Odessa
2 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Odessa. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
an important seaport of Russia. In size it is the fourth city of the empire, ranking next to Warsaw. Population, about half a million. Odessa is situated on the shore of a semi-circular bay at the northwestern angle of the Black Sea , midway between the mouth of the Dnieper and the Dniester. As neither of these rivers affords anchorage for large ships, Odessa is the metropolis of the vast region drained by them. The harbor is about thirty feet deep. It has been improved by the construction of immense moles. During the midwinter the bay is likely to be closed for about three weeks by ice. Of late years ice breakers have been depended upon to keep the harbor open. Odessa stands upon a chalky terrace about 100 feet above the sea. The sidewalks reach the general level by a stairway of 200 steps. The harbor is exposed to terrific storms. Odessa is the chief wheat-exporting seaport of Russia. Mammoth elevators line the harbor. Beans, peas, oil cake, beet sugar, lumber, flour, and fish productions are exported also. The chief imports are those needed by an agricultural district, as agricultural implements, machinery, groceries, fruits, and coal. Baled cotton and jute are imported for the consumption of local mills. There are extensive tobacco factories, soap works, and tanneries. The city is noted for breweries and sugar refineries. Odessa occupies the site of an ancient Greek settlement. It is a city of importance to the Greek Church . It is regarded as a strategic point by the Russian government. There are strong fortifications, a city hall, an imperial palace, a palace for the archbishop, a public library, an immense railway station, a university, post-office, custom house, barracks for soldiers and other public buildings. Public water works, electric lights, and other modern municipal improvements render the city a healthful place of residence. Odessa was bombarded by the English and the French forces during the Crimean War. During the Japanese War and immediately afterward, the city suffered much from mob violence. Warehouses and business blocks were burned and other damage inflicted. 2026 Editor's Note: By way of comparison, Odesa today has about 1 million residents, Ukraine's great Black Sea port. (Ed: BR 2026-06-04)
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
a city and seaport of South Russia, on the N. W. coast of the Black Sea, half-way between the mouths of the Dniester and Bug. The harbor, which is artificial, is formed of two moles, and is capable of accommodating over 200 vessels. It is defended by two batteries toward the sea; and on the E. side is a citadel, which commands the town and port. The principal building is the cathedral of St. Nicholas. Facing the port is a large statue in bronze of the Duke de Richelieu. A great drawback is the scarcity of wood and water, and the intensity of the heat, which frequently reaches 120 °, and destroys the vegetation of the vicinity. Odessa is the emporium for the produce of Southern Russia, and owes its rapid growth to its being a free port. The great trade of the town and its principal export, is corn, which, garnered here from the adjacent Ukraine and Moldavia, is shipped to almost every part of Europe. Odessa was founded by Catherine II., in 1794. Pop. about 600,000. Odessa was the scene of anti- Jewish riots in 1905-1906, when many persons were killed. The mutinous Black Sea fleet also threatened the city. The port was closed during the Balkan War, 1912-1913. It was bombarded by a Turkish fleet in the World War in 1914. ODIN. See WODEN.