“Irkutsk… The only city in Siberia that has an urban character. Just as England created London and France created Paris, so Siberia created Irkutsk. She is proud of him, and not to see Irkutsk means not to see Siberia ... "

Nikolai Shelgunov

Irkutsk jail

For 350 years, the city of Irkutsk, located on the banks of the Angara and Irkut, has gone from a Cossack winter hut to a major administrative, industrial and cultural center of Siberia. Its name comes from the name of the Irkut River, on which in 1661 the Cossacks of Yakov Pokhabov founded the Siberian prison.
Since 1682, the Irkutsk prison became the center of an independent county, which led to the need to expand buildings. Four years later, the settlement received the status of a city and acquired a seal and coat of arms. Since that time, the city began to develop actively, its political and administrative role in the region increased. In 1706-1710, a stone Church of the Savior was built in the southeastern wall of the prison.
At the beginning of the reign of Peter I, many archers were exiled to the city, who took part in the uprising against the tsar. Thus, at the beginning of the 18th century, there were already 3447 people in the city. By those standards, it was already a serious Siberian city.

Irkutsk in the 18th century

In the sixties of the 18th century, the famous land tract came to Irkutsk, later called the Moscow tract. Since 1768, annual fairs began to be held in the city. This contributed to the creation of numerous factories by merchants, the construction of new mills, breweries, as well as Gostiny Dvor to accommodate numerous shops and shops. This building was designed by the famous Italian architect of the 18th century - Giacomo Quarenghi. At the moment, this building houses one of the largest book depositories in Russia - the Scientific Library of Irkutsk State University.

Profitable geographical position made Irkutsk the most important strategic point of Eastern Siberia and in many respects contributed to its administrative status. The Irkutsk Voivodeship, then the province, the vicegerency, the province absorbed the boundless territory from the Yenisei to the Pacific Ocean. It was a "power", almost equal to the overseas possessions of Spain, and its territories were constantly expanding. Since 1803, all of Siberia has been one governor-general, and Irkutsk has become the residence of the Siberian governor-general. Thus, until the reforms of M.M. Speransky in 1882, it was a kind of capital of Siberia.

Period of scientific expeditions

In the 18th century, from the reign of Peter I to the end of the reign of Catherine II, a wide variety of scientific expeditions were sent to Irkutsk to explore Lake Baikal and the Siberian region and the East as a whole. Irkutsk was destined to "cut a window to the East" and pave the way for Russia to the Pacific Ocean. All expeditions organized by the Russian government to the Far East, Yakutia, Mongolia, China, Alaska were formed in Irkutsk. From here began the settlement of the banks of the Amur. The office of the world-famous Russian-American company was founded, successfully conducting trade and developing new lands from the coast of Alaska to Japan in the 19th century. The first embassies to Beijing went through Irkutsk, caravan trade routes to Mongolia and China passed. Wholesale trade in Eastern Siberia was concentrated mainly in the hands of Irkutsk merchants. In the city, the First and Second Expeditions of Vitus Bering, whose names remained on the map of the North and East, were preparing for the journey.

Irkutsk in the 19th century

In 1806, the new governor N. Treskin set about organizing the city. A red line was drawn on each street, along which the owners had to align their houses during the year. However, the inhabitants took this order lightly, not yet knowing the true character of the new governor. A year later, everything that went beyond the red line and prevented the street from being straight was mercilessly sawn off. Thus, the streets became straight, and the city took on the right shape.

By the middle of the 19th century, there were already 2,500 thousand houses in the city, in which more than 18 thousand inhabitants lived.

Significant changes have been made to the northern coastal part of the city, which was the main front before the construction of the pontoon bridge across the Angara in 1891.

For more than three centuries, our city has lived a difficult life full of severe trials. Among the many who worked for him were Irkutsk merchants, distinguished by ardent patriotism. It was they who built hospitals and orphanages, schools and gymnasiums, libraries and churches. It was said about the wealth of the Irkutsk merchants that if they wanted to build a road from silver rubles, it would stretch from Irkutsk to Moscow!

Eastern Siberia at that time was the main place of political exile. According to some data, in the 19th century there was one exile for every two native Siberians. In Irkutsk itself different time lived exiled here Decembrists, Petrashevists, Polish rebels, Narodnaya Volya. The stay of the Decembrists - the largest Russian intellectuals, the most enlightened people in Siberia, influenced the fate of this land. Each of them left a bright mark and a grateful memory in the history of the region. The Decembrists brought enlightenment to the people, opened schools, and not only for boys, but also for girls, ahead of European part Russia. Economic activity Siberians, science, Agriculture, medicine, culture and many other aspects of the life of the Irkutsk province underwent a beneficial influence of the Decembrists. Irkutsk was especially lucky in that the families of the Decembrists Sergei Volkonsky and Sergei Trubetskoy were allowed to move here. Home performances were organized in their homes, concerts were held with the participation of visiting St. Petersburg, Italian, French musicians and singers.

Railway construction

In 1898, during the reign of Alexander III, the Trans-Siberian Railway was laid through Irkutsk. In terms of the pace of construction, the length of the path, the difficulty of construction, the Siberian railway had no equal in the world.
In 1908, on the banks of the Angara, where the main street of Irkutsk ends, a monument was erected to Tsar Alexander III.

City in the 20th century

At the beginning of the 20th century, Irkutsk was considered the most beautiful city in Siberia. It contained more than 300 stone buildings. The streets were wide, clean and well lit. During this period, the city center is significantly transformed, in which large buildings are erected, roads are laid out with stone, the first paved sidewalks appear. Water supply began to operate, the first electric stations opened.

Modern stage of development

During its history of formation and development, Irkutsk has grown to an area of ​​28 thousand hectares. The population of Irkutsk is almost 600 thousand people. Average age Irkutsk citizens are only 36 years old.
On the territory of Irkutsk there are 114 institutions of culture and art and their branches.
The city has four state theaters, a philharmonic society, an organ hall, four state museums, and three regional state libraries.
Every year since 1995, Irkutsk has hosted the All-Russian festival - the Days of Spirituality and Culture "Shine of Russia", in which outstanding teams of the country take part.
One of the most favorite holidays among Irkutsk citizens is City Day, which is celebrated in early June.
The festival "Stars on Baikal" is very popular both among Irkutsk citizens and guests of the city, the artistic director of which is the pianist Denis Matsuev, beloved by the Irkutsk public. Thanks to him, every year the people of Irkutsk could attend the concerts of Vladimir Spivakov, Yuri Timirkanov, Yuri Bashmet, Georgy Garanyan, Elena Obraztsova, Harry Grodberg and many other great world-famous musicians.

Irkutsk spiritual

In modern Russia, Irkutsk is classified as a city-museum, because it has retained the romantic appearance of a non-fussy, sedate building, the radiance of golden domes over the blue Angara. By the number of temples, Irkutsk stands out among other cities of Siberia and the Far East.
So Irkutsk can be proud of the Church of the Savior built back in 1706, famous throughout Siberia. Since 1718, the Cathedral of the Epiphany has existed and still conducts services.
On the territory of the Znamensky Monastery, the residence of the Bishop of Irkutsk and Angarsk, the ashes of prominent figures of Siberia are buried: the discoverer of the Siberian lands Grigory Shelikhov, the wife of the Decembrist Trubetskoy - Catherine, the first bishop of Irkutsk - St. Innocent.
The Kharlampievskaya Church, where Alexander Kolchak was married, is being actively restored in the very center of the city. The openwork melody of old, wooden Irkutsk is interspersed with powerful chords of modern buildings.

History in faces

If you look at the history of Irkutsk in person, then the fate of explorer Yerofei Khabarov, navigator Vitus Bering, admirals Gennady Nevelsky and Alexander Kolchak, writer Yaroslav Gashek, general Dmitry Karbyshev, creator Soviet aviation long range(ADD) Alexander Golovanov, cosmonaut Boris Volynov. Irkutsk was glorified by merchants - philanthropists and patrons of art: the Trapeznikovs, Sibiryakovs, Bazanovs, Khaminovs, Sukachev, Butin, Medvednikovs. Their biographies are the history and glory of our city.

Museums of the city

Irkutsk is an ancient Siberian city that has written important pages in the history of our country, and the historical center of Irkutsk is being considered for inclusion in the World cultural heritage UNESCO.

The most important milestones in the history of Irkutsk can be traced by visiting the city museums.

Irkutsk Museum of Local Lore was established in 1782 as the East Siberian Department of the Russian Geographical Society. Unfortunately, the old museum building, which burned down in a fire in 1879, along with exhibits and a rich library, has not survived to this day. Today, the museum is housed in a building built by the architect Rosen in 1891. This is a real monument of architecture, built in the Moorish style. Such outstanding figures of Russian science as Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky, Vladimir Afanasyevich Obruchev, Dmitry Alexandrovich Klements worked in the Irkutsk Museum of Local Lore. The archaeological collection of the museum has more than 300 thousand exhibits.

