Troitsk

Troitsk, a town of eastern Russia, in the government of Orenburg, situated in a fertile steppe, 315 m. N.E. of Orenburg, and 77 m. S. of Chelyabinsk, on the Siberian highway. Pop. (1885), 18,497; (1900), 23,293. It has grown rapidly in modern times. The Troitskiy fort, erected in 1743, became a centre for trade with the Kirghiz steppe and Turkestan, and in that trade Troitsk is now second only to Orenburg. Cotton, silk, and especially horses and cattle are imported, while leather, cotton, woollen and metal wares are exported. An active trade in corn for the Ural gold mines is carried on. The place has ironworks and tanneries.