The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-07-01
NCRAD Is TARNlSHED REMINDER
5, OF OLD BRILLlANCE AS A CAPITAL


rest, imparts no feeling of reverence
to the people Of today.
Many Bullet Marks
This front Of the palace is still
pockmarkcd by rifle and machine
gun bullets of revolutionary days.
The paint is pecling off, the gates
are encrusted with rust, and the
whole circle of buildings, with ono
exception, shows signs Of dilapida-
tion and decay. The exception is q
former municipal adm inistration de-
partment which still serves y SIM
liar function, and which looks con-
spicuous with its fresh coat Of yell
low and white paint.
An old greybeard permitted the
writer to enter the courtyard Of
the winter palace. Piles of timbers
and rubbish. partially filled the space
that once resounded to the rumbling
wheels of imperial coaches. In one
corner group Of children of the
street were making merry with a
circular swing erected there. The
palace with its various wings named
for bygone cars. their windows
streaked with dust, looked deserted
and drcary. The Hermitage, that IA
nous repository of paintings, stat
uary and gems which every visitor
to Petersburg or Petrograd FASTENED
to visit, has overlooked into the
Winter Palace. Connected as it is
BY sort of bridge Of sighs' it read
lily lent itself to the needs of the
Hermitage. whose exhibits have been
swollen out Of all possibility to ac-
commodatc them through confisca-
tion Of valuable private collections.
Another wing is devoted to exhibit
ton Of revolutionary mementos--il-
Illustrating the progress of revolution
in Russia during the last hundred
years. There are to be found por-
traits innumerable Of victims of rev.
olution both imperial and prole-
tartan, bombs and Internal machines
and implements Of torture which
have marked its path.
Still In Use
The Admiralty building adjoining
the palace on its other side is still
used for admiralty purposes and APP
pears to be in fair state Of repair.
Beyond lies St. Isaac's thedral,
completed during tn" reign Of
Nicholas |, and thirty-ninc years in
process Of construction, dating from
1919. 1t is awe inspiring from with
out with its massive granite columns
and gilded dome. Its interior is dank
and dcnudcd of some of its glitter
ing affairs, ikons and candelabra.
A few minutes in the chill of its
an impression of the staggering blow
dealt by the revolution to the Ortho-
dox Church.
On a side of the square in front
Of St. lsaac's Cathedral, and facing
the former German Embassy, wreck
ed by Russian rioters at the begin
ming of the world war, the Hotel
Astoria, once the rendezvous at the
tea hour for fash ionable women, for
eign and Russian, has been convert
ed into living quarters for Soviet
employees and their families. The
tearoom serves as playroom for
children.
Factories In Operation
A six story brick building under
construction on street just off the
Nevsky whose exterior was COM
pleted at the outbreak of revolu-
tion, stands precisely as it did ten
years aRo-except that the wooden
scaffolding has long since gone for
-firewood. The three canals which de-
scribe scmicircular arcs through the
center Of the city, the Moika, the
Catherine and the Fontanka, are bare
Of the barges, chiefly wood-laden,
which they once carried. The same
is true of the Neva where scarcely
q craft of any sort was to be seen.
The factories across on Vassili Island
appeared to be working, and the
docks, with few ships tied there,
were mildly active.
Across the Nova, in plain view
from the windows Of the Winter
Palace, stands the low staunch walls
Of the Peter and Paul prison for
tress. scenes of torture of other days
but now q museum. Guides lead
visitors into its dark dank dungeons
and explain in voluble Russian how
the instruments Of torture were APP
piled to those imprisoned by orders
Of the Cars secret police.