The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-05
LETTER FROM J.C. FLETCHER
Great Popular Enthusiasm Over King
Humbert and Queen Margherita.
Picturesque Observation-Disclosures of
Vast Water Works-State Ball. at Which
Native.Born Hoosier Was Present.

Correspondence Of u India napolis Journal.
NAPLES June 13.-My last letter was about
the fires of v5suvius, and promised that my
next should contain something about the very
opposite element here in this big city of Naples.
In the memorable political campaign Of 1874,
whom Harry Clay, Notwithstanding his elo-
querce, his long career Of patriotism, and the
real affection the great Wing party bore him,
went down before Polk Dallas and Texas"
heard, at Providence, r. L., Beard, the Buck
eye blacksmith, tell the story Of the American
who replied to an Italian THAT boosted of Mt.
Vesuvius) thus: "Why, stranger, you talk
about your Veesoovius; | can tell you we've got
Niagara thatll put it out in jest about five
minutes" OF course, the Italian was complete
ly crushed Now do not say that we, here in
Naples, have lately inaugurated water-works
that will extinguish in FIVE minutes the volcanic
fires that see nightly glowing from the bosom
of Vesuvius, or rolling ike stream of mol
ten iron down his jagged sides, but a stream of
the pure element from forty miles away in the
bosom of the Apennines, has been let into
our city under circumstances which make it
most memorable, and we look forward to great
blessings to come from all this.
Naples is a city of half million of inhabi-
tants, and contiguous to it land separated by no
river, as West Indianapolis is from the main
city,, is another 100 900 people. Now, this
whole GOO, 900 people reside on volcanic ground,
where the water is brackish, sulphurous and fer
ruginous have never, to my knowledge, taken
water from any ''well' in this city, but have
only drank rain water which has been caught
In cisterns, or, for medical purposes, have i'm
bibed the volcanic mineral waters that gurge
from several springs in the city But in the
heart of the Oldest part Of Naples, although an
aqueduct from Caserta, built more than one
hundred and fifty years ago, partly supplied
drinking material, there has been felt for many
years great want of the pure article Be-
sides all this, the densest population on our globe
is in the city of Naples, and the cisterns and
water deposits had become so impure that there
is no doubt that this impurity has fomented
and formed hot-bed of disease and since the
introduction Of pure water the city government
has decreed the filing up of 600 wells and els
terms. Paris has $4,000 people to the square
mile, j. O., twice the number Of inhabitants to
the square mile that London has, and Naples has
twice that number, j. c., 10000 to the square
mile Now. for years the municipal govern
mont OIL Naples has Stuutu up tilo udGtcI VI a
new water supply but it was not until 1878 that
the various surveys and studies materialized
into commencing magnificent aqueduct, and in
leading from the province Aneliino crystal
stream from amidst the Hottest Apennines into
Naples, for the city itself, and for the outlying
suburbs
few days ago these water-works. traversing
mountain, valleys and plain (the famous
'Campagna Fehce"), We're inaugurated by Hum
bort, the beloved and heroic monarch of Italy,
and by his beautiful Queen Margherita in
the presence of the united population
of Naples and surrounding villages, and of an
additional $1,000 Italians who came from
other parts of the kingdom to join in the festivi
ties of the largest city OF Italy.
have Witnessed on three continents, many
festal occasions, but have never seen one that
surpassed this. The weather was perfect, and
the surroundings of the graceful blue bay never
seemed more lovely. Excursion trains and
steamers were run from all parts, and on the
9th OF May, when the King, Queen and the court
arrived by railroad from Rome, it seemed that
Naples had hardly standing room for one more"
ia the streets, in the squares iii the balconies and
on the tops of her high buildings. / was
of the last named nearly in front Of the palace
where the royal party were to aGght. Their
taken by the procession from the railroad station
10 the palace by the Corso Garbaldi, the Museum
and down the Toledo (the Broadway of Naples),
is about two miles, and you can understand the
crowds in the street when I say that it took
nearly two hours for the royal cortege to
traverse that space. have nothing to tell about
any of those who, as members of Parliament,
court followers the officials of tho city, the
representatives from the Provinces followed
in the wake of the Kings carriages, but | will
only speak of the royal family and the people.
The great state carriages were not used They
are only seen when the King opens Parliament
Humbert is sensible man, and rarely appears
in public except in plain citizens dress. When
he arrived at the railway station the reception
begun, which was one continuous ovation
all the way 10 the palace. The "hurrah" of the
American and the Englshman is. as general
hing, the heartiest and most effective shout ever
given by the human voice, and next to 1t comes
The prolonged 'vivas' tve-e-evahs) of the
Italians. But On this occasion the viva, swelling
up from hundreds of thousands threats, seemed
to have the effectiveness OF the hurrah. OF
course, the enthusiasm was at its topmost heat
when tho carriages appeared which contained
the King and Queen their son, aged fifteen, who
is boy of great promise, and the modest and
worthy brother of the King the Prince Amadeo
Who you will remember, was once the King of
Spain, but had the frnness and good sense to
Abdicate. How can l describe the passage of the
royal party? 1t is impossible; l give it up But
| must try to note one or two features. The
grandest feature of all the entire absence of
sodiery household guards etc, and the striking
presence of ali the working mems associations,
There they were in full feather. O.. in citizen s
clothes. How proudly these various brother
hoods of artisans and workmen marched along
Could there be such sight in connection with
another monarch in Europe! Think of the Rus
sian Emperor always trembling in his boots !"
and, if he makes his appearance in the streets,
Is surrounded by steel-clad cuirassiers, and the
sidewalks are lined with policemen in citizens
dress. Myron w Reed was right when he said
that it is not the man but the system which
w. hat %