Irkutsk Art Museum named after V. P. Sukachev traces its history from the personal collection of the Irkutsk mayor V. V. Sukachev, which he bequeathed to the residents of the city of Irkutsk in 1920. The collection includes paintings by I. Repin, P. Vereshchagin, I. Aivazovsky, A. Kuindzhi, I. Shishkin, V. Polenov, V. Serov, N. Roerich, F. Rokotov, V. Borovikovsky. The museum also presents a collection of jewelry and porcelain from the Faberge company, a collection of artistic silver, porcelain iconostases of amazing beauty created at the end of the 19th century, and sculptures by E. Lansere.

Historical and Memorial Museum of the Decembrists. The fate of the Decembrists occupies a special place in the history of Irkutsk. Their selfless feat in the struggle for the good of the common people is dedicated to the Historical and Memorial Museum of the Decembrists. The museum occupies two memorial estates: the houses of princes Volkonsky and Trubetskoy in the historical center of Irkutsk.

Museum of the History of Irkutsk opened in 1996. This museum is dedicated to Soviet citizens who became victims of political repression. The museum has a branch - the exhibition center. V. Rogal.

In addition to those described, there are other museums in Irkutsk: the G. Shelikhov Museum, the Angara icebreaker, the Communications Museum, the Experimentarium, the Museum military glory, Museum of Mineralogy and others.

We invite you to visit our city, get acquainted with its history and cultural centers, visit historical places.

Within the framework of Siberian historical urban studies, a certain place belongs to the study of small towns, which differ in the features of socio-economic life, the urban landscape, and the uniqueness of socio-cultural characteristics (1). The study of the last component received coverage on the materials of the cities of the Irkutsk province. The specifics of the cultural environment and cultural life of the cities of the province in the 17th - early 20th centuries became the subject of independent discussion. (2). At the same time, the development of charity as one of the elements of the socio-cultural sphere of county and provincial towns of the province in the second half of the nineteenth century. no special attention was paid.

The purpose of the article is to analyze the main directions of private and public charitable activities of the population of small towns in the Irkutsk province (3), the reasons and nature of the involvement of various social groups in this segment of the public sphere.

In the second half of the nineteenth century. the quantitative growth and species diversity of charitable actions in small towns of the province are recorded. Subscriptions are becoming one of the most common forms. So, in Kirensk during the 1870-1890s. fundraising was carried out for the establishment and maintenance of women's and county schools. Fees ranged from one hundred to several thousand rubles. The eighties became a turning point in the development of mass charitable activities in county towns. The activation of public initiative during this period served as an impetus for the creation of libraries, amateur theaters, the organization and activities of which were closely associated with philanthropic actions. Often the proceeds from amateur performances were directed to libraries or educational institutions. In Nizhneudinsk in the late 70s - early 80s. nineteenth century at Christmas, the amateur theater gave 1-2 performances in favor of educational institutions or the library. The amounts received could be significant. So, in 1881, at Christmas time, amateurs gave 2 performances and the proceeds - up to 2 thousand rubles. - assigned to the construction of a building for the county school (4). In Kirensk, on the initiative of police chief Petrov, subscriptions were made for the opening of a library (1882, 29 people took part, about 600 rubles were collected). Children's holidays were organized (very often - New Year trees), the practice of transferring charitable collections to Irkutsk, to local branches of societies, was supported. Back in 1859, during the period of activation of the movement of teachers in Irkutsk, 50 rubles were sent from Verkholensk to the provincial city "from some persons" to establish a pedagogical or teacher's library in Irkutsk (5). At the same time, charity bazaars and allegri lotteries, donations in return for visits, musical and literary evenings with a charitable purpose, in contrast, did not receive significant distribution as they did not correspond to the general level of the cultural environment of small towns, which to a large extent retained a connection with traditional examples of rural culture.

A certain number of townspeople were involved in various charitable actions of the all-Russian level. Collections for all-Russian actions were especially common in the cities of the province in the 1860s–1880s. (up to 5 or more subscriptions per year). Collections of donations for the needs of Orthodox churches, the construction of monuments, and the fund for helping victims of natural Disasters, fees during the period of war, initiated by the government, private individuals and public organizations.

The real number of donors turned out to be small, as well as the amounts of fees that were perceived as burdensome and not directly related to the life of the city dweller and his environment, and therefore not relevant. In 1851, in the whole of the Irkutsk province, only 456 rubles 07 kopecks were collected for the victims of the fire in Samara, in Petropavlovsk, for the construction of churches and assistance to immigrants (6). The greatest response from the population of small towns found appeals to donations for "charitable deeds." So, in 1871, out of 22 rubles 80 kopecks collected by 35 residents, 20 rubles 30 kopecks, or 89% (29 people) were intended for Orthodox churches, and only 2 rubles 40 kopecks (6 people) - for the construction of a public school named after. Alexander I, monuments to B. Khmelnitsky and I. Fedorov, for the device in Constantinople of a hospital for Russians (7). A prominent place in the composition of the donors belonged to the bureaucracy, obliged to take part in such actions by the nature of their service.

Charitable collections sometimes took on a voluntary-compulsory character. The entire city society could act as a “responsible” unit. Such “disorders” led to paradoxical situations. The same Kirensky society in 1868, "in pursuance of the order to subscribe for assistance to victims of crop failures," asked the Irkutsk merchant K.M. Kalashnikov (presumably a native of Kirensk. - N.G.), referring to the poverty of society, "to assist" in the required donation, i.e. asked to donate money for a donation (8).

In the last decade of the XIX century. the number of all-Russian charitable actions is falling, and those held are limited mainly to collecting donations for victims of natural disasters and war, immigrants, etc.

An institutionalized form of charity was activity within the framework of boards of trustees at educational institutions of small towns. The main duty of the trustees was to "find funds" to improve the maintenance of the institution, to improve the functions performed by the institution.

We have identified one guardianship each, which operated during the 1860s–1890s, at parish schools in Balagansk and Verkholensk; in Kirensk and Nizhneudinsk - at parish and district schools, a women's progymnasium in each of these cities, in which 28 residents of Balagansk, 19 residents of Verkholensk, 26 - Kirensk, 22 - Nizhneudinsk (9) were involved (9). The choice of full-time trustees was the responsibility of the city society, in some cases - a class society, or they were appointed by the local authorities, mainly "from local honorary persons involved in industry and trade." It was emphasized that the presence of vacant seats in the councils is “a mistake of the local society ... which is not approved by the existing legal provision” (10). In fact, the trustees created a system of "staff benefactors", and philanthropy was considered one of the main components of the trustee's occupation, taking the form of public service for elections. Merchants dominated in the guardianships (61.5–86%). The exception was Balagansk, where among the honorary guardians of parish schools in the districts, a significant percentage were peasants and foreigners (39% and 14%, respectively). The second largest group was the bureaucracy (1.5–26.2%); representatives of the philistinism, guilds and peasantry, with the exception of Balagansk, accounted for a small percentage (1.3–11.5%). It should be noted that women are also included in the guardianship. In particular, in Balagansk the proportion of women in the boards of trustees at educational institutions of the city was 11%, in Kirensk - 8%. The highest degree of participation within the framework of the boards of trustees was noted in , amounting to 15% of the total number of trustees.

The personal composition of the boards of trustees of county towns changed frequently. Few remained for the second and subsequent terms, considering the position burdensome both in terms of time and in terms of monetary costs. In 1894, the members of the Nizhneudinsk City Duma were faced with the task of choosing an honorary guardian of the Mikheev School: it turned out to be difficult to find “a person who was willing to donate at least a small amount of money (25 rubles) to the school” (11).

Establishment and activities of various profiles of charitable societies that have received enough wide use in the 2nd half of the nineteenth century. in Irkutsk, in small towns of the province did not find a response. The vast majority of societies (77.7% of the total) were concentrated in the provincial center, which was due to the socio-economic and cultural potential of Irkutsk.

A feature of the development of public initiative in the county towns of the province was its late manifestation, to which attention was drawn in the work of E.V. Sevostyanova (12). The forces of the public were still scattered, the organization of public associations, objectively becoming a means of self-realization, self-defense and mutual assistance, was not recognized as a need, was "superfluous", and sometimes perceived as "burdensome". So, in response to the request of the Irkutsk civil governor (1861) about the desirable establishment of charitable societies in the cities of the Irkutsk province, the inhabitants of Kirensk refused, citing the small number of people and the insignificance of merchant capital (13).

