The record-union., 1894-05-03
BACK FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
William Land Returns From His
Wanderngs.
What He Observed During Portion
of His Seven Months Trip
Around the World.

William Land, the genial proprietor Of
the Western Hotel, returned home yes
terday morning from his trip around the
world. Steve Maroney came back with
him.
Mr.. Land is looking well, and the trip
has evidently been enjoyed by him to the
fullest extent, but he states that he is
thoroughly glad to get back to Sacra-
mento again after his absence of nearly
seven months.
"Paris is generally considered the finest
city of the world" said he to RECORD
UNION representative last night, "and
while do not wish to dispute the conf
mon verdict, in my opinion the city of
Vienna to-day is the handsomer OF the
two Paris seems to me to have some
what deteriorated within the past eight
years.
son the other hand, Vienna is making
many improvements and putting up
great many handsome buildings, which
are taller and finer and those OF Paris.
Ring street has been vastly improved.
The old Notifications have been leveled,
and the noats filled up and handsome
| boulevard about $50 feet wide built upon
it. The old style of building boulevards
has been improved on, space twenty
five or thirty feet wide being left in the
center, fianked by two rows of trees on
each side. between and under which are
quite pleasant walks running the whole
length of the street. AS its name lndl-
Gates, the street is circular, following the
course Of the old Notifications and having
smaller streets radiating from 1t In all
directions. The houses which have been
built are large and imposing. and lend
an air of elegance to the city which adds
immeasurabiy TO its appearance"
"Thc city of Alexandria also has Won-
derfullv improved" said Mr.. Land. 1T
has been largely rebuilt since its bonn
bardment, and the houses which were
destroyed replaced by fine stone edifices
and the streets have been widened."
Proceeding, he said that the first ap-
pearance of Constantinople, as one ap-
Droached it on the Sea of Marmora, was
one of the most enchanting that ever the
eve of man rested on. The city rests on
three hills, and the white marble walls of
the houses intermingles with the green
foliage of the trees which abound in the
CITY. The minarets and spires of the
mosques form delicate tracery against
the background of sky, that must be seen
to be appreciated. The city is properly
divided into three parts, the European
portion, where business is carried on, the
European residence portion, and Old
Stamboul.
Formerly the inhabitants of the two
former had to climb up the steps leading
over the mountain which lies between
them, but now tunnel has been cut,
through which steam cars run on tram
way, aud person can pass from one to
the other in five minutes.
Old Stamboul is connected with the
business European portion of the city by
pontoon bridge. which is owned by a
relative of the Sultan, and MIR. Land says
that it is veritable gold mine to him, as
ten to twenty thousand people pass over
it every day. each paying q piastre, while
those who carry any bundles have to pay
half fare extra. and double teams pay
81 cents and single ones % cents.
The streets of old Stamboul are narrow
and very, very dirty. They remain prac-
tically as they were in the days of the
Byzantine Empire, and, perhaps, have
not been cleaned since.
Mr.. Lands descriptions show him to
have been a close observer of all he saw,
and his trip has evidently added largely
to his fund of information obtained in his
former trip to Europe. He notices that
much Improvement has taken place in
| Sacramento also during his absence.