The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1866-06-21
Notes in Italy.

The following letter written by son of
one of our farmer friends, has been handed
to us for publication. The many friends of
the writer among our readers, will peruse it
with pleasure. The letter is dated:
U. S. FLAG SHIP COLORADO,
LEGHoRN, ITALY, March %, 1866.
DEAR SIsTER.-In our way here from
Nice we stopped week at Spezzia. Italy
shows signs of improvement everywhere,
since Victor Emanuel has taken possession.
Both he and his Major General Garibaldi,
are very popular, but the people are taxed
awfully, as he has to keep an army OF
400, 900 men to prevent Austria from taking
the country from him. Ali European SOL
diers that have seen look far neater and
better than any regulars i'll America. ]
have not seen "a soldier or sailor drunk or
dirty since leaving America, always OK.
cepting our own sailors who go On shore on
purpose TO get drunk. - taz .iv s.
Florence is now the capital of the King
dom of italy, and contains more paintings
aud SCULPTURES than any other city in the
world. got tired looking at them, my bach
ached terribly, but had only three days
leave, and was compelled to make the most
of my time. | stopped two or three hour
in Pisa, twelve miles from here, and mount
ed to the top of the Leaning Tower, and haC
time enough besides to see the Cathedra
and Baptistry, but the great Cathedral il
Florence is far larger than any had yet
SEEN The dome on the top 10 larger than
that on ST. Peters in Rome The dome il
octagonaI in shape, and is 1873 feet siz
inches in diameter, and 1873 feet high OF the
inside. This is the height of the dome; the
total height from the groundi is S87 feet. Tht
building is in the form of a Latin cross, anc
is 500 feet long by 1913 feet wide, the body
of the cross being 500 feet loug, and the
cross 500 feet, and each 1873 feet wide, and
the dome is is of course over the part where
they intersect. The dome is built in two
shells, and is the first double dome ever
built. 1t is assembled by a staircase, which
winds around between the two shells, which
are two feet apart, of course one within the
other. The inside of the inner shell is paint
ed in fresco but the figures are hardly dis
scernible from the ground below. meas
ured mans foot on one of the painted fig
ures, and found it to be feet long lacking
an inch, but from the floor of the church il
looks hardly as large as natural foot.
The Pitt palace is fnll of paintings anc
statuary, as is also the Upiss4 and Vich
galleries, but must say that some of the
western statuary is full as good as any o
the ancient. and great deal better thar
some of the ancient, as L think. | saw
Powers, and had quite long talk with him
lie is a real jolly fellow, and hates copper
head like poison. lie employs about II
men, and think is well off. His sons
keep Photographic gallery, and one O.
them is practicing modelling. l think some
of Powers workmen deserve nearly as much
credit rs he does. He is considered as ex
ceiling in busts, but there are several VIII
think have better full length pictures thai
he.
have bought ali alabaster model of tn
leaning tower, it is about five inches il
length. The handsomest church | saw i
that of the Annunciation. The wealth Law
iished upon it is beyond belief, almost On
small chapel cost 100000 1t is all iulaic
with Lapis- lazuii. porphyry and jasper. Thu
priests are the latest looking men to b
seen, and from all accounts, the worst. Th
Baptistry where all infants have to be bap
tized before they can become citizens Q
Florence, is thronged all the day long, by
women with little babies twenty-four hour
old, almost too young to squalI, and the oil
priests pour water all day on some one o
the poor things am laying in stock O
Stereoscopic views, which will enable yol
to form some idea of what can be seen here
Your affectionste brother