The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1888-01-04
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AUSTRALIAN ENERGY.
GONE PROMINENT FEATURES OF
THE CITY OF MELBOURNE.

THE CITY OF MELBOURNE.
Fine Appearance of tho streets--AH up
Hin and Down Dale"--Business Build
ings-A Genial Enthusiastically Az
ternoon-Cumpulsory Education.
The first feature which catches the eye of
the traveller ON arriving in Melbourne is tho
fine 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 matchmaking 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 a
good method. Asphalt is also used and
makes fine roadway, but In summer the OK
IRENE 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, and
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
subdivided by narrow streets, ono chain in
width, run ON the same principle as the
wider ones, the names being the same with
she prefix "little, as Collins street, Little
! Collins street, etc, and, the streets running
direct lines, center is designated above
md halo xxyl,ia cd,
forth or south, or east or west, as the case
nay be, the numbers Of buildings also run
ling from this design atcd line
UP HILL AND DOWN.
Melbourne is all ''up hill and down dale,n
| Elizabeth street, which divides the city into
east and west, being the lowest part-so low,
in fact, that during heavy rains 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 1SS0-S1,
| from the dome of which building an extern
Riye 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, i'm 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, ahe home Of the stock
hrnb an nj lot, AZ.
OF fashion, folly and wealth, in the morning
devoted to the rush of business, and in the
afternoon TO the fiirtations and gossip of the
bellies Of Victoria, is majestic with its struct-
urss 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-
tions of wealth and magnitude, to be seen ut
one glance, represent in aggregate cost hum
dreds OF thousands of pounds, and impress
one with the sense of solidity, wealth and
permanency And SO 1t is throughout the
city. Everywhere the eye meets with build
ings erected to stand for centuries, IL mead
be, strong, massive and artistic.
THE GENIAL CLIMATE.
The genial climate of the country has tho
same effect with Melbourneites as with the
inhabitants Of all other Australian cities
creating great desire for out of 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
fuo,
the proprietors allow the half-holiday will be
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 mare wealthy class have hunting,
yachting and racing. The whole community
seems to have mania for athletic spcrts the
government providing suitable grounds
galore"
Amid Melbourne's pleasure propensities
however, 1t must not be supposed that the
welfare Of the soming generation is forgotten;
far from IL; education is made compulsory,
all children between the ages of and Is
years having to offend one of the numerous
public schools, failure TO comply subjecting
parents to 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,
exempts from attendance at a public one
Education is 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 thew are situatAd The
wealthy class are also very liberal In their
subscriptions to the various private schools
and colleges, institutions where young man
or young woman can be fittel for any path
in life.--Cor San Francisco Chronicle