Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-03-06
NOTES ON THE V.4Y.
A French Manufacturing f,itv.
SOcTH OF ERi


Aside from the fact that it serves to break the
monOtODy and relieve the fatigue of the long
and tiresOme railway ride from Paris to Mar
se1lles, Cannes, Nice or MentOne, the city OF
Lyons Is well worth day or two OF the time OF
tourist travelling in that direction. IL is quite
handsome place, and interesting in many
ways. 1t is both picturesquely situated and
well improved, and deserves the attention OF
the traveller, alike for it's rich historical associ-
ations and its close relations with the every day
life of modern times.
rivers, with high range OF hills opposite o
back of the main part Of the city. Lyons, re
minds one very much Of Pittsburg as well
that account as because she is one of the grea
manufacturing centerS OF her country, and o
her speciality perhaps the greatest In the world
But here the exact parallel between the tw
cities ceases. One gives to the world In form
| ready for use the products of the caverns under
the earth: the other clothes it in rich silks and
washed by the swift current of two large and
rapidly flowing rivers, whose rushing floods
| might easily be utilized as water power to an
almost unlimited degree, this force is entirely
her manufactures. There is no pleasant splash
Ing sound OF water or whirrfng OF wheels to be
heard any where In her industrial quarter. No
changing OF machinery rises above the hum OF
people and the rattling of carriages and
wagons, as In English or American manufac-
turing cities. Neither are there clouds OF smoke
from tall ch1mneyS nor curling jets Of steam
from 1nnumerable pipes. to hide or temper the
bright and warm rays OF the sun. city OF al
most half million OF peop.e-the second largest
in France in fact-which sends the products of
her looms to clOthe the daughters of nearly half
the world, must perfOrce be busy place; but it
Is Is an S exceedingly Gee clean and quiet place with
concerned.
OF course the reader KNOWS that this distinc-
1--WE Industry Is the manufacture OF Slken fab
ricS OF nearly every description, and especially
OF the finer varieties OF dress silks and velvetS
!t is this feature that traveller would naturally
be most interested ill., and it was this that the
writer started out to see the morning after his
arrival.
With the prominent characteristics of an Or
dnary American or English manufacturing
town In mind, the visitor to Lyons is likely to be
at first good deal puzzled at the fact that the
great factories should be located ON the summit
very respectable mountain, since water power
there Is entirely out OF the question, and the
carrying of fuel to 1t would be both costly and
tedious process, even by the inclined railway
The mystery is at once solved, howey er, as soon
as the silk manufacturing district proper is
Ieached This, may add, is a distinct quarter
OF the city, bearing the name OF La CToir- Rousse
and seems to have some local or communal
regulations OF its own. suited to its own pec,I-
liar conditions. But anticipate.
LYONS AND ITS SURROUNDINGS
After long and interesting drive through
the fine business streets of the city, along the
numerous and substantially built quays. past
rows of home-Iike residences, placed in pleas
ant grounds, and out into the extensive and
beautiful park, without seeing anywhere such
Industrial indications as one would expect 10
meet on every hand, presently asked the in
telligent and accommodating young Lyonnaise.
who who accompanied us, where the much talked OF
silk factories were located. Mostly over
there" he answered. pointing to a quite high
ana steep MI the the terminal point Of the long
banks of the Rhone from its rise In the Alps
down to where 1t swallows up the Saone, and
which Is thickly covered with large gloomy
stores high. I've shall drive Owe over ein there T yerv
soon. he added, giving the necessary directions
riage.
HOW THE SILKS AND vELvETs ARE MADE.
Arriving at La CrOia-I -I;ousse, the visitor will
find that machinery is not used at all In the
weaving OF silks and yelyetS, and that every
thing Is done by hand, and on looms. too. OF tn
most primitive form and crudest finish. In
stead Of being massed by scores and hundred
IN vast rooms, amidst the rumblng of machi-
merry and the whizlDg OF spindles, the opera
tive here works quietly and alone, or at most
with one or two companions, In little apart
ment no larger than an ordinary American bed
chamber. Into such rooms are the several
above referred to sub divided Here the silk
weaver works day after day, year after
year, oy the dim light which comes through
dusty and .spider-webbed windows, famed
in summer by. breezes fresh from the snow
covered Alps and warmed in winter by
the slight heat afforded by little charcoal fur
We or ed e the
but in passing through the various courts
and up and down the narrow winding stone
sation, no laughter, no prattle Of playiny chiI-
dren. The fabrics woven In the different rooms
and buildings vary, OF course, In character and
stery material 10 gauziest silks and richest OF
veivetS; but each room, each floor, and each
building seemed the exact counterpart OF all the
others. An air OF quiet and gloom pervaded
every where. Houses and streets were alike
silent and Sombre, and, save for occasional
gllmpses OF armed and uniformed soldiers, and
the sharp clatter of wooden shoes on the stone
pavements and court yards, one might easily
imagine himself walking through the echoing
streets OF deserted city. In fact, the visitor
after going through the various buildings filled
with quiet and busy workmen, can hardly re-
sist the feeling that the life Of the silk weaver
Is little brighter or more varied than that of
the worm that spins the fine and glossy thread
with Which he works. Nevertheless, waS told
that his lot Is not a hard one when times are
coed and the silk trade is not depressed, and
doubt not he Is able to get good deal OF COM
tort and not little pleasure out OF life when
his day IS work is over AS French artisans are
very apt to do, under any circumstances.
inquired and was told how much was the
average days work and wages OF Lyons work.
men producing the various kinds OF damasks
SILKS, and velvets; but by the time undertook
10 convert the French into English, the meters
INTO inches, and the francs into dollars and
cents am afraid the information would be
worm no more to the reader than 1t was TO me
n Wnen given In the language of the country
i, nut, between the wages OF the workmen and
th the Pro pronts OF his employer 1t is evident that
sne .,e SIX manufacturing business of Lyons is h
rtosperous one, and statistics show, / believe
snat m except IN times OF marked commercial de.
psnn p,roStu IN other countries, 1t Is constantly
THE LIONS OF LYONS,
ror the rest, In her business and social a.
pests IN her streets and squares. In her arcbi-
,ectuie' uie' hef people and their customs. LYONS IS
very much like Paris; and nearly everybody
KNOWS nearly all about Paris, whether they have
oteh 'here or not. Several of her streets. many
OF her shops, and number of her nnh,ic hn,,a
Ings would indeed be well worthy of the graM, u
S rver. Mer .aree onerent sections divided by the
Sces Soel me hnone and six over the Saone She
noaSts Sky public squares big and little and
In lne race Belle Cour, said to be one q, anu ,ha
laIgeot ana nneSt squares OF the kind IN IN Em ro
rope, STANDS large equestrian Statma 1u ~
bronze OF Louis XlV,-the cher d'sur,e a toh,t III
on us PEDESTAL tells us, OF the artist who oee are
cuteo IL, Being OF Lyons birth and trainine.
Ine CITY Is not little proud OF his PRODUCTIONS
ana with reason. for the statue, while mot of 3L.
highest 10