The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-09-25
IN FOREIGN LANDS,


=, "u oeats tue impress OF
'ne nineteenth century more than auy
other spot in Italy except, perhaps, Turin:
ana yet it is one of the oldest cities of
this historic land. 1t was founded con
years before Christ, but has been repeat.
edly destroyed by the conqueripg armies
which have SO often swept over this part
OF Italy. Its manufacturing interests are
very large and its population of 800 oOC
is second only to that of Naples. For
ladies' in particular, its history should be
especially interesting, as early in the 10th
century it established and controlled the
fashions of Europe. fact which we have
preserved in the derivation of our modern
"aTd' milliner. The broad plain of LON.
bardy in which Milan is situated has been
IN modern times the arena where French.
Austrians and Italians have often fought
The battle fields of Marengo and Lodi,
famous in the history of the great Napo :.
leon, as we'll as Magenta, the glory of the
last of the Bonapartes, are all near the
city.
oithe many churches Italy, the cathe.
oral OF Milan ranks next to St. Peter.
at Rome in point Of magnifcence and
interest, with the added advantage OF
being Gothic in its architecture. It was
commenced nearly five hundred years
ago and Is not yet completed. The
facade, although marred by the severely
classical doors, is one of the finest in
Europe. The entire structure covers
about swo ~! one. half ucres of ground.
II being nearly 500 feet ia leBgsi. and
ABOUT $50 feet wide. The vauItinp of
the nave rises 155 feet above the marble
mosaic of the pavement, and is supported
by massive pillars from eight to twelve
ieet IN diameter, surmounted by statues
IN inches instead Of capitals. But it is
III the wonderful decorations of it's exte.
rIor rather than the beauty of it's interior
that the principal interest of the Catbe.
drai lies. It's roofs composed of blocks
OF marble and from it rises perfect lab
yrinth of turrets and pinnacles. with
thousands of statues and elaborate orna-
ments of every kind From the platform
of the spire which Burmounts the dome
the view is tho finest in Northern ItaIv.
The Alps rising far away on the North,
Win Mont.blanc aud Monta Rosa stand.
ing out in bold relief, circle around to
the East and West and form almost a
semi circle; while to the South, beyond
the fertile plains, the Apeunines, those
mighty mountains, dim and gray" fll
nearly half of the remaining horizon.
Near the cathedral is the Gallery of
Victor Emanuel, q. beautiful glass GOV.
cred arcade. erected at a cost Of over 81. :.
100000 and occupied with shops. The
La Scala theatre, one of the largest in
the world, is also 10 this central part of
the city. Its immense stage, $50 feet
deep and over 100 wide, is alone as la .pe
as many theatres, while its vast audi
um, with its seven tiers of boxes
up to the roof, giyes accommodation ,v
many thousands of pleasure seekers.
The Italian Lakes, Maggiore. Como,
and Lugano, lie nearly North of Milan
and only about thirty miles distant. AS
our time was somewhat limited we did
not make an extended stay in this beau
tlful region, but cOntented ourself with
view of Maggiore which we reached at
Laveno by rail from Milan, and passed
thence, by steamer to Ultra. This lake
possesses some Wy lovely scenery, but is
not to be compared with Lake Lucerne
in Switzerland, and is also pronounced
inferior &c Lake Como By those who nave
seen the latter. II is about As miles in
length and has an average width of three
miles. The shore is studded with dirty
Italian villages, in which, as some writer
has said, "the charm of many an exquis.
ite bit Of Italian village scenery is dis.
PEELED as soon as you get within smelling
distance of it." The famous Borromean
Isles are on the Southeast side of the
lake near Pallarza, and are noted for
their picturesque beauty as we'll as for
their having been The residence of Cardi-
nal Charles Borromeo.
At Intra we took "diligence,p fora
ride of about seventy miles over the
great Simplon route across the Alps from
Italy to Switzerland The diligence is
singular type Of mountain coach. Be-
sides the drivers seat it is divided into
three parts; the interior, which cores.
ponds to the inside of an ordinary stage
coach, the coupe, under the drivers seat.
E;,ii glass front aud sidsss and the ban
quette, n seat peIched high up in the rear
with carriage top 10 protect it from the
weather. They are run by the government
and sufficient amount of fuss and feath-
era and red tape is connected with their
management TO start an army; but
Rocky Mountain stage driver who had
been dead ten years, would rouse himself
in his grave and hold his ribs together to
laugh at some of the impracticable and
almost impossible methods used in run.
ming them. Fairly good horses are cup
piled, but the time Is very slow, it requir.
ing over thirteen hours to accomplish the
distance from Intra to Brieg. -'.i'r'
The Simplon road was constructed by
the first SNapolean early instheEpresent
century and is bptfons Of Abe mahY evi-
dences found througEou w WesterD Europe
of the genius Of that mighty conquerer.
It was dis intention to have terminated
the route at Milan, and to that end he
the erection of q grand tri.
umphal arch in that city; but this plan
was never carried out and the arch was
not completed until 1888. The road is
broad and we'll made and in many places
as it. winds up the mountain, tunnels and
galleries have been cut in the solid rock
to protect the traveller from avalanches
and glacier streams. The summit of the
pass is 1854 feet above the sea and from
this point the descent 10 Brieg, which is
only fifteen miles distant, is very rapid.
At many points on the road, as we whirl
down the mountain side, fine view of
the valley can be obtained and the little
village of Brieg seems almost near
enough 80 that we could pitch q stone
into It's streets; but it is late at night
before we reach our hotel and we were
not unwilling to accept the rest and shell.
ter It furnished.