The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-04-11
OUR LETTER.

Observation-Disclosures dASo va
Rickety Sleeping Cars
DR.. Benefits Conciu-
sions.
The Riviera-Its OranReand olive
Groves and Flowers-Cannes-
Nice-Its Attractions-Gam-
betta's Grave.
NICE, March Is, 1888.
The South of France, on the north
ern shore ofthe Mediterranean, offers
to those who wish to retreat from the
rigors of northern winters N account
of health or pleasure, a most cnarm-
ing resort. This favored spot extend
from Cannes to Ventimiglia on The
Italian border, a distance OF about
sixty miles, and is securely sheltered
by the maritime Alps which come
down very close to the sea and IN
many places jut out into the water.
The whole coast is indented in this
manner and at the distance of every
few miles q low promontory extends
outward = mile or so forming quiet
little bays and affording protection
from winds from every side, except
from the south, and the infrequent
winds-called understanding from
that direction are always warm. All
along this coast little streams, like
those that come down into our val
leys from the mountain sides, flow
out into the sea. At the mouths Of
| these streams little valleys have been
| formed, going back a mile or two,
| and in other places the mountains re
cede a littls distance from the e
| forming beautiful sloping plateaus.
It is in these places and in the little
valleys described that the towns are
built. The principal of them begin
| ming in the direction of Marsellles
| are, in the order named, Cannes,
| Nice, Vile Franche, Monaco, Monte
| Carlo, Mentone and Nentimiglia.
| Beyond this, towards Genoa in Italy,
are Berdighera and Reno, also
esteemed as winter resorts, and fire.
| quented almost exclusively by Ger
mans and Russians. The Paris,
| Lyon & Mediterranean railway ex-
tends all along this coast. running
several trains each way daily and
connecting on the frontier with the
Italian railway for Rome.
The many projecting points into
the sea alluded to render many tun-
nels necessary, there being about a
hundred between Nice and Genoa.
Sleeping cars of the French system
are run OH all night trains to and
from Paris, but to those accustomed
to the Pullman cars, they offer
little attraction. Moreover the ex-
pense is enormous, each. person
being required to pay supple
mentary to the regular first.
class fare the sum of $3.50 from
Paris to Nice, a ruiz of 81 hours. In
this connection I might add that the
Pullman company have arranged to
run an excursion train from Calais or
Boulogne on the English Channel to
Rome and return on the occasion OF
the Easter holidays. Americans who
travel much on the continent may
we'll indulge the hope that the luxu-
RANT palaces may soon displace the
rickety coops they dignity even here
with the name of %''sleeping cars"
The trains from Paris during the sea-
son are always full and it is some
times difficult for a party Of three or
four to obtain seats together for this
is the only line to the South, and
Paris is the starting point for the
great army of voyagers in search of
sunbeams and orange groves aside the
murmuring waves Of the blue Medi-
t>uuO Hn.n 0Nnnf 0h0rn |
scribed is called the Riviera and it
has now been decided by eminent ply
sicians and meteorologists who have
given the mattel careful study after
than q quarter of q century of
observation, that this coast combines
more advantageous features as a
winter resort than any other yet dis
covered in Europe or America, and
this is mainly attributable to its
sheltered position. The cold winds
from the north, the northwest and
the northeast all blow over it and de-
scend on Sicily and the coast of Afri-
ca, thus rendering them a lower
temperature in spite of their mere
southern position.
Doctor Bennett, who has spent
twenty-five winters at Mentone, and
to whom that town is chiefly indebt-
ed for its notoriety as a health resort,
has Travelled extensively to the
islands of the Mediterranean, to the
Levant, to the coasts of Africa and
Spain, with the view of discovering
the best pleasurable and sanitary
winter resort. Being a practical
botanist he has studied the climate
by means of its influence on vegeta-
ton as well as by the experience of
himself and Others, extending
through a long period, and
his conclusions are entitled
to consideration, and he unqualifi-
edly gives the Riviera in the south of
France the preference. This verdict
seems to be universal, as nowhere
else, viewed az a winter resort, is to
be found such beautiful towns, such
magnificent hotels, such crowds of
people. and such q gay life.
The small plateaus and valleys and
lower slopes of tile Riviera ara
with orange, lemon and
olive groves. The hills and sides of
the mountains to the height of 1000
feet are planted with olives: beyond
this pines of diminutive growth Dre-
vail on the lower heights, and above
all rise the grim, rock girdled and
snow covered Alpine peaks. Of
these only occasional glimpses may
DO had from the beach 1T points
where the torrents emerge. Orange
trees bloom only once a year.
in the spring, and the fruit
ripens in January and February.
1t becomes mOr sweet and lus-
clous if allowed to hang during
the summer and be piucked after the
rains OF autumn. Those destined for
transportation are plucksd in Febru-
ary; those for home consumption
never before April or May. They
IRE sold at retail at a cent apiece. or
three for two cents. Lemon trees =
continually and bare ripe .
Fruit At all seasons, but thew are ,
plucked only four times a year. The !,
Dive blossoms in April and the fruit !
ripens III autumn. In December the
berry blackens, and is shaken off and !
and pressed for the oil. !;
Every accessible spot on the hills and :,
sides of the Riviera is ter :
'aced and planted; the lower with :
and lemon and olive. the m :