU
There Is an upper and lower town. 'he
farmer being the citadel, which consists OF
3 cluster of whitewashed buildings over
looking the river from the summit u
precipitous Limestone cliff.
at is approached by steep carriage drive
and here the ex-imperial family will prooa-
Div reside. for the citadel comprises the
Governors palace. government Offices and q
oolden-doned cathedral, whence there is
I'm view of the river and crescent-shaped
cit, which chiefly consists Of drab-colored,
veather.bleached wooden buildings IN Vari-
Gus stages Of decay.
Neither they nor the streets are kept IN
decent repair, and ss the latter are paved
With rough planks which have rotted away
10 places il is somewhat risky to drive
after dark, for the town is but dimly IT.
The constant clatter Of traffic along these
wooden thoroughfares becomes maddening
ffter time for il resembles the incessant
rolling Of thousands Of drums, and is gen
orally prolonged far into the night. The
bes. hotel was old, dirty and comfortless'
and permeated, like many Of the streets
with an odor of sewage, for the drainage
here is Of very primitive description.
There was theatre generally closed
and so-called cafe chantant, which was
uupleasan,ly suggestive of some low-class
dive in New York or San Francisco. Amuse-
Een,s there were none, by day or night
excep, the arrival or departure Of river
tteamer, which appeared to afford the inhao-
itsnts their only relaxation.
Some Of the shops were fairly good, es-
all 81 =. l. - ovti fnyVp Ivy
IND silver. where sleeve links, scarfpins and
other articles fashioned in the shape of a
bell were constantly offered to me. For
Tobolsk is as proud Of It's bell as Lucerne
Of Us lions or Berue Of its bears-'the Bell
Of 0uglteh, which for tolling the signal
for an insurrection was banished here by
Gar Of the sixteenth century.
an the Dark Ages Siberian eIiles were
deprived % their nostrils by means OF red
hot pincers, but this being obviously impos-
sible IN tho case of the metal offender, its
suspenders were publicly removed in the
presence % the Gar and huge concourse
Of people, and this unique exile has now
iOund resting place in the local museum.
"Tobolsk presents at all seasons of the
year drab and desolate aspect, especially
N sumner, when the only trace of greenery
Is public garden composed Of stunted birch
eho cedar trees, dusty shrubs and scentIess
bowers, intersected by weedy paths ankle
deep in wet weather. A dilapdsted and de-
serted bandstand occupies the centre, and
near II is stone obelisk with the inscrip
zion To Yermak,' the dauntless warrior who
With handful Of Cossacks captured West
err Siberia three centuries ago from for
nidsble Tartar force.
The prison here is the most dismal look
ing structure, inside and out, which have
ever beheld, yet IL is well in keeping with
ns mournful surroundings This, in short,
city OF the dead in moro ways than
one for Tobolsk has the highest death rate
% any town in Siberia, fact partly attrib
Unable to defective drainage and partly 10
we extensive and stagnant marshes by which
y Is surrounded, and which are n fruitful
source OF every malarisl disease.
Look down from the citadel on a summer
Eening, and the town below you is nvaria-
ply concealed by lake Of dense, fever laden
sht which has crept in at sunset from the
"ghboring swamp. Summer is a season Of