The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1855-07-28

when entirely excludes the country from
view leaving little else visible, excepting the
roofs of the houses and the tops of the trees.
AS we approach Hamburg, however, the
country becomes more hily, and in many
places presenting quite romantic views, es-
pecialy is this the case at BIankensey, a few
miles below the city, place devoted to pri-
vate residences, and will more properly be
embraced in my description of Hamburg.
HAMAuRG, June %, 1855
Hamburg is pleasantly located on the north
bank of the river EIbe, 72 miles from its
entrance into the North Sea. II is in lati-
tude SO deg So min. north, and in longitude
10 deg east from Greenwich 1t is entirely
surrounded by wall Of earth, excepting on
the river side, varying from Is 10 40 feet in
height, and in many places over 100 feet
wide on the top. There is for the most part
good carriage way on the top of the wall,
with wide promenades on each side.
This wall, from the base to the summit, is
covered with heavy growth of trees, with
with the most beautiful flowers and shrub
berry. The entrances to the city, instead of
being through the wall, are over it, by an
easy grade, which are protected by iron
gates, guarded day and night by the military
The approaches to the top of the wall are III
most places from the gate-ways. In making
this road large ditch was formed on the
outside, which is constantly full of water.
In the year l842, Hamburg was visited by
a fire, which broke out in the northeast part,
and consumed about onethrd of the entire
city. The loss of property was estimated at
ninety millions of marks, and the sufferings
of the inha abiants was severe in the extreme.
The city has, however, entirely recovered
from the shock, and the portion which was
thus unfortunately laid in ashes, is now COW
cred with class of buildings far superior to
any other portion of the city. and has become
the mercantile and business part.
The exhcange, the best and largest stores,
and the first class hotels are all to be found
in this quarter. The buildings are larger and
have much more of the light and airy Amer
ican appearance than buildings of similar
nature in other portions of the city, indeed
the entire new portion of the city is far su-
perior to the old, both in material and archi-
tectural beauty, and the large four and five
story square fronts of free-stone and marble,
present striking contrast to the brick and
wood two and three story buildings, with
steep tile roofs, spotted with green messy
tinge, which has almost for ages, in vain
strove to establish its dominion over the
tiles; but the rosy hue of the tiles has proved
invulnerable, and the top of the old part of
the city, seen at distance over the wall,
presents much the appearance of mammoth
brick kiln.
Hamburg is one of the largest commercial
cities on the continent of Europe, and has
about 200, 900 inhabitants. Drays and carts
are almost unknown in the city, all the
heavy carrying being done on canals, con-
'structed for the purpose through the city,
and so arranged as to alternate with the
streets, and the stores are built fronting on
the streets with the rear resting upon the ca
mails, from which all the heavy goods are re-
ceived from lighters, immediately from the
ships.
Hamburg is one of the free cities of Ger
many governed by Senate invested with
both legislative and judicial powers, and is
in session all the year. excepting few weeks