Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1890-05-19
THE GERMAN CAPITAL.

llcSC 10 Cne VlSitOr, In shape OF WretcheQ
pavemcnts of cobble-stone, bad drain
age system, accompanied by a high
death rate, inconvenient methods of
local transit and other reminders of the
more provincial days before the great
empire sprang into existence. Berlin
Is to-day, writes a correspondent of the
Mexican Financier, one of the most
splendid capitals of Europe, hardly SUR
passed even by Paris in grandeur, and
with its population of 1,5OO, 900, is the
second city of the continent in size and
the first in industrial rank. 1t is growing
with pace of Chicago, and every year
beholds enormous areas of the sur
rounding sand-plains covered densely
with the new houses of the expanding
city. Here, in the "sand-box of Ger
many" amid the barren plains Of the
old Mark Brandenburg, the cradle of the
Hohenzollern might, the tireless energy
and persistence of the Prussians have
built up the chief city of the most pow
erful empire of Europe.
The principal streets of Berlin are
nearly all paved with asphalt, and they
are such marvels of cleanliness and
smoothness that one feels the same re-
spect for them as for a nice drawing
room, and scruples to litter them even
with scrap of paper. The most fire.
quented ones are literally washed and
scrubbed every night. After being wet
down few men or boys proceed along
the road, pushing before them pieces Of
board set diagonally on a pole, with
strip of rubber on the lower side. The
mud is thus transferred from the course
of one man to another and finally left
in the gutter, whence it is removed.
The consequent freedom of the city
from dust is very marked. The smooth
ness of the pavement affords immense
relief in diminishing the confusing
noise and jar of the streets. Waking
early in the morning at hotel in the
center of the business section one per-
ceives no rattling of wagons, only the
clatter Of tho horses hoofs, so that it
seems as If cavalry regiments were con-
tinually passing. The smooth streets
have also made cycling very popular,
and tricycles are extensively used for
business purposes. The broad side
walks are laid with tagging in the CEN
ter, and between that and the curbstone
are paved with small, mosaic-like
stones that form o. smooth sur
face, and are easily removed and re-
placed. Beneath this space are laid the
gas pipes, telegraph and electric-light
wires, pneumatic tubes, etc., so that in
laying or, repairing these the street
pavement is not disturbed. The wires
of the arc lights, as we'll as of the in
candescent, are all carried underground.
and In Berlin there are not TO be seen
tho unsightly poles that SO disfigure the
streets in Mexican cities. Only the tel
Hphone wires are carried overhead, run
ming ovor tho roofs Of the buildings, and
these are now being put underground in
cables as far as possible.
In Berlin the wires have been carried
underground from the start, and no diff
ficulty has been experienced. Instead
of adding now ugliness to the streets
tho arc lights of Berlin are things Of
beauty, an artistic establishment to
the city. Inter den Linden is probably
the most brilliantly and beautifully-il.
Illuminated street in the world. Along
each side and down the center the arc
lights arc set even moro closely to-
gether than ordinary gas lamps, and
tho effect OF night is that of great
strings Of white, cleaning pearls.
The telephone service is admirable,
as is testified by tho public appreciation,
there being over 10000 instruments in
use in Berlin. There are no private tel
ephone companies in Germany, the tel
ephone, like the telegraph, being a
branch OF the postal service. The price
for telephone service is low, tho annual
Charp0 for an Instruments boipr ION
marks or something less than $50. The
long-distance service between the prin-
cipal cities Of the empire is being rapid
ly introduced. A telegram received for
person who has q telephone is at once
delivered orally from the central office,
and tho written message then forwarded
by the local post. Likewise telegram
Is transmitted by the sender to tho teie-
graph Office by telephone. Tho teie-
phones in use are manufactured by Sic.