The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-03-14
VIENNA AS TT IS.
IN AMERICANS IMPRESSIONS OF THE
PLEAS.4NTEST tCITY IN GERMANY.

An AMERICANS IMPRESSIONS OF THE
PLEASANTEsT ICITY IN GERMANY.
Useful Information for Intending Visit
ors to the Exhibition.
Correspondence OF the New York worldl
As Vienna is terra incognita to Ameri-
cans In general, 1t is fitting that should say
some words about II that my countrymen
may know what to expect in visiting the ex-
hibition:
city in Germany. It is more like Paris In the
style OF It's buildings and of Its Inhabitants
than any other city north of the Alps. 1t
numbers now over eight hundred thousand,
and s rapidly growing. 1t consists of two
parts, the inner city and the suburbs. This
inner city, or core of Vienna, is smell, circular
shaped. about four. fIhs of mile In diameter,
in every direction by short, winding
streets and lanes. The great shopping
street is the Graben. prooably so called
because 1t might not have been ditch three
or four centuries ago, In the LINES Oh tne
Turks. This Graben is extremely short-not
more than two or three blocks in length-eut
broad, and lined by show-windows filled with
the most tempting array of diamonds and
pearls, other jewelry, silks, articles in Russia
leather, cut glass, cashmere shaWls. Every
thing. in brief that s feast to the eye and a
famine to the purse. So also The streets 10
the neighborhood of the Graben or emptylDg
into it are devoted 10 the retail trade I'D arIl-
cles OF iancv. The Wholesale and banking
business Of Vienna, moreover, is transacted
within this inner city. 1t Is easy to imagine,
then how crowded the streets are during the
day hours. The tide of business ana pleasure
oyerflows them with au ncessant stream Of
men and vehicles. The periphery of the Inner
city ia a broad street-oVer nundred ieet-
called the Ring.
The suburbs constitute by far the greater
part of the Vienna of 10 day and OF the future.
They run back to considerable distance Into
The country on all sides, but Chiefly on the
west, southwest and south. The thoronghfares
dlverge from the Ring as radll, and the croas
streets. generally speaking, run parallel TO the
Ring, The thoroughtares are traVersed by
lines or stages to and from the Inner city.
There are also some lines of horse railways.
II Ia in these suburbs and on the outer rim OF
the Ring that the great feats In building have
been performed OF late years. 30 long as
there ia no pause In this almost feverish
growth It. Is difficult TO obtain any exact STA
listics. The figures of one month will not
hold good for the next. ain quite Within
bounds, however, when l state that during
the past eighteen months no less than seventy
new hotels and hotel gurni5 have been CON-
pleIed or brought near 10 completion, and that
the total number oil new buildings QncludlDg
enlargements) will exceed one thousand.
1t should be observed, furthermore, that
building or house on the continental plan ID
much taller, broader and deeper than one In
our etyle. should say that 10 obtain just
Idea Of the building done 10 Vienna 1t would
be necessary to multiply the thousand by two
or two and a half. The work is done princi-
pally by two or three Joint stock companies
commanding an immense capital, and conse.
markets. Never having seen The city before
last September, have no early recollecuons
by which 10 gauge its growth. Eut even as 1t
Ia am struck with liz air OF newness. III
strolllng through the parts lying beyond the
Hof and the Freiung yesterday evening, aaW
not merely whole rows bnt whole acres Of
houses awaiting the final touches of tine plas.
terer and the carpenter. and The streets were
thrODged with Workmen returning TO their
homes. The atmosphere was redoent win Dlas-
ter and mortar. New streets are cut tnrougn,
and new hotels projected, as II Vienna had
Figures and dry statements will be OF lillle
avail. l fear. One must come to Vienna aud
ace how the city is pushing out lts arms In
every direction. And then II Would oe great
mistake TO imagine that the exhibition Is the
only public enterprise now on 1901. Glana US
| tS, W
others of permanent value. mean the SEM
mering aaueduct, which is to bring fresh
water from the Alps 10 The city, and Inc
Donau ReeulIrung. This latter is no mere
widening or deepening OF the Danube cnan'
mel. II Is the excavation Of an enlirely new
channel, nine miles loug and one thousand
feet Wide, 80 as TO do away With the present
windings, prevent inuniatlons In the future,
and bring the river 10 the very outskirts oil
the clty, Vienna Is thus TO be converted Into
true port The old beds ure to be filed IN
and the southern bank OF the new stream ls
to be magnificent quay, miles ln length,
lined with warehouses, fact ores and railway
stations. Here new Vienna will spring up,
enclosing The Prater on The northern side ana
making It Central Park.
Coming as | do from the headquarters oil
Northern Germany, and comparing lhe Two
countries, am tempted 10 say lhat tnere Is
greater freedom of opinion and action now IN
Austria than there is In The German Empire.
There Ia here less ieLlcism, less sqnirearchy,
| less of blind devotion of any one class OF men
| or any one Set OF inierests And the press is
| free 10 speak Its word. Certainly no Austrian
minister would have dared to act like Count
Eulenburg In Berlin last Christmas, and con.
fscate all The papers that published the Pdpal
allocuIion.
or '66. It is now a land OF religious and civil
liberty. And IL Is also land of Industrial and
agricultural enterprise. Hence the i'm
portance of the exhibition. II is no mere
gathering of idle gazers, Vanity Fair. IL Is
| Inc opportunity for the world 10 come and see
what Austrians are doing, and Tor Austriaus
| to see what other countries are doing. The
| Austrians, be 1t said, are very eager 10 learn
| and very teachable.
Vienna Ia not the cheapeat city In The word
AS coutrasled with the German cities, even
| with Berlin, 1t is much dearer. The cost
| prices of food are not 80 high, but Inc
| Yiennese are extravagant in their tastes, and
| then lodgings are unquestionably high. Not.
| withslanding the numerous buildings recently
erected, 1t ls difficult to OBTAIN quarters at
| reasonable rates. In the Grand Hotel The
lowest priced rooms are, even now, charged
at about 81 SO per day. Table d'hote, without
wine, nearly as much. Cigars are dear and
not good. Cabs, of which the name Ia legion,
are also dear-tor Germany-but very good.
| A one. horse 6acre. In the day Time, costs In
lhe neighborhood Of 10 cents. At night
lha rates are double. Bnt then the Vienna
coachmen are perfect In their way. They
are chiefly young men, smart, wide-awake,
obIigug, aud they drive with a speed
that Is unknown anywhere else In the civilized
| world. There is sense Of downright luxury
In being whirled h0meGard through crowded
streets aud around sharp corners 10 Vienna
hacre. The only wonder is u hundred or more
women and children are not run over daily.
But the coachman knows how to handle his
reins, and The Vlenuese have very quick ears
for his CHEEKY who.o-p, and make way with
IL.