Charitable societies in county towns were opened administratively as branches of provincial committees of all-Russian societies: in 1856–1870s. in Nizhneudinsk, Verkholensk - branches of the Irkutsk provincial committee on prisons; during 1868–1871 in, Kirensk and Balagansk - branches of the Irkutsk district administration of the Society for the Care of Sick and Wounded Soldiers. There were no public associations in Ilimsk at all. It should be noted that during this period (1850s - the first half of the 1870s) there was a "flourishing" of the foundation in the Irkutsk province of semi-bureaucratic charitable societies: out of 20 charitable societies and / or committees that existed in the province in the second half of the 19th century. , 15 were established under the leadership of government agencies.

The "scenario" for the opening of societies was practically the same. By order of the governor-general or governor, an initiative group was formed, including the head of the region, officials and senior military officials, and official representatives of the city society. Merchants were involved in the activity, first of all, to ensure the financial solvency of the society. At the same time, the presence of a conscious need of the urban society or its individual groups in the organization of this or that society was not taken into account. Last but not least, the viability of the associations was supported by the appropriate sanctions of the local administration, which ensured “voluntary-compulsory” membership.

Thus, the directors of the Nizhneudinsk branch of the Committee of Trustees on Prisons of the Society included the mayor, the dean, the assessor of the Nizhneudinsk zemstvo court, the provincial secretary, the district police officer, and several merchants (1865–1870) (14). The composition of the Kirensky and Verkholensky branches of the Committee was approximately the same. These departments existed mainly formally, not being in demand by the townspeople themselves. The perception of this kind of charitable societies, characteristic for Irkutsk, as status ones, membership in which was prestigious, gathering the "high society" of the city, was absent in the small towns of the province.

Bourgeois reforms of the 1860s and the general upsurge in public life also led to the development of public initiatives. Since the mid 1860s. the dominance of the state was destroyed: public structures are gradually emerging, created not by the order of the local authorities, but by separate groups of urban society. However, neither mutual aid societies, nor cultural, educational or professional associations appeared in the small towns of the Irkutsk province during the period under review, which was due to the peculiarities of the socio-economic and cultural development of these settlements, the level of self-organization and self-awareness of urban societies and individual social groups, with the remoteness of these cities from the main administrative and cultural centers.

Some development in the period under review was received by parish charity, connected with the establishment of parish trustees (15). On January 1, 1865, the State Council allowed them to start opening (16). As a rule, the initiative to organize guardianship came from the parish priest, who introduced the parishioners to the “Regulations” and explained “the need to open them as soon as possible.” However, the relationship between the parishioners and the clergy in the county towns was very superficial, which was aggravated by the frequent change of clergy. So, in Balagansk, the city government stated that “there is no priest at the Church of the Savior, and the service is rare ...” (17). In Ilimsk, empty priestly places were announced in 1873 and 1887, in Nizhneudinsk - in 1872, 1873, 1876, 1885, in Balagansk - in 1881 and 1889, in Verkholensky Resurrection Cathedral - in 1881, 1888, 1891. (eighteen). Under such conditions, guardianship at the Verkholensky Resurrection Cathedral was opened only in 1894 with the intervention of the diocesan authorities, which led to the entry into the guardianship in the first years of its existence of a significant number of officials (volost foremen; village elders of societies that are part of the parish; various officials and doctor).

An exception to the established practice of opening parish guardianships in the county towns of the province was, perhaps, where K. Kokoulin served as archpriest of the Cathedral of the Savior for a long time. The parish guardianship of the Kirensky Spassky Cathedral was established already in 1865, consisting of 30 people, becoming perhaps the largest public association in the city in the period under review, whose activities were related to charity.

The leading position in the parish guardianship was occupied by officials and merchants, including the largest representatives of the third estate of Kirensk (Markovs, Lavrushins, Kalashnikovs, Skretnevs). This area was considered by them as significant, in contrast to the merchants of Irkutsk, who had more effective levers of influence on city affairs and did not often apply for positions in parish guardianship.

The perception of guardianship by the parishioners of the Kirensky Spassky Cathedral turned out to be unique. In its establishment, the women of the city found an opportunity to expand the scope of their participation in public life. Elections were held in 1868. The guardianship included the doctor's wife, a representative of the bureaucratic world, and four wives of Kirensk merchants. In general, women made up 20.8% of the total number of members of the established society (see Table 1).

Table 1

Class composition of members of the Kirensky parish guardianship. 1868–1870

Data: Irkutsk Diocesan Gazette. - 1868. - No. 36. - P. 291; 1870. - No. 43. - P.363.

The first years of the guardianship's existence were marked by the highest activity. The work focused on the collection of donations for the creation of capital (see table 2), which are the main condition for the viability of the guardianship; repair and improvement of the church, the provision of one-time benefits to the clergy and the poorest residents of the parish.

table 2

Financial reports of the Spassky parish guardianship. Kirensk. 1866–1869

Data: Irkutsk Diocesan Gazette. - 1866. - No. 8, 10; 1867. - No. 21; 1868. - No. 21, 36; 1869. - No. 19; Irkutsk provincial sheets. - 1866. - No. 9; 1867. - No. 17.

Information about the activities of parish guardians in Nizhneudinsk and Balagansk at this stage of the study was not revealed.

The transfer of funds "for the splendor of temples" as a whole was a widespread form of charitable activity of the population of small towns, considered, moreover, as one of the most convenient and quick means of fulfilling religious duty.

Steady attention was kept to the churches associated with the names of relatives and friends. Donations to rural churches near cities should be noted (Kirensk, Verkholensk should be especially noted) (19). Donations for the construction of new churches gained a public response: the church in the name of the Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky (Kirensk), the chapel in honor of the Emperor's salvation from danger on April 6, 1866 in Nizhneudinsk.

The active missionary activity of the Orthodox Church actualized donations for the construction and support of missionary camps and churches. The popularity of frequent financial injections into this area was largely due to the satisfaction of the personal ambitions of donors seeking to attract the attention of church hierarchs (Verkholensk merchants E. Grekhov, A.F. Dunaev, S.E. Kuptsov, Kirensk merchants S.N. Dmitriev , P.D. Kurbatov, Nizhne-Udinsk merchant P.V. Karnaukhov, booth merchants E. Kozlov, P. Kolmakov, O. Kotelnikov, widow S. Dudchenko, etc.).

A prominent figure in the parish was the church warden, elected at the parish meeting for 3 years with the consent of the clergy, in the presence of the dean. The duties of the headman consisted in “taking care of the property and the entire economy of the church” (20): collecting money for the church purse and mug; acceptance of all kinds of sums, deposits, offerings; receiving rental money; sale of candles and cinders; buying everything necessary for the church; maintenance of the church and church buildings. All activities proceeded under the supervision of the dean and diocesan authorities. The service of a church elder was equated to a public service in elections. Those selected from the taxable estates were exempted from elections to other public services; those who served 9 years acquired the right to wear uniforms after leaving office.

In the small towns of the province, the position of the church elder was concentrated in the hands of the merchants and the bourgeoisie (30-50% of the total). Until the 1880s the share of the peasantry was noticeable (30–16%); in the last two decades of the nineteenth century. – officials (16-17%). The imprint was imposed by the social structure of the city. So, in Verkholensk, where the percentage of the peasantry was exceptionally high, church elders were recruited mainly from this estate; in Ilimsk, the position was more often filled by representatives of the bourgeoisie; the Kirensky merchants, playing a prominent role in society, concentrated the starostinstvo in their hands (Kurbatovs, Skretnevs, Markovs, etc.).

The vast majority of church elders in county and provincial cities were elected once: the position was perceived as a burdensome electoral service among many others associated with monetary costs, which often caused refusals (21). As an exception, it should be noted the 15-year old age of the Balagan merchant of the 2nd guild M.I. Bobrovnikov. The relationship of the merchant with the priest I.M. Bobrovnikov, who served as rector of the Nizhneudinsky Cathedral for about 20 years. The eldership also extended to the churches of suburban villages. As a rule, the service was limited to one term.

In general, a characteristic feature of the period was the expansion of the social composition of the participants in charitable actions in comparison with the previous stages (before the 1850s). The leading place in terms of the amount of donated capital rightfully belonged to the commercial and industrial strata of small towns. Donations for “charitable deeds”, the improvement of the city dominated, less for education and culture. Among the largest charitable contributions, the donations of the Nizhneudinsk merchant M.P. Myasnikov, at the expense of which (1867) a parish school was built in the city, the Kirensky merchant N.V. Markov, who bequeathed to the district school (1881) a capital of 3950 rubles. “on tuition fees, on textbooks and clothes for poor students,” the Kirensky merchant Neratov, who also transferred 2,000 rubles to the district school. (1870) and others.

