PRAID - TOWN DESCRIPTION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600030357-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 26, 2011
• Sequence Number: 357
• Publication Date: December 26, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14: CIA-RDP80-00809A000600030357-3
CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL/sF up1'ry uwag
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
DATE DISTR. ab Dec 1952
SUBJECT Praia - Town Description NO OF PAGES 3
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
ACQUIRED
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
1. Prait (46?33'N, 25'08'E) is a centuries-cld town dating back to the period of
the Roman B .ire. It it located in a valley on the Ternava??Mice (now) river.
T'hs Hungarian name for this river is Kis-Kuku Lo, The river is very small,
about six meters vide,and it is very rapid. The Ta:nava-Mice flows from the
northeast to the southwest. It is not suited for commercial fishing,but sports-
men occasionally catch a few mountain trout it i. Banks of the riv,)r are flush
with the ground, Although the river ncrmally flcods after a big rain, such
floods do not damage the town's buildings.
2. The streets are paved with small crushed rock. Maintenance is very poor. Al-
though there are no severs, the streets drain well. Numbering system for build-
ings is vary irregulsa. Otreets are lighted well with electric lights every
night. The lights are on wooden poles about tour meters from the ground.
3. Most residences are of log pale construction, one floor and are painted light
blue or white. Houses are erected flush with atretts `kith no sidewalks inter.
veniag, Houses are heated with small .rand-harming stoves. A large and t'.?quate
firevoo4 supply to readily 3va1lihle from forreat surroucdag Pratd. Almost
all res0oncts are equipped with electricity but few have telephones. Koss
persons ova their own homes and do not rent them. Climate do4s little daai.ge to
buildinge, gip roofs covered 4th uod shingles are the prevaia.ing type. Gar-
bage is placed on eiKaure piles and later used es fertiliser.
k. There ere no military camps in or around ?raid. The town's population is 99%
Hungarian and townsmen disiike the itumaniea government.
5? About eight kilometers cast of Praid there is a mine which produces aragonite.
I have no details about this mine.
6. I have prepared a free hand sketch of traid Z$nclosure 67 not drawn to scale,
shoving the location of the principal buildings. l mber$ on the sketch are
identified by the corresponding numbers listed belovi
CU$ ICATION a
25X1
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coXFIDEdp:WtL/sECL,RITY:INFORMATION
1. City hall. This is known as the "new" city hall. One floor -- brick
construction.
2. Elementary sehool. One floor, frame construction.
3. Rumanian Orthodox Church. Brick construction. No one uses it because anything
with a aumanian label is disliked by townsmen.
4.
Catholic church.
5.
Priest's residence.
6.
Presbyteriac Church.
Brick construction.
7.
Hungarian constabulary office. I understand this building was used by
Hungarians during their occupation of the town in World War II.
8.
County office building.
9?
Old city hall.
10.
Pharmacy -- this is the only pharmacy in Praid county.
11.
Doctor's residence.
12.
Bus station. There are two main routes from Praid. One goes to Odorhei
(46027'N, 25?14'E) ar_l the other to Targu.-Mures (46?33'N, 26033'E).
13.
Lumber mill.
14.
Lumber mill.
15.
Flour mill.
16.
Flour mill. This one makes an extra-fine type of flou
r.
17.
Flour mill.
18.
Concrete dam erected in 1927 or 1928.
19.
lumber mill.
20.
liydioeiectrio
for tae toad wer plant erected in 1926.or 1927. It provides paver only
for ofpo Praid. It produces 22 volts on as alternating current" it is
privrite:v owaedbv a?Germau family named Yurst, It Is also equtned to gen.
orate Plectric power from steam during the a -ter months when the.TPX va.Mica
&sezcs. :the paver supply. if not very dependable. power t.ilares.are fre-
quent. X ~~ not pip what cause them.
21. kill. Produces crush, .roc" for roa4s.. A small narrow gsuga railroad
stc.tioa is located about threw hundred motors southwest of thi. mill.
22. Lumber mill.
23. salt mini.
24. Administration office of sait mine.
25. Old Roman salt mine, still produces salt.
26?. Swimming pool.
27. Salt hill.
28. Cattle market.
29. Presbyterian cemetery. Nearby is the only place I know of in or near the
town that could be used for an airstrip. Adjoining this cemetery is & flat
C01WIDa1TIW6=ITy I!Jc.eMATI01
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14: CIA-RDP80-00809A000600030357-3
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CONFIIDENTIAL/SDCURITy INFUFtMATION
stretch of land about one and one-her kilometers lug and two hundred meters wide.
It 1s not used as an airstrip now. It is covered with a thick erowti .If pasture
grass and is used by farmers as pasture.
30. Catholic cemetery.
31. Post office, telephone and telegraph offices are located here.
32. Pottery factory -- very small.
33. Public market -- Thursday is market day.
34. Rumanian constabulary office.
EINCLOSURE (A): Sketch of Praid, Rumania, not drawn to scale, showing location of
principal buildint's.
COJWDWW,/IsctauTY ZROM Ioa
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Ei~:LOSURE 4Ai n CONFIDENTIAL/SECURITY INFORMATION
aI
l_ 1 SiU%TCH OF PRAID, RUMANIA, NOT DRAWN TO SCALE, SHO',7I IG LOCATION OF
PRINCIPA!. BUILDINGS
47
CONFIDENTIAL/SD TjRiTY INFORMATION
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