The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-09-10
MEATH SKIES OF BLUE.
WHAT MIR. CHARLES W. CIUGHY
SAYS or SUNNY ITdLY.
lie Is United states Consul mt Mcssina, and
IL Warm In His Praises Of Its Delight
full Climate and Beautiful Scenery.

Mr.. CHARTS VI. Caushy. United States
consul al Mcssina. Italy. reached Rich
mond Sunday morning OH a visit 10 the
f1miiy OF his father-in-law. Mr.. John NJ.
Higgins. 2l9 Governor street. lie Is On
leave OF absence for sixty days. which
vacation is allowed by the State Depart
ment to each consu! every year Mr.
Carghy LEFT mis- family in Messina, and
will sail on his return trip to that place
on the 18th OF this MONTH
In Speaking last right of the portion
of Italy IN which he Is stationed, nI'
Caughy said: THE climate is deliShiful,
and the sunsets are all that Is claimed ior
Italy. No painter could paint a picture
OF the sunsets we see Ia Italy, nor could
words or pen describe them. The setting
sun each moment changes with kaleldo-
SCOPE rapidity the colors Of the srandest
panorama that human eyes ever Deheiu'
1t cannot be described
Mr.. Caughy was asked about his eN-
periences during the great earthquake OF
November Is, 1894. He said that II oc-
CURED about o'clock I'm me evening,
which Is the dinner hour in Messina, ana
that the shocks were frightful. The
house in which he lived. he said, was so
badly DANCED, Notwithstanding the fact
that the walls were eight feet thick. that
two months were required TO repair IL.
Every house in the city "as injured, ana
for some months the people were forced
to live in tents.
If the walls Of the houses he said, had
been as thin as they were In the earth
quake of l7S. the city would have been
totally destroyed.
MIR. Caughy said there were no street
cars in Mess.na, but cab could be Sc
cured 10 take person to any part OF the
citv for ten cents. There was me
electric-light plant in Messina, he said
and in Genoa there was an electric street
car line in operation.
Consul Caughy. lis probably as equitable
as anywhere In the world. The mercury
rarely or never gets above - degrees %.
below ca. The houses are butt without
any provision for fires. there being no
chimnevs at all. You find as handsome
residences there as In any city III the
world. They are mostly built on the nat
system and arc up-to-date In every re-
spect.' -. -, t.,
rreseion prevalent in the United States
that Italy was overrun with briganf''
This he said, was an entire mistake
Brigandage was almost extinct theIe, anu
a man might traverse the whoic coulJ
with entire safety. there being no hoiu-
ms of trains like those which occur
in the western part Of the United states
Last wear. Mr. Caughy said, small
band Of brigands were shot whlie asi.cp
by a family of Italians that hah sotlcn
into their confidence, but the band was
small and was composed OF low ana
vicious men from the cities.
Mr.. Caughy's account Of how the peo-
nle cook was extremely interesting. Ihey
use. he said. fat stoves, and burn c.har-
coal altogether. as they have no chlln-
news bv which the smoke from wood colid
escape. The cooking is delightful, ihelr
fare comparing favorably with me pest
in the world. g.. Va,
,Ir. CaUghy will leave to-day for l5ai-
timOrc. ana later VIII 20 10 Ne" loI"'