Norwich bulletin., 1919-04-25
STORIES OF HE WAR
Omsk Today.

Correspondence of The Associated Press. )-American readers of the great Russian novelist Destoievsky, who, exilted for a political crime. spent four years at hard labor in the fortress prison of Omsk. would hardly recognize in the Omsk of today terrible con ditions which he depicted in his book, -Recollections of the House of the Dead It was in .1S49 Ihat Do.3oieYsk3 began his term of exile and passed through the experiences which he so powerfully pictured later. The mouse of inc dead no lQp2e; exists III Onsk. It has passed to give room for the building of q more modern and more hopeful city.
 It is difficult to realize how the pres ent half million population of Onlsk lives The normal population is one hundred thousand. but tine constant influx of refugees from the centers Of, boshevism has swelled the number of inhabitants. To find house or apart ment is not to be thought of in the ital of the provisional ail- Russian gov ernnent The most humble room is not to be obtained without the inter vention of friends or tne nelp of the authorities, who do not hesitate to requisition rooms in case of urgent need. The city is without electricity except in d few sections. and the streets at night are in ohscurity For that reason few persons go out after s or o'clock at night. because of the possible danger of robbery or worse. Public safety has, however. greatly inn proved in the past two months.
 Omsk in it's main fhoroughfare has many finely appointed office buildings and some modern apartment houses. The residential section consists of low built houses of wood and mortar. There are several fine views due to the pres ence of many domed churches and the long eXpanses of space afforded by the rivers Irtish and -Om. which meet in the very heart of the city. At forty below zero few women are seen in the streets, but the advent of a day when the mercury rises nearer. zero brings out a large number of ladies who look very attracti<e in their great coats Of varied colorLd furs anG their overshoes always pre!tily bordered with mink or hare The Siberian ilaye's fur is util- ized in the fashioning of warm and at tractive hats with long streamers GOV ering the ears and tying under the chin. Hare are so plentiful that these hats are within the financial reach of almost everybody.
 
 ed by the late Emperor Nicholas in 1891, which looms up vast and impos- ing. as the dominating structure of the capital. On one side is Ine former res idence of the civil governor of. Omsk now used by the foreign office, and on the opposite side of the square is the 1 imposing ministry of justice, as yet un- completed. The cathedral which is called the Church of the Ascension Of the Saviour is a vast edifiee capable oa holding 1,600 persons. During the Sat urday night and Sunday morning sere- vices the brilliant and sfittering audi torium is crowded with people, al I standing in accordance with Russian
 custom. The cathedral has a great dome surrounded by several turrets
 and has on one side high tower o1 finely sculptured stone surmounted bS
 a spire. & {; In 1714 Peter the First sent a com. ] mission to the Omsk region to erect .