Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-03-31
TRAVELS IN BELGIUM.
SCENES AND FACTS OF INTEREST 70
THE OBSERVER.
Description Of Railroad Coaches and Con-
veniences-The City Of Brussels
Places which Attract Visitors.

time since, we were just at the point of tax
ing the cars from Client, Belgium, for Brus-
sells, the capital. Railroad travel in Bel.
GUM does not afford the comforts and ia
cilities az in the United States. The cars
are small and low, and the passengers are
imprisoned as if in cells. The benches, or
seats, extend through the width of the
cars. The frst.class cars are divided into
narrow compartments resembling the
"eoupee," or front seats of English stage
coaches, and holding about ten persons, if
double seated, which is not always the
case. They are furnished with some els-
gance. The second-class cars have fewer
compartments, with regular leather covered
benches and decent but very modest ap.
pearance. The third.class has rude un.'
covered benches, canvas awnings on the
sides instead of windows, and otherwise re-
sembles somewhat an Americanlfreight car.
There are neither platforms nor middle
passages through the cars. Neither water,
stove nor other conveniences are provided,
bnt in first-class carriages zinc vessels
filled with hot water are placed on the
floor in winter to warm the feet Third
class cars are provided with straw or hay
for thu same purpose On either side of
each compartment narrow doors open,
which are shut and locked during the
transit between stations, by guards having
the keys in their possession. These guards
are not allowed to remain inside the cars
| with the passengers, except to collect
tickets. They move from one car to another
on the outside, stepping on narrow board
attached to the sides of the cars couple OF
feet from the ground. Each guard has sew
eral cars to attend to. The Chef de Train,
or conductor, does not take up tickets, but
superintends the running of the train.
LOOK ABOUT BRUSSELS.
Arriving at Brussels we stopped at the
Hotel de Bellevue, Place Royale, one of
the most enjoyable locations in the city.
Before us we have the Rue Reyale, the
broadcast and finest in the Capital; to our
| right the park with its shaded and beauti-
full walks, its many fountains and its ele-
CANT theater; it is surrounded on all sides
by palaces the Royal palace, the Princes
palace, the palaces of the Ministries of
| War, Justice. Interior, etc. On the site
of this park it was that the hardest fight.
ing took PLACE during the war Of indie.
pendence. To our left is the Rue Montangue
de la Cour, one of the most fashionable
streets in the city. Brussels is often called
| little Paris, and it deserves the name WELL
Like Paris it has its boulevards encircling
the main portion of the town it's many
faubourgs or suburbs; its fine squares,
handsome streets and numerous palaces !;
its grand.looking cathedral its city hall,
the finest building of the kind in Europe !;
its glass-covered passages or streets, even
SURPRISING those of Paris; its geological
gardens, museum, art galleries, etc. The
population is about 400, 900. The city is
partly built on hillside and partly in the
valley. The two races which, as we have
said, divide the country, meet here and
divide the town in such marked way that
line could be drawn between them. The
lower portion, or old city, with its dark and
| irregular streets, exerts upon the visitor
the gloomy spell of past ages, whilst the
upper or new city, with its modern ele-
gance, leads him back to real and fashiona-
able life. In the upper town reside the
court, the aristocracy and the wealthier
class Going down hill to the end of the
Rue de la Madeleine, which is
THE KEARNY STREET OF BRUSSELS,
The middle class, merchants and trades
men hold their sway. This is the center
and liveliest portion of the city. Here are
the Galleries de Roi, de la Refine and des
Princes, or glass.covered streets. filed
with elegant stores, cafes. theater, etc. A
little farther stands the Royal Theatre de
la Monnaie, on the square of the same
name, having in front the Palais de la
Monnaie or Mint, and splendid cafes on
both sides. On the left of the Rue de la
Madeleine is the "Grande Place." one of
the most remarkable squares in Europe.
Every house has been preserved from the
Middle Ages the architecture is entirely
gothic and as these houses must have
been the abode Of the aristocracy centu-
riss ago, to Judge by their size and sculpt-
ured adornments, they offer an interesting
and beautiful sight. Their hight is from
sculptured and gilded up to the gable, and
they are covered with steep roofs. Here
stands the Hotel de Vile or City Hall, a
magnificent building with a tower $40 feet
high, and the statue of st. George, of sew
enteen feet, on its top. 1t was on this
square that the Counts of Egmont and
Horn were executed three hundred years
ago and the house and the very window
out of which the Duke de Alva, their en-
envy, contemplated the beheading, are still
shown to strangers. few steps from
there, in the Rue de rEcuyer, is the cele-
brated fountain Maenneke P" which
has been preserved to satisfy popular fancy.
1t is the statue of an infant of the male
persuasion. furnishing water to the good
people of the neighborhood and, although
situated in frequented street and known
to tourists as curiosity, sufficient reasons
forbid it's description. Among the squares
of Brussels, the Place du Grand Sablon Is
REMARKABLE FOR ITS BEAUTIFUL FOUNTAIN
And the Place des Martyrs for its monu-
ment, dedicated to the defenders of the
Belgian independence, whose bones are
resting there neither should we forget,
among the many churches, the cathedral,
with it's painted windows, its fine pictures
and its nave of 400 feet in length. Life is
pleasant and cheap at Brussels. Hotels
are kept on the French style. There are
interpreters at all the hotels, and guides to
take you around the city. There are no
street cars hacks and omnibuses are the
only conveyances. The hack fare is TWEEN
ty-6ve cents from one end of the town to
the other the omnibus fare two cents.
Hacks are all numbered and under the
strict control of the Police Department.
At the street corners are seen commission.
aires or carriers, wearing regular uniform
and numbered plates on their breast, to
whom strangers may intrust any object,
even of great value, and send them on an
errand without fear. Their tariff is five
cents for trip. They give their patrons
a check every time they are employed,
aud the company which has control over
them is responsible for any losses. There
are other contrivances at Brussels, in COM
mon with other large cities in Belgium,
which deserve special mention. At all
the street corners, near the lamp post, is
-. o1ook~,o o10oL- rotbor d..1