Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-21
AUSTRALIAN ENERGY.
SOME PROMINENT FEATURES OF
THE CITY OF MELBOURNE.

Fine Appearance of the Streets-An ZIP
Hill and Down Dale'-Business Build
inss-A Genial Climate-saturday AT
ternoon-Cumpulsory Education-
The first feature which catches the eye of
the traveller on arriving in Melbourne is the
tine appearance of the streets as to width
and construction. Several different methods
have been tried in constructing roads, and as
the city corporation is very wealthy no ex-
pense has been spared to make them level,
lasting and solid. Macadamizing was tried
and is still in use in many places, but In con-
sequence OF the constant care needed to Keep
it in repair and the quantity Of dust which
arises from its use, is not considered as
good method. Asphalt is also used and
makes fine roadway, but in summer the ex-
trenle heat softens it, causing an ugly ap-
pearance where there is much traffic. The
latest and best method is the cube block sys-
tenn, which, besides making level street, re-
quires but little repair and does not cause
much dust; it is however, very costly, ana
consequently only used where the traffic is
very great.
When Melbourne was first founded the
city proper was about a mile square, being
divided into blocks by streets run north and
south and east and west, seven each way,
making thirty six blocks These blocks are
subdlvlded by narrow streets, ono chain In
width, run on the same principle as the
wider ones, the names being the same with
the prefix ''little," as Collins street, Little
Collins street, etc. and, the streets running
in direct lines, center is designated allow
and below which the street is known as
north or south, or east or west, as the case
may be, the numbers of buildings also run
ming from this designated line
UP HILL AND DOWN.
Melbourne is all ''up hill and down dale, ="
Elizabeth street. which divides the city into
east and west, being the lowest part-so low,
in fact, that during heavy Bains the at other
times sluggish running channels assume
river like proportions, making the streets
impossible for pedestrians. As, however,
such occurrences are rare no steps have been
taken to prevent them The highest point
in the city is Carlton Gardens, the site Of the
international exhibition building of lsS0-Sl,
from the dome of which building an extern
Sive view is obtained Of the city and en-
virons, the eye stretching away over miles of
undulating and well populated country in
one direction, and over the sparkling and
placid waters of Hobson's bay, studded with
vessels from all parts OF the world. in the
other
The business buildings of Melbourne are
the pride of the city, fit to adorn the first
cities of the world, presenting to the sight
solid masses of masonry, worked in the most
artistic styles, stretching from street to street
as far as the eye can reach Collins street,
the business center, the home of the stock
broker, fnancier and speculator the center
of fashion, folly and wealth, in the morning
devoted TO the rush of business, and in tine
afternoon to the fiirtations and gossip of the
bellies Of Victoria, is ma jestic with its struct-
ures of marble, sandstone and granite tow
ering on every hand. The Union bank, Stock
Exchange, London Chartered bank, Land
Credit bank and numbers of other institu-
tons Of wealth and magnitude, to be seen at
one glance, represent in aggregate cost hun
dreds of thousands of pounds, and impress
one with the sense of solidity, wealth and
permanency. And so it is throughout the
city. Everywhere the eye meets with build
ings erected to stand for centuries, if need
be, strong, massive and artistic.
THE GENIAL CLIMATE.
The genial climate of the country has the
same effect with Msibourneites as with the
inhabitants of all other Australian cities,
creating great desire for out CT door amuse-
ments, which is one of the most noticeable
features of Australian life. Saturday after
noon is set apart as kind of weekly half
holiday, the merchants, manufacturers and
others SO arranging that their employees are
free from noon of that day until the follow
ing Monday morning. Of course, there are
exceptions, where certain occupations require
the presence of employees on Saturday even
ing, From those buildings, however, where
the proprietors allow the half holiday will he
seen streams of young men and women, boys
and girls, rushing away as soon as IL o'clock,
noon, arrives, first to dinner and then recrea-
ton of some kind - boating, swimming,
cricket, lawn tennis etc, during summer;
football, lacrosse, etc, during winter occupy
the youthful minds of thousands of workers.
while the more wealthy class have hunting,
yachting and racing The whole community
seems to have a mania for athletic sports, the
government providing suitable grounds
galore"
Amid Melbourne's pleasure propensities,
however, it must not be supposed that the
welfare of the coming generation is forgotten;
far from it; education is made compulsory,
all children between the ages of and Is
years having to attend one of the numerous
public schools, failure to comply subjecting
parents to a nominal fine; exceptions are
made where a doctors certificate finds the
child unable to undergo the fatigue of five
hours school per day: also satisfactory evil
dence that the child attends private school,
e1empts from attendance at public one
Education is a branch of the civil service,
teachers entering as pupil teachers and work
ing upward by promotion and examination,
and the school buildings are the pride of the
localities where they are situated. The
wealthy class are also very liberal in their