The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-01-10
AUSTRALIAN ENERGY.
SOME PROMINENT FEATURES OF
THE CITY OF MELBOURNE.
Fine Appearance Of the streets-Ah Up
Hill aud Down Dale"-Business Build
ings-A Genial Enthusiastically Al
ternoon-Cumpulsory Education.

The first feature which catches the eye OF
the traveller on arriving III Melbourne Is the
tine appearance of the streets as 10 "ldth
and construction. Several different methods
have been tried in constructing roads, ana 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 10 Keep
it in repair and the quantity of dust when
arises from its use, is not considered as a
good method. Asphalt is also used ana
makes a fine roadway, but in summer the ex-
treme heat softens it, causing an ugly APP
pearance where there Is much traiilc. Inc
latest and best method Is the cube block sys-
tenn, which, besides making a 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
suhdiyided by narrow streets, one chain ia
width, run on the same principle as the
wiier ones, the names being the same with
the prefix little as Collins street, Little
Collins street, etc, and, the streets running
in direct lines, "a center is designated above
and below which the street Is known as
rorth OF south, or east or west, as the case
may be, the numbers Of buildings also run
ning from this designated line.
UP HILL AND DOWN.
Melbourne j. all up hill and down dale
Elizabeth street, which divides tho city int
east and west, being the lowest part-so low
in fact, that during heavy rains the at othe.
times sluggish running hanne assume
river like proportions, making the streets
impassable for pedestrians. As, however.
such occurrences are rare no steps nave beei
taken 10 prevent them The highest poitt
in the city Is Carlton Gardens, the site OF tie
international exhibition building OF l6SO-sl,
from the dome Of which building am eXten
.ive view is obtained OF the city and Ell
yirons, the eye stretching away over miles oi
undulating and well populated country IN
one direction, and over the sparkling and
placid waters OF Hobsonis 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 - adorn the first
cities OF the world, presenting 10 the sight
solid masses Of masonry, worked ia 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, f~nancier and Spectator, the center
OF fashion, folly and wealth in the morning
devoted To the rush OF business, and IN the
afternoon 20 the hirtati0ns and gossip of the
bellies OF Victoria, is majestic with its struct
ures of marble, sandstone and granite tow
oring on every hand. The Union bank, St4cs
Exchange, London Chartered bank, Land
Credit bank and numbers of other iustitu-
tons oil wealth and magnitude, to he seen at
one glance, represent in aggregate cost hun
dreds OF thousands of pounds, and impress
one with the sense Of soAdlty, wealth and
permanently. And 50 1t Is throughout the
city Everywhere the eye meets with build
ings erected 10 stand for centuries, II need
be, strong massive and artistic.
THE GENIAL CLIMATE
The genial climate Of the country has the
same effect with Melbourneites a. with the
inhabitants Of ali other Australian cities,
creating "A great desire for out OF door amuse
ments, which is one OF tho most noticeable
features OF Australian lite. Saturday after
noon is set apart as a kind OF weekly hall
holiday, the merchants, manufacturers and
others 50 arranging that their employees are
free from noon of that day until the follow
ing Monday morning or course, there are
exceptions, where certain occupations require
the presence Of employees on Saturday even
ing. From those buildings, however, where
the pToprietors ALLOW the half holiday will bc
seen streams Of young men and women, boys
and girls, rushing away as soon as l2oclOcki
noon. arrives, first 10 dinner AMI 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 10 have a mania for athletic sports, the
government providing suitable grounds
galore"
Amid MelbOurnes 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 3 and ID
years having to attend one Of the numerous
public schools, failure to comply subJecting
parents to u nominal fine; exceptions are
made where u doctors certificate finds the
child unable 10 undergo the fatigue Of five
hours school per day; also satisfactory eyi-
dence that the child attends IA private school,
exempts from attendance at u 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
subscriptions to the various private schools
and colleges, institutions where a young man
OF young woman can be tttel for any path
ia life Cor. San Francisco Chronicle.
A Victory OF Peace.