Smyrna times., 1897-10-13

an American sovereign, 1 was perfectly |
justified in buying a first class ticket.
After leaving the ticket window, the
gentleman Immediately behind me in
line, came up and after begging my |
pardon asked me if I were an Ameri- |
can. Upon my replying in the afir |
native he smiled, and 1 Immediately |
asked him why he had asked me. He |
replied Because you just purchased
first class ticket" He further told me
that it was a universal saying though
out Europe that only princess, Amer
leans, and fools travel first class"
Since then I have invariably found
my way to the second class windows.
COMO.
Our ride to Milan was uneventful,
there about seven in the morn
ing. Our stop in Milan only to make
connections, as we had planned to
stop and see the city on our return
After leaving Milan, the train started
up the foot hills of the Alps and in
about an hour we came to the town of
Como, on the Lake of that name. Como
is a small city of about ten or eleven
thousand inhabitants and very prettily
situated. While driving through the
town, saw the birthplace and statue of
Volta, the electrician and philosopher,
also the cathedral which is one of the
best in Northern Italy. Took the lake
steamer and went about thirty miles
up the lake to a small place by the
name of MenaggiO. The scenery
going up the lake was very pretty in
deed. Took train and crossed over
to Porlezza, where we again took a
lake steamer to LuganO, ON the Lake
of Lugano. While going from Por-
lezza to Lugano, the Swiss customs
officials came on board and examined
our baggage. The inspection was very
light as there is very little or no i'm
port duty on the majority of articles.
The scenery approaching LuganO was
prettier than any we have seen so far.
Perhaps the condition of the sky had
much to do with it, as the reflection of
the mountains in the clear, still waters
of the lake impressed one wonderfully.
Arrived in LuganO at about half-past
three, and after going up to the hotel
Beau Reguard, took a carriage and
drove around the city. The town is
quite italian in its appearance, with it's
arcades, workshops in open air, and
granite-paved streets. 1t contains
among other industries, one of the lar
gest chocolate manufactures in Switz-
erland. The principal excursion from
Lugano is the ascent of st. Salvatore,
(298O it, which is accomplished with
the aid of a cable railway, whose larg-
est gradient is 60: 100. A very pretty
panorama opens from the top embrac-
ing the lakes of Lugano, Como, Mag
giOre and several minor lakes.
! ASCENT OF THE ALPS.
SECOND DAY-Left Lugano about
nine and Immediately commenced to
ascend the Alps. From Lugano to
Ariolo, the entrance to the st. Gothard
tunnel, the scenery is by far the best
that we saw in Switzerland. There are
several minor tunnels on the way up.
In quite number of places, the train
passes over ravines and one can see
nothing of the bridge under him at all,
looking as if we were riding on the air.
After a short stop at Ariolo, we entered
the great tunnel. The tunnel is 2S
feet broad, 21 feet high and 16, 300 yds
(94 miles) long. 1t took about seven
and half years to bore, with an aver
age of $500 men daily, and cost fifty
six million, seven hundred and fifty
thousand francs. The central point oi
the tunnel is 1886 feet above sea leve
and above it rises the Kastelhorn,
which towers 6O76 feet above. After
emerging on the other side, we pass
over an iron bridge 105 feet high, which
crosses the Ruess, and arrive in Cos
henen. In little cemetery near the
station is a very pretty monument tC
L. Favre, the engineer of the tunnel
who died of apoplexy in the tunnel il
1879. After leaving Goshenen, the de
sent is very gradual toward Lucerne
and the scenery not quite so wild an(
rocky. Nearing Fluelen, the Reus
waters a very peaceful and fertile val
ley, which is protected on both side
by barren and lofty mountains, which
are partially covered near the SUNNI
with snow. At Fluelen, took the lax,
steamer and went up the Lake o
Lucerne to the city, arriving ther,
about five in the afternoon. Took
carriage and drove all over the city
Lucerne is a town of about twenty-five
well preserved walls which have min
watch towers. 1t is surrounded by tn
Lake on one side, and on the other 10y
: foothills facing the Rigi and Pilatu
and is beautiful city. The Reuss is
sues from the lake with the swiftnes
of a torrent, whose banks are connec
ted with five bridges. There are tw
interesting medieval bridges, Kappe
brucke and the Spruerbrucke, which ar
carried obliquely across the stream
: Each is covered with a roof, th
former being painted with about hun
dred and fifty scenes from the lives {
two of the patron saints Of Lucern
and from Swiss history; and the latte
: with "Dance Of Death" Along th
/. shores OF the lake, the wide avenues
Q with their rows of pretty chestnut tree
< afford a delightful view. On littl
: knoll overlooking the quays is the Ho
Z kirke, a church with two conspicuou
2 slender towers, erected about 1900
The church was originally built in Il
seventh century and restored in IL
z sixteenth.
: THIRD DAY-The morning brok
J. cloudy and misty and we were almoi
persuaded not to attempt the ascent
the Rigi, but toward nine the clou'
e having gone up a little, we decide
I that we would go as far as VitznaI
I 4