The low economic potential significantly limited the size of charitable contributions of officials, clerks, teachers, often limited to a few tens of rubles. The main and real channel for the group's involvement in philanthropic activities was personal participation. The role of these social strata in the framework of charitable activities has become more noticeable since the 80s and 90s. XIX century, during the period of activation of public initiative in small towns of the province. The common point was the prevalence of secular motives for their charitable activities over religious ones in comparison with the merchant class, among which the latter occupied a significant place. At the same time, for a part of the bureaucracy, activities in the field of philanthropy were determined by official duties. There was also a superficial perception of philanthropy as a "fashionable" type of activity that has gained popularity in wide sections of society. Not without curiosities. So, according to the memoirs of one of his contemporaries, after a solemn act in the women's gymnasium of Kirensk (1880s), “the trustee invited me to her breakfast. Here the audience again took up "their usual". One of the retired officials, having drunk quite a bit, took it into his head to immediately arrange a subscription in favor of the progymnasium. The more prudent protested, finding it inconvenient to offer subscriptions to those who participated in the breakfast, as many of them signed, although they gave meager sums, on the eve of the act. The guardian did not let up ... The matter ended with the fact that everyone quarreled ... ”(22).

The donations of the bourgeoisie and the guilds were small and corresponded mainly to religious interests.

The expansion of the number of participants in charity events in the cities of the Irkutsk province was associated with the activation of the role of women in the public arena in the post-reform period. However we are talking only about individual representatives of the merchant and bureaucratic world (A.Ya. Sinitsyna, A.S. Lavrushina, A.P. Volynskaya, L.I. Markova, A.F. Orlova, etc.). For this stratum, charity became one of the most accessible areas of social activity, and participation in the activities of boards of trustees at educational institutions rose to the level of public service.

Notes

1. Rezun D.Ya. On some problems of modern Siberian historical urban studies // Siberian city of the XVIII - early XX centuries. - Issue 1 - Irkutsk. 1998. - P. 9; Shakherov V.P. Socio-economic development of Upper Prilenye in the 17th - the first half of the 19th centuries. - Irkutsk: Imprint, 2000. - S. 3-5.
2. Sevostyanova E.V. Public initiative and cultural life of Eastern Siberia in the 2nd half of the 19th - early 20th centuries: Diss. for the competition uch. Art. candida historical Sciences. - Irkutsk, 1998; Oglezneva G.V.. Development of the cultural environment of county towns of the Irkutsk province in the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries // Culture of small towns in Siberia: Materials of the All-Russian scientific and practical. seminar. Omsk, 1995 - Omsk, 1995. - P. 78–80; Oglezneva G.V., Dorosh S.V. Cultural life of county towns of the Irkutsk province in the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries // Siberian city of the 18th - early 20th centuries: Interuniversity. Sat. - Issue 1 - Irkutsk, 1998. -S.79-96; Shakherov V. Decree op. – P. 66–75.
3. The socio-demographic characteristics of small towns in the Irkutsk province (district Balagansk, Verkholensk, Kirensk, and provincial Ilimsk) were given by us in the articles: Gavrilova N. Socio-demographic conditions for the development of public life of the townspeople of the Irkutsk province in the second half of the 19th century. // urban culture Siberia: dynamics of cultural and historical processes: Sat. scientific tr. / resp. Ed. YES. Alisov. - Omsk: OmGPU, 2001. - S. 27-30; She is. Socio-demographic characteristics of the development of cities in the Irkutsk province in the second half of the 19th century // Problems of demography, medicine and health of the population of Russia: history and modernity: Sat. materials III International. scientific-practical. conf. - Penza: RIO PGSKhA, 2006. - P.74-77.
4. Siberia. - 1882. - No. 5.
5. Romanov N.S.. Irkutsk chronicle. 1857-1880 years. Continuation of the "Chronicle" by P.I. Pezhemsky and V.A. Krotov / General. ed. I.I. Serebrennikov. - Irkutsk, 1911. - P.55.
6. RGIA, f.1265, op.1, d.86, l.16v.
7. GAIO, f.472, op.1, d.201.
8. GAIO, f.472, op.1, d.198. l.4-7.
9. We admit the approximation of the data obtained, the exception of which is possible only with a continuous yearly analysis of the nominal lists of members of the Boards of Trustees, however, we believe it is possible to operate with them as, on the whole, correctly fixing the trends in the social activity of citizens in charitable activities in this area. AT total number The trustees included citizens who were elected trustees of educational and charitable institutions in the districts, mainly guardians of parish schools.
10. GAIO, f.32, op.15, d.149, l.32.
11. Sevostyanova E.V. Public initiative and cultural life of Eastern Siberia in the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries: Diss. for the competition uch. Art. candida historical Sciences. - Irkutsk, 1998. - S.34, 54, 99, 118, 142, 146, 224.
12. GAIO, f.435, op.1, d.308, l.4–12.
13. Commemorative book of the Irkutsk province for 1865. - Irkutsk, 1865. - P.53, Personnel civil, military and spiritual departments in the Irkutsk province. - Irkutsk, 1867. - P.69, Commemorative book of the Irkutsk province for 1870. - Irkutsk. 1870. - P.89.
14. Irkutsk Diocesan Gazette. - 1864. - No. 44. - P.239-248.
15. Irkutsk Diocesan Gazette. - 1864. - No. 47. - P.260.
16. GAIO, f.32, op.15, d.149, l.57.
17. Irkutsk Diocesan Gazette. - 1872. - No. 35; 1873. - No. 47; 1876. - No. 5; 1881. - Nos. 19, 29; 1885. - No. 14; 1887. - Nos. 5, 48; 1889. - No. 26; 1891. - No. 23.
18. Irkutsk Diocesan Gazette. - 1863. - No. 23. - P.343; 1864. - No. 9; 1865. - No. 1. - P.2, No. 33. - P.209.
19. Charter of Spiritual Consistory. - St. Petersburg, 1841. - P.40.
20. GAIO, f.472, op.1, d.202, l.14-18; Irkutsk Diocesan Gazette. - 1867. - No. 18. - P.53.
21. GAIO, f.480, op.1, d.234, l.5-6.

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From the history of the banking system of the Irkutsk Region (late 18th - early 20th centuries)

Founded in 1661, Irkutsk Ostrog already in 1686 received the status of a city, it was given a coat of arms and a city seal was issued. Trade in bread, cattle, furs, salt, tea brings wealth to the city. Travelers, historians, scientists who visited Irkutsk recognized the wealth and convenient location of the city. And indeed, the intersection of convoys, caravans, livestock, shipping and rafting routes made the city a kind of huge warehouse and distribution base, from where goods went far to the north and east, all the way to Alaska.

In the 18th century, Irkutsk turned into the center of a vast region, becoming one of the largest cities Siberia. Irkutsk province, later governorship and province occupied a vast territory from the Yenisei to the Pacific Ocean. The city was constantly expanding, turning into the "center of all the diverse Siberian trade."

This circumstance could not but affect the economic situation in the region. feature economic development Eastern Siberia in general and Irkutsk province in particular in the second half of the 18th century (at that time the first credit institutions appeared) was that there were no large industrial enterprises on its territory. An excess of trading opportunities led to the predominance of commercial and usurious capital and led to the fact that the industry in the provincial center? Irkutsk? remained at the level of small-scale production and did not receive sufficient development.

At the end of the 18th century, the artisans of Irkutsk mainly specialized in the processing of raw materials. So, 45% of the total number of people employed in processing crafts were engaged in the processing of animal raw materials, processing of vegetable raw materials? 35%, processing of mineral raw materials? 20% 1 . The development of the region's industry was also hampered by the narrowness of the labor market, the slow accumulation of capital, and the high cost of equipment and raw materials.

The leading sector of the Siberian economy was agriculture. Siberia is fully self-sufficient in food.

The most numerous group of the population of the city of Irkutsk already in 1724 was the merchant class? more than 80% of people in one way or another connected with trade. Registration in the guild at that time was largely formal. This was facilitated by the low property qualification, which led to the fact that the merchants included people who could not always even pay taxes for themselves. However, after the reform of 1775, which raised the property qualification of people who were members of the guild of merchants by 10 times, but at the same time secured class privileges for them (they were excluded from the poll tax, recruitment duty was removed from them, etc.), there was a sharp reduction in the merchant class. In particular, in Irkutsk the number of merchants decreased several times. This trend continued for many years to come. In the middle of the XIX century in Siberia there were only about 7 thousand merchants, the vast majority of which? 85%? belonged to the third guild. The most? merchant? Irkutsk remained the city, where more than 700 merchants lived 2 .

