Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1876-09-07
Correspondence Galiipolis Journal.
LETTER FROM EUROPE.
VERONA, ITALY, Aug. 18th, 1875.

can possibly concentrate my IDEAS
in such hot climate;" though as COM
fortably located as any one can be,
with every convenience that the coun
try affords. Yet must acknowledge
that it is very hot here and at times
l almost feel like suffocating.
I wrote to You from Vienna under
date 2lst ult., few days previous to
my departure from there.
On the 1st inst. / left that city,
where 1 had spent so many pleasant
hours, and after stopping short time
at the beautiful little towns of Baden
and Voslan, two celebrated bathing
places for the JedW monde of Vienna,
1 wended my way in company with
some of my relations toward the City
of Graz, crossing the Semmering
Mountain, where we saw the first
snow mountains on our journey, since
which time, however, the white
capped peaks have shown themselves
in several points.
Speaking of the Railroad over the
Semmering Mountain it certainly is
the grandest work of this kind on
the continent. 1t was finished in
1853. The whole length over the
mountain being 33 English miles and
costing fifteen million florins. There
are fifteen tunnels and as many
bridges, the largest of the former i'm
mediately on top of the mountain be-
ing some $500 feet long, and it took
us five minutes to pass through. l
am not able to state exactly the height
we crossed, suffice it to say, that,
though knew that since the compile
tion of this piece of work. no acci-
dent had happened, l, notwithstand
ing, was glad when we got over it.
The view, as we assembled, baffied de-
scription. The immense stone struc-
lures, called bridges, three and four
tierces of arches, are a beauty OF
human work. The tunnels are
pierced, to admit, 1 suppose, light and
air, and as the cars pass through one
can see the valley deep below through
the openings, and in fact, one can,
from the highest point of the Road,
see the greatest part of its length,
down through the ravines, winding
its way like an immense snake past
perpendicular rocks of giddy height,
where the least neglect on the part oi
Railroad attendants would bring Ger
tain destruction to the traveller. LO.
comotives used for this piece of road
are, to be sure, much larger than 9th
ers, and are kept at the foot of the
mountain to meet the demand. The
down trip on the other side Of the
mountain is more gradual, through
fertile valleys and Alpine looking
regions, and stations are crowded
with venders of alpine flower bou
quets.
! We arrived in the City of Graz
in due time, and were well pleased
with its appearance. Though not s
very large city, only some $4,000 in
habitants, it has its provincial charms
and is certainly fine summer resort
being visited by many pleasure seek
ers, and being great rendezvous o.
pensioned Austrian officers. Many
consider it a most healthy climate
for asthma sufferers, which is very
probably the case, owing to the i'm
mediate vicinity of large pine and
fir woodlands. One thing is sure, il
was most delightful place for the
healthy, and hope it will be of suffi
cient benefit to those poor beings oi
old and crippled, that are seen on the
public promenades, pushed around ir
easy chairs that are put on propel
lers.
What attracted my attention most
was the beautiful fountain in the
city park, having a great similarity
to the fountain in Cincinnati, only
the water power Is more beautiful, tc
my notion. This fountain was at the
Vienna Exposition, and the property
of a Paris firm, and the latter sold it tC
the city of Graz for the low price o.
$4,000 fiorins-about equal to twelve
Thousand dollars.
The country surrounding the city
of Graz is perfectly lovely, some Of
the mountains towering almost to the
eternal snow regions. In the centre
of the city is Castle Mountain, an ele
vation of some 400 feet, covered with
fine timbers, and containing ruins
and Notifications of olden times. The
view on that point cannot be sur
passed, and hours can be spent in ad-
miring nature.
The River Muir, a swift, but not
very extensive stream, divides the
city in two parts and flows immedi-
ately along one side of Castle Noun
tain, leaving only room enough for
one row of old houses, and very
narrow street to crowd itself between
the perpendicular side of the noun
tain and the river bank. This body
of water furnishes the city a great
water power; saw quite a number of
floating Touring mills along the bank,
suppose, however, that the close
proximity of the snow mountains and
consequent rapid rising in the riv-
er cempels manufacturing establish
ments = dependent on that water
power--to suspend operations quite
often.
The climate of that city and coun-
try is certainly all that a man may
expect in the month of August, and
when / now think back of the CON-
Portable morning and even midday
hours and evenings. to bring over
coats into use, l envy those who can
always enjoy such advantages; while
here the mornings at 6 o'clock, it
seems to me, ,-are hotter than their
dinner-houses. 1t surely never be-
gins to cool off here before 9 o'clock
P. NJ, and 1 have no doubt people
are cooling off all night, from the
noise and singing going on in the
streets But then we must make