Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-05-27
A FEW DAYS In BRUSSELS
Things Old and New in the
Busy Capital Of Belgium.
A CITY OF COMING GRANDEUR.
How Royalty Is Lodged-A Ceremo
ni0us Court and the American
Representative Thercat.

the future, though it has enough OF the
other two main lenses, past and present,
to make it delightful place either to
live in or to visit. But il nevertheless
seems city of coming rather than i'm
mediate grandeur. The projected ave-
nues and other structures, with those
already finished or under way, are GER
tain in the near future to make Brussels
as handsome capital as any in Europe.
But just now in large part OF the place
there is sense OF incompleteness-a
realty Of recently-cleared openings, great
buildings latticed with scafoldings and
stretches Of half-finished streets-which
suggest some youthful, rapidly-growing
American city, instead OF one OF the old
est European centers.
When Belgium set up housekeeping for
herself half century ago and installed
the Leopold family at the head OF affairs,
distinctively new order OF things be-
gan. The first Leopold, besides realizing
the necessity for increasing the material
prosperity OF his country, saw all the adj
vantages to accrue from enhancing the
beauty Of his capital. His son, the
present king, himself now well along in
years, has not only followed but improved
upon the paternal inspiration, and aided
by willing people, liberal legislators,
and competent Ministers, has done more
than the outside world would yet appre-
ciate to give Belgium standing and Dig
nifty among nations. The revival OF In
dustry at Ghent and Louvain; the forti-
flying of Antwerp, until it is conceded to
be one Of the most impregnable military
points in the world, and the increase OF
its commerce to such an extent that it is
now the most consequential seaport OF
Continental Europe: the advancement
to the position OF the leading fashionable
ocean resort of this hemisphere, and the
making a miniature Paris of Brussels.
are come of the tangible results Of
Leopold IFS judgment and energy.
In the renaissance OF Brussels the King
has been specially seconded by Burgo-
master Anspauch, another Baron Hauss-
man, who genius in the way OF ripping
down and remodeling was hardly infer
ior to that of the great Persian named.
Anspauch has gone to his long home,
but he lived to see his plans well along,
and died in the certainty that his be-
iONtu DTuSftlS NdS III u way W bC-
come an absolute gem among cities.
The Brussels of to-day is metropolis
Of nearly 100000 people, with spacious
parks, fine avenues and boulevards, art
istc monuments and some unusually inn
posing and interesting public structures.
With the exception of the Capitol at
Washington there is no building in
the United States comparable to
Do1o 10 Tharo
are few cathedrals in Europe richer in
stained glass or better examples of the
medieval Gothic than L'Eglise Sainte
Gudule; and there is not in all Europe a
more curious spot than the Grand Place
Of Brussels, with its beautiful old Hotel
de Vile on one side OF the square and its
ancient palace and homes OF the Flemish
guilds on the other three sides. Each Of
these guild buildings-and there are
some twenty OF them-has differently
designed front and each is 80 picturesque
and beautiful that one might be COM
pletely happy viewing it were the other
nineteen or more architectural charmers
away. Wild and varied are the scenes
these marvels Of buildings have looked
down upon Men have been burned and
beheaded in the square burghers have
tDnRTtEdttu ItIt w MItSb t1Ci &lkhbc
from churlish and unwilling rulers
the guilds Of ancient days--prototypes Of
the less modern rades-unions-have
swarmed in and out of the Grand Place,
striving to adjust fancied evils, and often
wholly overlooking the real ones. Even
the buildings themselves have been
toppled and battered by bombardments /;
and French, Austrians, Spaniards and
k.ls l. oil LaI Lar,A IN, t1,f, Il
ing and unmaking OF the famous square.
It has been sort of center for the tur-
bulence which has racked Belgium these
many centuries; and there is hardly a
stone in its rough pavement that has not
known the splash of human blood or the
tread OF feet whose owners were spiteful
with deadly hatred toward somebody.
Beatifc in comparison to all this is the
scene Of to-day. Wedding parties daily
smirk and fidget in the Hotel de Vile as
the officials humble through the civic
marriage rite. The graceful old Palace
du Roi is undergoing faithful restora-
ton, and being metamorphosed into q
museum. The fantastic guild-homes are
now little hotels, estaminets, billiard
haunts, and cafes The open square on
Sunday morning is thronged with buy
ers and sellers in most unique market
the only wares being flotsNcs, pigeons
and dogs. There is less romance, but a
deal more comfort, in and around the old
square than in the uproarious days oi
yore.
In owning some Of the costliest OF mod
ern structures, in addition to many per-
fectly preserved specimens of how they
built in the "moyen age" Brussels has
distinction over many OF her sister cap.
itals OF Europe. When the grand build
irgs and thoroughfares now planned OF
in process OF completion are finished. il
will be, in good sooth, city having little
to fear in comparison with any of them.
The work OF undermining and beautify-
ing is not essayed in any half.hearted
fashion. To open one new square, eighty
four old houses were torn down while
the cost to date OF the magnificent Palace
de Justice has been over SIC, ,000, ,000-and
no stealing, either.
The reader may possibly have heard
the word 'laco" i'll connection with Brus-
sells. II he is married masculine he
will only sigh at the suggestion, whether
he has 'er visited Belgium or not. The
laces of Brussels comprise every design,
are firmly knit with tho finest of thread
and are particularly delicate and artistic
Any visitor to Brussels who escapes
without having bought some lace may
well believe that he possesses attributes
Of genius. Besides his family and lady
friends to be remembered at home, OF
perhaps already with him a2d full oi
deadly intentions on the lace pluestion,
every carriage &iver, guide aria guide
book, hoteliieeper and commissionaire
is in league 10 capture him, 1t is aston.
fishing, con9idering the dainty meshes q
lace, l4% strongly they Nensnare the
mqsssr obytipate of men. The voiture-
drivers are so many unblnshing fiend:
FsSas 4egarfs lace Order cn3pf them te
drive ybn TO the Kings pa3Ge and be
answei3 that no lace Is solds fre: Ar
range 9th another for o dan visit te
.ithesfi ~ Of. Waterloo and he es traighl
to a lax manuiaetosy and plskNH halts
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