Зовнішній вигляд та інфраструктура міст сучасної Луганщини у ХІХ – на початку ХХ ст. за матеріалами статистичних джерел

Abstract

The article, based on statistical materials collected and published by the official bodies of the Russian Empire, analyzes the appearance and infrastructure of cities in the modern Luhansk region during the XIX – early XX centuries. The main attention is paid to the cities that had official status – Starobilsk, Slavyanoserbsk, Luhansk. At the same time, the statistics included the largest rural settlements (Bilovodsk, Svatova Luchka, etc.), information about which is also taken into account. Quantitative characteristics of urban development (building materials, paving and street lighting, etc.) are studied. The issues of introduction of technical innovations in cities – telegraph, telephone, water supply, removal of household waste, as well as the state of public transport – were considered separately. Another indicator under consideration is the provision of infrastructure to fulfill the social function of cities - the situation of educational and medical affairs, firefighting, police and others. It was found that in the second half of the XIX century. New establishments of trade and public catering developed rapidly, which was connected with the strengthening of the trade function not only of the official cities, but also of some settlements (Bilovodsk, Svatova Luchka). Quantitative indicators of infrastructure development in the cultural sphere are considered separately. It is concluded that the development of a specific urban environment in the modern Luhansk region in the XIX – early XX centuries. took place in the stream of general trends, but on a smaller scale. A certain exception was Luhansk, whose pace of modernization was the highest.