The merchants Trapeznikovs, Sibiryakovs, Medvednikovs, Dudorovskys, Mylnikovs, Bechevins, Strekalovskys, Voroshilovs, Pakholkovs and others had the largest capitals. They monopolized trade in the Aleutian Islands and on the coast North America, sent ships to the islands of the North Pacific Ocean, actively invested in the development of Russian-Chinese trade through Kyakhta, bought and resold furs, and engaged in entrepreneurship. By the middle of the 18th century, the turnover of the city of Irkutsk amounted to millions of rubles.

During this period, caravan-delivery trade dominated in Siberia. Trading life in settlements revived with the advent of merchant transports. ?Congresses? trade people occurred almost every month, but they reached their largest size in the fall, when merchant parties went in transit through Irkutsk to Kyakhta. Answering the questionnaire of the ?Commission on Commerce?, the leadership of the Irkutsk Zemstvo hut noted: ?Fairs in Irkutsk? throughout the year from visitors from different cities and on different dates they come from the beginning of the month of October, and they start from arrival both by water and by dry way in summer and winter usually; and the goods come on boards of different products?? 3 .

By the beginning of the 19th century, Irkutsk merchants had grown stronger, entered the Siberian and even the all-Russian market, “began to deliver Chinese goods to Russia for thousands of dollars and bring Russian goods from there in exchange?” four . The amount of goods they brought fully satisfied the needs of not only the city, but the entire region. In 1830, Irkutsk merchants delivered a total of goods worth almost six million rubles, which was eight times the amount of goods brought to the Irkutsk fair. All this huge mass of goods was intended for sale in the shop network. Under these conditions, long-term fair trade no longer met the interests of local entrepreneurs. According to their requirements, it was limited to one monthly fair, held in December.

The number of places of constant trade increased every year. So, in 1836 there were 607 outlets in the provincial center, and by the middle of the 19th century their number had increased to 723, which exceeded the similar indicators of Tobolsk, Tomsk and Tyumen combined. On average, the city had 1 shop for 20 townspeople. There was no higher concentration of trade in any other Siberian city 5 .

The development of commercial and entrepreneurial activity in Siberia in the 18th century was limited by the lack of capital in the region. Russia did not yet have an extensive system of lending to all classes, support was provided mainly to the nobility, including noble entrepreneurship. Under these conditions, private credit played an important role. The need for additional credit was great even among large Irkutsk merchants. As a rule, all cash was invested in financing crafts or trade operations. Merchants themselves acted primarily as creditors. Were their clientele made up of lower-ranking merchants? philistines, wealthy peasants. In particular, the huge capital of the Irkutsk merchant of the first guild N.N. Mylnikov was more than half in debt for different people on bills? Merchants often acted simultaneously as creditors and drawers.

In order to increase capital, representatives of local authorities and nobles sometimes acted as usurers. For example, at the beginning of the 19th century, the Irkutsk merchant P. Soldatov took a loan of 5 thousand rubles from the civil governor A. Tolstykh; 3 thousand rubles from the provincial secretary Bobrov, etc. 6

Basically, the loan capital was invested in trading operations. Examples of using the received loan for expansion or creation industrial production are single.

The network of state-owned credit institutions in the Irkutsk province began to take shape in the 18th century. A feature of the development of monetary relations in such a distant province as the Irkutsk province was, was not only the lack of funds for issuing a loan, but also an insufficient amount of metallic money. Although, it should be noted that in 1776-1791, the Suzunsky factory (Altai) produced Siberian copper money, which was in circulation only in Siberia. In addition, all-Russian money was in circulation.

In 1768, the government established the Assignment Bank, which was created primarily to cover military expenses for the outbreak of the Russian-Turkish war. Already at the beginning of 1769, the bank issues the first banknotes, but to the outskirts Russian Empire paper money arrived slowly; when exchanging banknotes, there was often a shortage of gold, silver and copper coins, which was often created artificially. This led to the washing out of coins from circulation, this shortage was especially felt in the provinces, where banknotes were exchanged with difficulty. The provincial offices, which were entrusted with this operation, could not cope with this task.

To solve the problem of a monetary deficit, the government establishes exchange offices in large cities of the empire with capital in banknotes. Such offices were opened in two Siberian cities: Tobolsk (1776) and Irkutsk (1779). The decree on the opening of the Irkutsk office, signed by Catherine II on April 30, 1779, read: ??by establishing banknote Banks in favor of the Empire? to distribute this establishment by establishing banking offices in other cities of the Russian Empire for the pleasure of private people in copper coins for the banknotes they represent? and finally, the noble part of the Siberian region took advantage of the same; but so that the most remote part of that region, that is: the Irkutsk province, took an equal part, and for the inhabitants there were opened ways for the most convenient appeals and exchanges of banknotes??. Established? bank office? housed in the former house of the government pharmacy. According to the data given by A. Vychugzhanin, a researcher of the history of banking in the Tyumen region, the capital of the Irkutsk exchange office allocated by the Assignation Bank amounted to 350 thousand rubles, while the capital of other offices rarely exceeded 200 thousand rubles, and only the Tobolsk office was allocated in the amount of 1 million rubles 7 .

However, exchange operations have not received due distribution. The sums of money allocated for these purposes were used in other ways. In particular, it is known that in 1786? Did the Irkutsk exchange office release 69,000 rubles to the local Treasury Chamber? to buy bread for the Nerchinsk factories? eight .

As a result of such careless conduct of business, as well as the distrust of the population in paper money, many offices turned out to be unprofitable for the treasury. Therefore, in 1788, 14 of the 23 existing exchange offices were closed, including offices in Irkutsk and Tobolsk. In the future, all banking operations were carried out in accordance with the Order of Public Charity, which has been in force in all provinces since 1775. They accepted deposits from all classes and gave loans, primarily to the merchants, secured by real estate. Loan sizes ranged from a few hundred rubles to several thousand. In 1802, for example, 13 loans were granted for a total of 28.3 thousand rubles. Did the merchants N. Mylnikov and N. Chupalov receive the largest loans? 5 thousand rubles each, merchants N. Basnin and N. Kiselev? 4 thousand rubles each. Loans were secured by mortgages on houses, trade and industrial establishments, and shares of the Russian-American Company 9 .

The state self-government bodies also received the right to engage in credit operations. In 1809, city dumas were allowed to use part of the city fees from their capital for lending to the merchants. The Irkutsk merchants also used other sources. It should be noted that all of these institutions were not specialized credit agencies and the implementation of credit operations occupied an insignificant place in their activities.

The diverse trading system of Irkutsk, which was defined at the turn of the 19th century, remained such until the beginning of the 20th century? in trading operations different levels most of the townspeople were employed. The result was an ever-increasing trade turnover. Therefore, there is an urgent need to create a more perfect system of credit relations on the territory of the vast province.

The first private bank in Irkutsk appeared in 1837 (according to other sources? in 1836) 10 at the Orphan House of Merchant E.M. Medvednikova. In terms of capital (initially it was 14.3 thousand rubles), the bank occupied the first place in Siberia in this period 11 . The purpose of the bank was to provide the citizens of the city of all classes with credit for the development of trade operations. Despite the fact that the bank was called private, it was practically a city public bank, as it was controlled by the city duma and managed by persons elected by the city society. The preferential taxation applied by the treasury to credit organizations created at houses of this type made it possible to direct a significant part of the profits to the maintenance of the Merchant E.M. Medvednikova. The bank's turnover grew rapidly and by the 1870s amounted to about 6.8 million rubles 12 .

The rapid growth of trade, which continued in the Irkutsk province in the second half of the 19th century, and the development of local industry required large financial investments. Under these conditions, the role of credit and bill circulation increases significantly.

In the middle of the 19th century, gold-bearing placers were discovered in Siberia, and the "gold rush" began. Private individuals were allowed to search for and develop gold on state lands in Siberia in 1838, the discovery of gold deposits in the upper reaches of the Olekma River dates back to 1843, but these placers turned out to be poor. Alluvial gold on the territory of the Lensky gold-bearing region was first found in 1846 simultaneously by two search parties: Irkutsk merchant of the 1st guild K.P. Trapeznikov and State Councilor K.G. Repinsky 13 . Active exploration of gold deposits begins with search parties, primarily Siberian merchants: M.A. Sibiryakova, K.P. Trapeznikova, I.I. Bazanova, P.P. Basnina, P.I. Katyshevtseva and others. Firms were created, the largest of which were the Industry Company, the Lena Gold Industry Association, the Trapeznikov Case, which accounted for most of the gold mined. Thanks to Siberian gold, Russia has become the world leader in its production. If in 1801 Russia's share in world gold production was only 1%, then in 1850? 40%. At the same time, Siberia accounted for more than 70% of the total volume of its production in Russia 14 . The active development of the Lensky gold-bearing region not only affected the development of the economic life of the Irkutsk province, but also required large cash injections in the form of loans.

