Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-11-15
THE METROPOLIS OF ICELAND.
A Little Trading City in the Far away North
ern Island.

A Little Trading City in the Far away North
ern Island.
Reykjavik, poor little metropolis of
1000 inhabitants, has, nevertheless, its
sights and sounds. Its houses, with but
few exec ptions of wood, consist usually
of a single story, but in isolated instan-
ces rise to the dignity of two. Through
the town rans wide and tolerably
straight street On which live several of
the dignitaries of the island-the bishop,
the governor, the chief Justice and
other great members of the government.
q pom the side, surrounded by wooden
palings, is the public square, in the GEN.
ter of which stands bronze statue of
Thorwaldsen, presented by the Danish
government to the native country of the
sculptor.
At the further end is the little cathe-
dral, which contains marble font by the
artist himself. Around the different
sides of the square are grouped the new
parliament house, the postoffice and a
school for girls, which draws its pupils
from all parts of the country. One of
the most imposing buildings of the CAPT
tai is the jail, and two of the most awe
inspiring of her citizens are the police
men, who in turn patrol the streets in
felt helmets and uniform.
It was not discovered, however, that
they ever arrested anybody, because no,
body ever so far forgot himself as to war
rant arresr, the jail consequently is al
ways empty, fact that can be but imper-
fectly understood when one sees It's mani
fest superiority to all other dwellings,.
Oae of the policemen exercises, in addi-
ton to his function of guardian of the
public veal, that of librarian of the Ice
landic literary society, which was estab-
tablished as long ago as 1916, and has
publish ed many works. He is also an au-
thor, and has written at least one vaua-
bic book.
The streets OF Reykjavik are unpaved,
but at certain corners, wide apart, stand
lamp posts, wherein burn kerosene lam De
TO light the belated citizen to his door.
One of the most characteristic of street
lights is the long line of ponies that al
most continually come and go, bringing
loads of dried Ash and carrying back the
necessaries of life, and almost all of life's
necessary demands in Iceland must be
supplied from without. Even the wood
with which the houses are framed comes
from Norway and must be taken into
the interior On the backs of horses.
frequent sight is procession of ponies
each with a board on either side, fasten
ed at one end to the pack saddle, while
the other end is left to trail and bump
along the uneven road.
On pleasant mornings another kind OF
| procession is often seen. It is com posed Of
women and girls, each with a wooden tub
and ell going to the warm springs tt
do the household washing. The watel
can be had at all temperatures, from
boiling hot, where it bubbles up out o.
the earth, to tepid, farther down the
little stream formed from the overflow
Dipping up tubful of hot water, the
washer woman puts her washing to soak
and theL selects a suitable place upor
the bank near the waters edge, where
she kneels and rubs and wringss piece
| by piece.