The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1884-08-16


dreds, both sick and well, Of bothsexes maxi
ing their way to the " Trikhallc ., where the
water from all the springs is collected, and
struggling with one or more glasses of the
sickening stuff. Thinking that some of the
readers Of these letters might wish to sam
pie some of these famous waters, we have se-
cured, eat great expense, the following
recipe, which, by both analysis and synthesis
has been proven correct to the thirtieth
decimal: To fourteen gallons of rain water,
two week, old, add two quarts of soft soap
and five pounds, sixteen ounces of common
salt. Boil until done and when it has
cooled to a temperature Of about $50 de-
grees, try glass of it and if you like it you
have our permission to come to Baden
Baden and drink all you wish.
Strasburg, the ancient capital of the
province of Alsace and for nearly 200 years
in the possession of France, but wrested
from that country during the Franco Prus-
sian war, is located in the midst of a fertile
plain, which surrounds the city for many
miles on every side. It has population of
about eo,ooo and is strongly fortified. The
Cathedral, with its wonderful astronomical
clock, is the principal attraction of the city
and is well worth visit. It was COM
menced in 1915 and the structure as it
stands at present completed in 1889. The
original plan contemplated TIE building of
kx,s &<,sf 4nI
on the Cologne cathedral, but only one was
built, thus detracting much from the ap-
pearance of the facade. 1t is 80 feet in
length-80 feet less than the structure at
Cologne-with nave 100 feetin height and
a tower which is often incorrectly stated to
be the loftiest in Europe, it being 465 feet
high, or 46 feet lower than the great spire
of Cologne. Thea astronomical clock is
built on the floor inkthe south transept, and
is one of the most complicated pieces of
mechanism ever eontrueted. It is the re-
suit Of twenty years of labor, fifteen of
which were devoted to the plans and cal
culations and FIVE to the actual construction
of the machinery by the inventor. It is
only about fifty years old, having been
built to replace one which was destroyed.
Besides showing the hour of the day, the
week, month, ETC., it gives the church festi-
vals, the position of the earth and much
other valuable astronomical information
and is calculated to follow the calendar
correctly for 500 years. Its display of
puppets is one of its great attractions and
they certainly show great ingenuity on the
part of the inventor. TIE principal dis
play takes place at noon, when figures rep
resenting the twelve apostles pass before an
image of Christ, each bowling in turn,
cock crows, figure of Time turns an hour
glass and various other puppets and images
takes part in the exhibition. The view
from the spire of the cathedral Or from the
platform on which the missing tower was.
to have been built, is an admirable one,
including the city, surrounded by a complete
circle of fortifcations, with the vast plains
beyond. A large number of storks, being
protected by laws of the city, build their nests
on the tops of the chimneys of many of the
houses, and from the cathedral dozens OF
these awkward birds may be seen.
The Falls of the Rhine was the next point
on our programme and were reached by us
from Strasburg by passing over the Black
Forest railway, a road which is regarded
one of the triumphs of modern engineer
ing. It runs for many miles over the dense
ly wooded hills of this romantic region, the
dark green of the forests and not any foul
deeds of blood, furnishing the reason for
giving it the uncanny name which it bears.
The alleged falls, which are spoken of as
the most imposing in Europe" are located
at Neuhausen, three miles west of Schaff-
hausen, and an American may be pardoned
should he indulge in quiet smile at the
doubtful majesty of the affair. It is
mere cascade, the river making descent
of about sixty feet, flowing over the rocks
on one side at an angle of about 45 degrees
and on the other at about half that inclina-
ton. Of course the water is dashed into
foam as it is hurled downward and in the
absence of anything better, the "falIs $"
might be regarded as 's very pretty" Nearly
in the centre of the fall rises steep, rocky
island which can be reached by boat from
below, and from the top the best view is OBJ
tanned. If you can imagine that the rock
is about to be washed away by the rush
of the waters you may be able to arouse
some enthusiasm over ''the most imposing
falls of Europe"
to Lake Constance, one of the largest, but
but not the most beautiful of the Swiss
lakes On the north and northeast its
shores are low and fiat, but farther south
the mountains rise around it and give ii
some fine bits of scenery. We cross from
Constance to Friedrichshafen, On the north
eastern shore, and from thence recross to
Romanshorn, at which place we again take
the train for Zurich, where, On the shore of
the beautiful lake of that name we spent a
" day of rest" G. L. N.
An Important Move.
N. o. City Item.
Elsewhere will be found call for the re-
assembling of the g Convention of the Rep
resentatives of the Protected Industries Of
louisiana" in accordance with a determi-
nation reached, after mature deliberation,
by the executive committee appointed by