The funds that Medvednikova's bank had at that time were clearly not enough for these purposes. It was the growing need for credit for commercial and industrial purposes that necessitated the creation of a branch of the State Bank in Irkutsk.

In official documents, for the first time, the opening of a branch of the State Bank in Irkutsk is reported in a letter from the Minister of Finance to the Board of the State Bank dated December 23, 1863: Kazan, Samara, Saratov, Astrakhan, Ryazan, Penza, Tambov, Voronezh, Yekaterinoslavl, Orel, Smolensk, Vitebsk, Vilna, Kamenetz-Podolsk, Chisinau, Irkutsk, Tomsk and other cities, where it is recognized as convenient, branches of the State Bank ??.

The opening date of the Irkutsk branch of the State Bank is November 1, 1865? It was on this day that the first operation was performed. State Councilor Nikolai Alekseevich Nazarenko was appointed manager, controller? collegiate assessor Pavel Stepanovich Flerov. The Irkutsk branch in this period of time was the easternmost on the boundless frontiers of the Russian Empire.

According to researchers of the history of Siberia, it was the State Bank that saved the "Lena gold mining partnership" from inevitable collapse. Initially, he was granted a short-term loan for current expenses in the amount of 6?8 million rubles, and then? long-term loan of 8 million rubles. At the same time, the bank strengthened its influence on the enterprise by introducing its people to the board of directors 15 .

On the basis of the Charter of the State Bank of 1894, an accounting and loan committee was established at the Irkutsk branch in order to determine the amount of credit that can be opened in the Bank to individuals, firms and institutions? and for?assessment of the reliability of promissory notes submitted for accounting, mortgages and pledges on loans?. The selection of candidates for the committee was given great importance. These were, as a rule, well-known Irkutsk merchants with a good business reputation, many had the title of hereditary honorary citizen of the city.

For many years, the following were invariably elected to the Accounting and Loan Committee: Pervuninsky Alexander Stepanovich (from 1896 to 1917), Krylov Petr Ivanovich (from 1896 to 1917), Atamanov Maxim Yakovlevich (from 1895 to 1910), Tolchenov Semyon Ivanovich (from 1899 to 1912), Rodionov Semyon Nikolaevich (from 1905 to 1917), Mylnikov Ivan Alexandrovich (from 1899 to 1910).

When opening branches of the State Bank, the commercial turnover of the regions (cities), the need of local firms for credit were taken into account. Depending on the volume of operations performed, the department was assigned a category. In the mid-1890s, the Irkutsk branch was given the status of a second-class department, but by 1896–1897, due to the high volume of operations, it was given the status of a first-class (highest) category department.

In addition to the Irkutsk branch, on the territory of the present Irkutsk region, there was an independent Bodaibo branch, opened in the Lensky gold mining region on January 4, 1903 (according to the old style).

At first, the Irkutsk branch did not have its own building and rented various premises in the city. The first building specifically for the Irkutsk branch of the State Bank was laid on May 25, 1897 at the corner of Amurskaya and Basninskaya streets (currently Lenina and Sverdlov streets). The building was designed by the St. Petersburg architect Svetlitsky. On September 14, 1899, the consecration of the new building took place, and the bank moved into it from the house it had previously rented at 16 Bolshaya Street.

In 1873, a branch of the Siberian Trade Bank appeared in Irkutsk, in the 1890s? branches of the Russian-Asian and Russian-Chinese banks. These banks specialized in financing foreign trade transactions with China and Mongolia and opened their branches in the city, given its significant role in developing trade relations with these countries.

In 1915, in the city, in addition to the Irkutsk branch of the State Bank, there were four commercial banks (from 1901 to 1905? 2, from 1906 to 1907? 1, in 1908? 2, from 1909 to 1910? 3, from 1911 to 1915? 4 commercial banks). In 1906 a mutual credit society was opened (in 1915 there were two mutual credit societies). In 1911, a city public bank was opened in the city, in 1915 there were already three such banks.

At this time, along with an increase in the number of private banks, a network of small credit institutions began to form? in 1910 there were 29 class institutions (the maximum number of them was 35 in 1912, in 1915 there were 29 such institutions).

In addition to estate institutions, in 1911 there were 5 credit partnerships in the region (by 1915 their number had increased to 85), in 1912 4 savings and loan partnerships appeared (by 1915 their number had increased to 10). The emergence of small credit institutions was associated with the implementation of the state long-term program to create a network of credit institutions in the countryside, where the largest number of people lived (70?85%) 17 . Such was the system of credit organizations in the region on the eve of the 1917 revolution.

V.F. Chekurkov

1 Martos A. Letters about Eastern Siberia. M., 1827. S. 147?148 / In the book: V.P. Shakherov. Merchant Irkutsk: The history of the city in faces and fates / V.P. Shakherov. ? Khabarovsk: Publishing house? Priamurskiye Vedomosti?, 2006, p. 43.

2 Naumov V.P. History of Siberia: Course of lectures. ? Irkutsk: Izd-vo ISTU, 2003, p. 116.

3 Shakherov V.P. Merchant Irkutsk: The history of the city in faces and fates / V.P. Shakherov. ? Khabarovsk: Publishing house? Priamurskiye Vedomosti?, 2006, p. 43.

4 Ibid., p. fifty.

5 Shakherov V.P. Merchant Irkutsk: The history of the city in faces and fates / V.P. Shakherov. ? Khabarovsk: Publishing house? Priamurskiye Vedomosti?, 2006, p. 52.

6 Notes of Irkutsk residents. Irkutsk. 1990, p. 208 // Irkutsk in the panorama of centuries: Essays on the history of the city / S.M. Alekseev, V.V. Baryshnikov and others? 2nd ed., rev. and additional Irkutsk: East Siberian Publishing Company, 2003, p. 97?98.

7 Vychugzhanin A.L., Otradnykh O.A. History of banking in the Tyumen region. ? Tyumen: Publishing House? Word?, 2004, p. 69

8 Ibid., p. 70

9 Irkutsk in the panorama of centuries: Essays on the history of the city / S.M. Alekseev, V.V. Baryshnikov and others? 2nd ed., rev. and additional Irkutsk: East Siberian Publishing Company, 2003, p. 97.

10 Ibid.

11 Ibid., p. 182.

12 Ibid., p. 183.

13 Mungalov N.N. Lena gold mines (1846?1920): Historical essay. Book. 1 / N.N. Mongalov? 2nd ed. ? Irkutsk: LLC? Reprocenter A1?, 2006, p. eleven.

14 Naumov V.P. History of Siberia: Course of lectures. ? Irkutsk: Izd-vo ISTU, 2003, p. 121.

15 Irkutsk in the panorama of centuries: Essays on the history of the city / S.M. Alekseev, V.V. Baryshnikov and others? 2nd ed., rev. and additional Irkutsk: East Siberian Publishing Company, 2003, p. 183.

16 Medvedev S.I. Irkutsk on postcards 1899?1917. M.: Publishing house? Galart?, 1996, p. 42.

17 National Bank. Data on offices and departments for 1901-1910. under the editorship of the Director of the State Bank E.N. Slansky. St. Petersburg, p. 464.

The material was prepared by the Main Branch of the Bank of Russia for the Irkutsk Region

After the construction of the railway, it is growing noticeably. According to the 1897 census, there were 51,473 inhabitants in Irkutsk, and 90,800 in 1919. In 1910, Irkutsk had 18187 buildings, including 1190 stone ones. The urban population grew mainly due to the influx of workers and employees for transport (railway, steamship, horse-drawn transport), trading enterprises, an increase in the number of artisans, merchants, military, officials and government employees institutions. To a lesser extent, the number of workers at factory-type enterprises increased. Irkutsk remained the center of trade and administration of Eastern Siberia with a poorly developed industry.

On the industrial enterprises of Irkutsk in the first years of the 20th century. reported in the report of the Irkutsk Committee of the RSDLP:

“Large-scale industry in, as in other Siberian cities, is still extremely poorly developed. There are almost no large establishments in the city itself; all of them can be counted on the fingers, these are: 1) a monopoly warehouse that opened in the summer of 1904 - 200 workers; 2) railway depot - 75 workers; 3) Makushin's printing house - 200 workers; 4) the printing house of Vostochnoye Obozreniye - 60 workers; and 5) the provincial printing house - 80 workers.

All other establishments located in Irkutsk occupy less than 50 people each. workers, among them there are small printing houses, bakeries, metalwork and blacksmith workshops. A little more than a hundred factories and plants operated in the Irkutsk province. Each such enterprise accounted for an average of 10-15 workers. The exceptions were the workshops and depots at the Innokentyevskaya station, the Usolsky salt plant and the match factory, where 200 workers were employed; approximately the same number of workers was at the Telma factory, the Nikolaev ironworks, the repair plant in Listvenichny, and at the Perevalov glass factory. A significant number of workers according to local conditions - up to 5,000 people - were at the Cheremkhovo coal mines, as well as at the gold mines.

