Vocabulary

1. an attending student – вольнослушатель

2. to alternate – чередовать

3. a countryman – земляк

E. T. Paramonov

Many places in Rostov are connected with the name of Elpidiphor Trofimovitch Paramonov, an outstanding merchant and a ship-owner. He was the son of a rich Cossack who lived in stanitsa Nizhne-Chirskaya. Paramonov headed his father’s prosperous manufactory at the age of 22. In 1867 the young merchant became the owner of several large wheat storehouses. These buildings one can see along the Don embankment. He was a wise businessman who could take risk and be economical, even sometimes stingy, at the same time. He had a complex perception of his business and could foresee the future. When he bought an old mill and modernized it with steam engines he decided to secure his activity and grow his own wheat on his own land. His fleet consisting of 100 river-barges and 15 steamers was provided with coal from his coal-mines.

Of course, Paramonov was not the first to start export of wheat but it was he who achieved a prominent position in this sphere. His ill-wishers declared him to be unfit to live among the upper-class people due to his origin. But he had his own rules of life and did not pay any attention to these contemptuous remarks. For example, he did not like to stay in the hotels, so he ordered to build two wonderful houses in Rostov (now there is the University Library in one of them and the other is the so called Paramonov’s House in Suvorov Street). Sometimes he was more than generous. He presented a beautiful house located on the crossing of B. Sadovaya and Khalturinsky Streets (it still decorates our city though it has become a bank office) to a ballet dancer Margarita Chebanova. This small palace was constructed in 1899 by the architect Doroshenko and is considered to be one of the most original buildings in Rostov.

Paramonov did not like to waste money: instead of sending salary to his workers by post he instructed the captain of his ship to distribute it. The best guarantee for him was one’s word of honour. And every merchant in the South of Russia knew him as a trustworthy partner. He participated in different charity actions and gave money for education and cultural needs of Rostov. Paramonov is known as one of the brightest examples of wise businessmen whose efforts were beneficial for the development of our city’s economy.

References

1. Астапенко, М.П. Край Донской казачий / М.П. Астапенко. – Ростов н/Д , 1994.

2. Деревянко, Р.Я. Люби и знай свой родной край / Р.Я. Деревянко. – Ростов н/Д , 1991.

3. Ростов-на-Дону (серия Города России). – М.: МП «Книга», 1996.

4. Ростов-на-Дону: Исторические очерки / подгот. В.В. Чеботаревым [и др.]. – Ростов н/Д, 1984.

5. Ростов-на-Дону. Очерки о городе. – Ростов н/Д: Ростов. кн. изд-во, 1973.

6. Cossack Historical Costume. – Ростов н/Д: Ростгорисполком, 1989.

Учебное издание