Andrey Matveyevich Balkov

BAIKOV bogdanova

t.y. kolesnikova e.i. gymnasium 52

THE FIRST ROSTOV MAJOR

its citizens.
One of the most outstanding men

of the19-th century was our fellow-country-man Andrey Matveyevitch Baikov. Who was that man of a wonderful destiny? What did he do for Rostov-on-Don and its people?

Rostov-on-Don

A.M. Baikov

known Head of the city. As a major of Rostov

he worked for 27 years. During his leadership he managed to turn Rostov, a small country settlement, into a rather big modercity. Thanks to his innovations he is considered to be the main hero in the history of the city.

Rostov-on-Don

Rostov Coat of Arms

A.M. Baikov

born in a noble family of a Maths professor in

Kharkov in 1831. After school he entered the Law College in St. Petersburg. After graduating from the college being the best student he was appointed to be a legal adviser at the Law Department. He was married and had a daughter.

For the first time Andrey Baikov stayed in Rostov only for 48 days in 1854. There was the Crimean War that time. Together with a few merchants Baikov organized a company to supply the Russian Army with food. But he couldn’t work in the organization as he had started his military service in the Navy.

the Crimean War (1853-1856)

the Crimean War (1853-1856)

the war. That time Baikov founded a joint-stock company to

produce tinned meat and started to trade with France. His energy and enthusiasm made him a respectable person. In 1863 he was elected the major of Rostov. Since then a new progressive page in the history of the city had begun.

Rostov-on-Don

of Rostov. All in all he was elected the major

of the city four times. There were great breakthroughs in his activity but there were drawbacks, too. In 1869 Baikov was removed for long 10 years.

He left for the Caucasus. But even there he continued working. He became a Justice of the Peace and was given some state rewards. Rostovites did remember their major and wrote a petition to return him back to Rostov. Thus Baikov became a major of the city again.

– акционерное общество
breakthroughs – успехи
to be removed – быть отстраненным

от (работы)

city Bolshaya Sadovaya was covered with asphalt and the first

omnibus started carrying passengers along. Later on there were first carriages of “konka” there. Baikov is considered to be an encourager of the first water supply construction. He helped to build the steam water supply of 100 thousand buckets a day. In 1868 the first telephone rang in Rostov.

Almost every month Baikov surprised the citizens. In 1864 600 paraffin lanterns lit the central streets of the city. To make sea trade more successful there was established the Committee to clean the river Don. Later pavements, a new stone bridge named after Baikov, the first city bank and the office of the State Bank appeared in Rostov.

paraffin lanterns

“konka”

and health service. Under his rule the central hospital was

rebuilt, the Petropavlovski charity hospital for the poor was built.
The City Department adopted the law of compulsory vaccinations for all people. The first gymnasium, Jewish and craft colleges began to teach students. The woman gymnasium was allowed. Baikov initiated the reformation of the theatre and the Fair Committee and the foundation of the Charity organization. A lot of classical style houses were also built then.

One of craft colleges

The first gymnasium

The city hospital

in the region of the General Gully (Soglasia Street). Some

streets got names of famous writers. The city itself became cleaner than before. Roofed markets, parks and squares appeared. A lot of trees and bushes were planed.

One of the Roofed markets

lots of friends. But he was also surrounded by enemies

and enviers who wrote complaints to various Ministries. In 1888 a monitoring committee arrived. Although no infringements were fount the mayor was dismissed. He was enormously depressed and went to Merano, the town in South Tirol , northern Italy to rest. But he couldn’t stay there for long as he died on the 18-th of September, 1889.

Italy

Merano, the town in South Tirol

ship and a village were given his name.His grave was

on the cemetery where the Rostov Sports Palace is situated now. Today we can see the bust to Baikov in the building of Rostov “Vodokanal” and his monument in Bolshaya Sadovaya Street which was opened in September 2013.

Rostov Sports Palace

Rostov “Vodokanal”

The monument in Bolshaya Sadovaya street

паровое водоснабжение
a craft college – ремесленное училище
the General Gully –

Генеральская балка
an envier – завистник
an infringement – нарушение
to be dismissed - уволить