In 1900, the Irkutsk city government filed a petition with the Ministry of Finance to allow the city to issue a long-term bonded loan in the amount of 2,500,000 rubles for the installation of water supply, sewerage, electrical lighting and other needs, but the issue of issuing a loan was resolved was not. In 1903-1905. a private joint-stock company was the first to build a water pipe, covering only a small, central part of the city. In 1911, the city council drew up projects for sewerage, expansion of the water supply system and even the installation of a tramway, but things did not go beyond the projects.

Electric lighting has appeared in Irkutsk only since 1901. At that time, several small electrical installations were arranged by private entrepreneurs, but they served almost exclusively the commercial and residential premises of their owners. In 1905-1906 an electric station was built, owned by businessman Polyakov. She illuminated Bolshaya Street and released energy to some private subscribers. Finally, in 1910, the construction of the Irkutsk city power station, which belonged to the city government, was completed. In this regard, the issue of the tram was again raised by the city duma and the council, but everything was limited to the construction of future tram lines on the city plan. Even a detailed project for the construction of a tram was not presented.

The question of building a permanent bridge across the Angara was raised several times. The city government published a special book “A permanent iron bridge across the Angara”, but its construction was not carried out.

Measures for the improvement of the city concerned almost exclusively the center, and not the outskirts, where the working population lived.

The Siberian Commercial and Industrial Yearbook for 1913 reported:

“The city, due to its favorable location and the railway, in terms of trade occupies one of the prominent places among the cities of Siberia, every year its population increases, a lot of new buildings appear every year ... Dirt on the streets, which previously reached legendary proportions , is now moving further and further to the outskirts. The main streets are almost all paved with cobblestones. On Bolshaya Street in some places there is even a side pavement. There are sidewalks on all streets without exception, on the main ones they are mostly stone or asphalt. The streets are straight and wide. The lighting of the outskirts is kerosene, with the help of Galkin lanterns and other systems, while the center is illuminated by electricity.

The Yearbook also noted major shortcomings in urban improvement:

“But, despite its external European appearance, the city cannot boast of many amenities that have become a necessity for a cultured person. So, there is still no horse or tram, the water supply is still being arranged, and only the presence in the city itself of the beautiful Angara, which the inhabitants, despite all efforts, cannot pollute in any way, saves the city from destructive epidemics. The disadvantages of the city include the fact that twice a year, during ice drift, it is cut off from the rest of the world for several days: the pontoon bridge connecting it with the station is raised and the crossing is carried out by boat, which is fraught with great difficulties and danger. There has been talk about a permanent bridge across the Angara for a long time, but there is still no bridge.”

The Yearbook reported that there were a significant number of commercial enterprises and government agencies, several banks - the State, a branch of the Russian-Asian, Volga-Kama and Siberian commercial banks, the bank of Elizaveta Medvednikova - but at the same time, attention was paid to on the weak development of industry in the city: "Industrial and factory activities, as elsewhere in Siberia, are very poorly developed."

In 1912, the trade turnover of Irkutsk reached 70 million rubles. Meanwhile, the city's industrial enterprises produced only 2 million worth of their products.

In 1914, there were 24 small factory-type enterprises in Irkutsk (iron foundries and locksmiths, sawmills, brick, leather, vodka, breweries, steam flour mills, printing houses) and several small craft workshops. Up to 5,500 hired workers and lone artisans worked at these enterprises. This number does not include the workers of the railway workshops and depots, the workshops of the shipping company, and the electric station.

In 1894, in connection with the construction of the Siberian railway, a small settlement appeared 7 kilometers from Irkutsk - a station that received the name Innokentievskaya. Railway workshops and warehouses were built at the station. In 1901, 996 people lived in the village, and in 1917 - 8275.

In Irkutsk, a warehouse of agricultural implements and the simplest machines (threshers, reapers, etc.) and workshops were arranged.

Compared with the second half of the XIX century. the number of industrial and transport workers in Irkutsk increased, but slowly.

Although there were major shortcomings in urban improvement, Irkutsk, in comparison with other settlements Irkutsk province, made a favorable impression on those who visited him. This is evidenced, for example, by the memoirs of the old Bolshevik P. N. Karavaev, who arrived in the city in 1914. In his memoirs “In the pre-October years”, he writes:

“At first, Irkutsk made a big impression on me. After a four-year stay in the miserable villages of the Kirensky district near the wanderings in the taiga, Irkutsk seemed to me the embodiment of civilization. The very process of walking along the streets of a big city, the opportunity to observe busy traffic, gave pleasure.

Irkutsk in those years stood out among other cities of Siberia with its cultural appearance, beautiful buildings, and a rather lively social life.

P.K. Karavaev considered the city theater, the buildings of the museum and the Russian-Asian Bank (now the Central Ambulatory), the White House and the Vtorovsky Passage - a large commercial building destroyed during the December battles of 1917, to be the best, most beautiful buildings of the city. G.

The years of reaction had an extremely negative impact on the public life of Irkutsk. In 1907, the Irkutsk organization of the RSDLP was defeated, 54 of its active members were arrested and put on trial. The tsarist administration closed the trade unions that arose in 1905 and persecuted the local press and educational organizations.

In 1908-1909. the activities of the Irkutsk organization of the RSDLP began to recover and revive. In the summer of 1908, an illegal gathering took place at Zvezdochka (the area opposite the city on the left bank of the Angara). Its participants decided to continue revolutionary propaganda and resume the issuance of proclamations. The printing press is up and running again. The proclamation "Black Holiday" was issued and distributed in the city. So its compilers called the official celebrations on the occasion of the opening of the monument to Alexander III in Irkutsk. The proclamation countered the "Black Holiday" of the tsarist officials, clergy and capitalists with the poverty and lack of rights of the people and called for a struggle against the autocracy.

An outstanding leader of the party, an ardent Bolshevik, did a lot to revive revolutionary propaganda in Irkutsk. S. M. Kirov (Kostrikov). By the time he arrived in Irkutsk, he already had considerable experience in revolutionary work.

Before coming to Irkutsk, Sergei Mironovich studied in Urzhum, Kazan, then in 1904 he arrived in Tomsk, where he worked as a draftsman. In Tomsk, Seryozha Kostrikov enjoyed the love and respect of his comrades. He established contact with the Tomsk Committee of the RSDLP and carried out important party assignments related to revolutionary propaganda. In 1905, Sergei Mironovich, while working in the Tomsk Committee of the RSDLP, led a combat squad, participated in a major political demonstration, showing courage and resourcefulness when demonstrators clashed with the police. He equipped with his comrades an underground printing house of the Committee, in which numerous proclamations and leaflets were printed, which were distributed in large numbers in Tomsk and beyond. The activities of Sergei Mironovich were not limited to Tomsk. He conducted agitation and propaganda work at the Taiga station and led a major railroad strike there.

In 1906, S. M. Kirov was arrested and imprisoned for two years. After his release, he lived in Novonikolaevsk (now Novosibirsk), and then moved to Irkutsk. Sergei Mironovich arrived there in July 1908.

While the Menshevik liquidators sought to liquidate the illegal party organization, S. M. Kirov and his like-minded Bolsheviks were restoring it. Having established contact with the workers of local enterprises, he conducted revolutionary propaganda among them. For the same purpose, S. M. Kirov often traveled to the Baikal and Slyudyanka stations.

Teacher E. A. Bobyleva, who met him in Irkutsk, says:

“During his stay in Irkutsk, Sergei Mironovich often visited us. Always cheerful, cheerful, with a smile on his face. His whole nature was truthful and open. He was interested in everything, and he wanted to know about everything, sharply criticized, possessing a subtlety of humor and a bright flight of thought. I was not averse to playing with my nephews, who called me Aunt Boba (from the surname of Boby-leva), Sergey Mironovich began to call me the same way. He talked a lot about his life in the countryside, about Kazan and about his revolutionary work, life in the Tomsk prison.

For conspiratorial reasons, S. M. Kirov changed his original apartment on Spaso-Lyuteranskaya street, No. 33 and moved to a new apartment on Medvednikovskaya (now Khalturina street, house No. 4).

In Irkutsk, S. M. Kirov became closely acquainted with the political exile in the case of the Social Democratic underground printing house in Novgorod (1894), V. T. Talalaev (died in 1930). His wife A. M. Talalaeva remembers Seryozha Kostrikov well as a cheerful, lively and active young man full of seething energy.

