Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-07-18

{ SIASIElN, aISIkl iliS -Jy ANS''
NJ Dear Dutton:
After our circuitous and varied route,
we landed here yesterday, in an old Alpine
village in a narrow valley $500 feet above
the sea- have had my first bath in It's
thermal waters, and so have begun the
treatment.
Everything promises we'll. Mrs. Emery
is delighted with the wonderful varied
scenery. From one window we look
upon the eternal SHOWS of the Bern
kogI." 10000 feet high; from the other is
visible the beautiful valley Of the Gastein
Ache.
EXPECT 70 be awfully homesick, for
ont of some 1000 visitors here now there
are only one English and one other
American family.
But what want to write you about are
the common roads here. Having left
home Just as you We're formulating your
plans for improving the Ellsworth roads
I took especial notice OF the common
roads in Italy and the Tirol. l do not
know how they were originally made,
but they are Splendid don't mean the
city streets or the great highways but
lust the common roads. They are hard,
smoo; h and dry.
Through the Tlrol and here in the
Gastein valley. the soil is very like ours
and there i much more water :" guard
against. vet the roads were luxury to
ride or walk over. Immediately after
heavy rain, one hardly needed rubbers in
walking on the roads; indeed no rubbers
are on sale in any Of the shoe stores, and
l have seen but one pair beside my own.
At intervals along the roads are piles OF
clean. crushed rock. washed clean OF all
earth. noticed that when rut or hole
was made in the road ii was carefully
cleaned out as dentist cleans out the
cavity OF TOOTH, and then filled with
the clean stone. Over the stone was
spread a thin coating Of clsy. Just enough
TO turn the water.
Here in Gastein in the native village
where the peasants live, not IN the hotel
part ! saw them clearing ont bitches.
All the cart h and other matter taken out
ofthe ditch We're carried Of, none of 4 Vas
allowed on the road-be,,. fha. was left
clean. smooth and hard. Ne earth was
used in repairs othing hut crushed
rock and clay, or gravel.
The wagons and harnesses are very
crude and cumbro but it is almost
startling to see the heavy loads that are
hauled over these roads.
am tod that the road are always
good; that there is no laundering in the
spring, and no deep mud in the fall as
with Us.
In looking al these roads felt much
satisfaction in the thought that Els
worth, under your administration, had
set her face toward the morning, and was
soon to begin to experience the blessings
of good roads. ! can hardly express my
disappointment on arriving here to find
in THE AMERICAN, which was awaiting
NE, that the majority OF the aldermen
had withdrawn their support from you.
II these poor Alpine mountaineers can
make and keep up such excellent roads
under such unfavorsble conditions, it
would seem that the people OF Ellsworth,
under much more favorable conditions,
could al least begin to make good roads.
However, the beginning i only delayed
little. You will succeed in he end, and
viii earn the gratitude o. u nll ~ 20
ra-oiutely max ng the attempt.
TAe sea voyage OF twelve daye did mt
lots Of good. was not >e4s.ek no
ment, and had & splendid time, have
already improved IN hee!lh very much.
Mrs. +, says l look tftY }-r cent. better.