It is known that Sergei Mironovich was a remarkable journalist who used the press as a means of revolutionary propaganda. V. T. Talalaev was also a journalist. He collaborated in the Irkutsk newspapers Vostochnoye Obozreniye, Sibirskaya Zarya, Vostochnaya Zarya, participated in editing them and was subjected to repression more than once for publishing articles of an “anti-government direction”. Classes in journalism brought together S. M. Kirov and V. T. Talalaev, contributed to the strengthening of their acquaintance. It is possible that during his stay in Irkutsk S. M. Kirov took part in the local press. The difficulty of studying this fact lies in the fact that Sergei Mironovich, being in a semi-legal, then illegal position, could not sign his articles.

S. M. Kirov did not have to stay long in Irkutsk. He received a message that in Tomsk the gendarmes had discovered an underground printing house set up by him and his comrades and were looking for its organizer in order to crack down on him. Irkutsk gendarmes also began to look for him. In May 1909, S. M. Kirov left for the North Caucasus, where a new stage of his revolutionary activity began.

Coming out against the Menshevik liquidators, the Bolsheviks continued their struggle for the preservation, strengthening and development of illegal party organizations. In 1911, the May Day proclamation of the Central Committee of the RSDLP was distributed in Irkutsk. The proclamation called: “Our illegal party must gather everything ready for the fight, all those who want to go under the glorious banner of our old Russian Social-Democratic Labor Party, revolutionary to the end, all those who have not tired of fighting, who have remained faithful to the old covenants. And our party must lead all manifestations of the workers' struggle.

The proclamation was republished in Irkutsk, before the text it was printed: "To the workers and women workers of Irkutsk."

After the defeat of the 1905 revolution, the tsarist government sent more and more political convicts and exiles to Siberia. One of the places of exile was the Irkutsk province.

In 1914, M. V. Frunze was sent to the village of Manzurka, Verkholensky district, Irkutsk province, through the Alexander transit prison. During his stay in Manzurka, a colony of political exiles was formed there. Under the leadership of M. V. Frunze, the Manzur colony organized a mutual aid fund, a canteen and a library. In Manzurka, the Bolshevik newspaper Pravda and the Bolshevik magazine Enlightenment were received and distributed. Political exiles conducted revolutionary propaganda among the peasants.

In prison and in exile, M. V. Frunze was thoroughly engaged in the study of military affairs: he understood the importance of military knowledge for the revolutionary struggle, for the success of an armed uprising, M. V. Frunze was considered an authority on military issues and, at the request of his comrades, conducted conversations on military affairs. Thus, one of the future commanders of the Red Army, even in prison and exile, was engaged in military training.

In 1915, M. V. Frunze, along with other political exiles, was arrested as the “chief organizer of the colony” and sent from Manzurka to the Irkutsk prison, but on the way to Irkutsk he escaped from the Oek transit prison. He reached Irkutsk, hid here, and then left for Chita. Skillfully concealed under the name of Mikhailov, M. V. Frunze selflessly continued his revolutionary activities, first in Transbaikalia, and then in European Russia.

In June 1915 V. M. Molotov was arrested and exiled to Manzurka for three years. He did not stay in exile for long and in August 1915 escaped.

In 1915--1916. in the village of Golovnovka, and then in the village of Tutura, Verkholensky district, Irkutsk province, V. V. Kuibyshev was in exile. At that time, up to 30 political exiles lived in Tutur, most of them Bolshevik workers. Valerian Vladimirovich relied on them in his work. He united party members, prepared them for further struggle, conducted revolutionary propaganda among non-party workers who had fallen into exile, and among local peasants. In the spring of 1916, VV Kuibyshev escaped from exile to Samara.

Bolshevik newspapers Zvezda and Pravda, Marxist-Leninist literature, and leaflets penetrated into Siberia through political Bolshevik exiles and were distributed here. In the Irkutsk province, Pravda was produced in Irkutsk, Cheremkhovo, Tulun, Taishet, Bratsk, Kachuga, and Manzurka.

The Bolsheviks waged lively propaganda among the workers, peasants, and office workers, and led the strike movement, which assumed wide proportions during the years of the revolutionary upsurge. During this period, the eyes of the working people of Russia were turned to the events that took place in the Lena gold mines.

Until the 80s of the 19th century, most of the Lena gold mines belonged to Irkutsk merchants. In the future, the mines are gradually concentrated in the hands of the Lenzoloto gold mining partnership. At the beginning of the 20th century, Lenzoloto, which grew rich due to the exploitation of workers, became the unlimited ruler of the Leno-Vitim mining district. The shareholders of "Lenzolota" were large Russian and English capitalists, tsarist ministers and members of the royal family. Judges, officials, police officers at the mines were kept at the expense of Lenzoloto, being obedient executors of the will of the gold miners.

Getting into the distant prilensky taiga, the workers found themselves in bondage to the capitalists. Hiring of workers was carried out in September and October, when the steamship traffic along the Lena ended. After the cessation of navigation, it was difficult for a worker to get out of the mines, and, fearing to be left without any means of subsistence, he was forced to work on any onerous conditions. “I have to work in such a way that horses are left with a tail and a mane, and people are left with a nose and eyes,” Belozerov, the manager of the mines, brazenly declared upon his assumption of office.

In 1912, the poet F. Shkulev in the Bolshevik newspaper Zvezda characterized the hard lot of the Lena workers as follows:

Under the weight of grief, under mournful moans

They forged millions for you all your life.

They spent sleepless nights

And their tired eyes faded from tears.

Their arms and legs hung like whips,

Hungry, stunted were their children! ..

They spent the best forces for you,

And you treated them to their grave for that ...

In a stuffy atmosphere of complete lack of rights and arbitrariness, the workers faced two completely opposite ways - to languish in the vice of double oppression on the part of the capitalists and the autocracy, or to fight against them. The workers chose the second path—the path of struggle.

In the history of the Leno-Vitimsky mining district, a number of strikes and unrest of workers are known, starting from the 70s of the last century. But never before have strikes taken on such broad dimensions, never acquired such significance as in 1912. At the beginning of the 20th century, new people appeared in the mines: they were workers who had been tempered by the revolutionary struggle during the 1905 revolution. They acted as leaders during the Lena strike of 1912. The strike, which received worldwide fame, was held in unison and in an organized manner. In the strike committee and among the mine delegates, the leading role belonged to the Bolsheviks and the Bolshevik-minded workers.

The Lena workers' strike began in February 1912. It proceeded in unison, in an organized manner, and covered all the Lenzo-lot mines. The workers demanded better food quality, housing conditions, medical care, courteous treatment, the abolition of forced female labor, an increase in wages and piece rates, the establishment of an eight-hour working day, the dismissal of several employees from the mining administration, the most hated workers.

In order to break the strike, the tsarist government, in order to please the capitalists, committed a bloody massacre: on April 4 (17), an unarmed crowd of workers walking to negotiate with the mine management was met with rifle fire. The tsarist troops, on the orders of a gendarmerie officer, killed 250 and wounded 270 people.

A storm of indignation against the new atrocity of tsarism seized the working class. He responded to the Lena massacre with numerous strikes and protest demonstrations. “The Lena shooting was the reason for the transition of the revolutionary mood of the masses into a revolutionary upsurge of the masses,” wrote V. I. Lenin.

The strike movement also grew in Irkutsk and the Irkutsk province. In May 1912 in Irkutsk, the workers of Posokhin's printing house began a strike. It lasted for about two months. The workers led a struggle against the attempts of the owner of the printing house to take away some of the benefits that the printers achieved during the strike movement in 1905. The strikers were supported by the workers of other printing houses, who made special deductions in favor of the strikers. The workers achieved partial satisfaction of their demands.

In 1913 there were strikes of workers and employees in Irkutsk, on the Cheremkhov mines, in the workshops of the Lena Shipping Company in Zhigalovo and Tutur.

In May 1913, a strike of employees and workers of the largest trading company in Siberia, the Vtorov brothers, began in Irkutsk, which also found a response in other cities. The strike was led by a group of Bolsheviks: Starting in Irkutsk, the strike spread to all branches of the company in Siberia: in Tomsk, Verkhneudinsk, Chita, Troitskosavsk, Sretensk.

In addition to an 8-hour working day and better working conditions, the strikers demanded freedom of the press, unions, meetings and strikes.

In 1913-1914. there were several strikes at the Cheremkhov coal mines. The Union of Miners of the Cheremkhovo District played a major role in organizing the strikes. The Union was led by a group of Bolsheviks from political exiles.

In Irkutsk, in May 1914, metalworkers from the convoy workshop and printers went on strike. In the summer of 1914, a new strike began in the convoy workshop. The strikers' meetings were attended by workers from other enterprises in the city and political resolutions were passed. At one of the meetings, a resolution was adopted on the solidarity of the workers of Irkutsk with the striking Baku workers and the international labor movement.