The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-08-16


VENICE, Italy, July 29,--We arrived
,,ro last Monday and are comfortably
"n,rtsred at the Grand Hotel Victoria.
am rather disappointed in this famous
CIty it has last-rose-of-summer look
IN me- We have now come over six
hundred miles OF italian territory, some
og II seemed good, and some of 1t bad.
r5e heat and dust we suffered from in
coming from Florence here was some
ming terrific. To be locked in those
mile compartments for eight hours
without the eonyeRiepces we Americans
are so accustomed to in travelling Is
something beyond my weak nature to
stand. But when you are let out and
after being showed along like a lot of
sheen and find yourself comfortably
seated in gondola, gliding along the
beautiful Grand canal to your hotel,
men for the moment you forget neat
Just and discomfort and remember only
The delightful pleasures of the present.
The arrival for the first time in Venice
&c n cneer sensation, No noisy cries OF
hackmen, no cracking OF whips, no rat
ling of wheels on stony streets, none OF
tbe confusion or excitement OF large
div. but instead, on stepping from the
cors nj the end OF the two miles long
y,ndurt that has brought you out from
tho maln land over the waters or the
IdrIaiIc sea, you are met by the quaint.
sadate gondollers, with the name OF
,heir hotels on their caps, and you pick
ynur hotel gondola and are soon quietly
yI,dInr over the water of this queer
Civ, where there is no horse and no
COW and vet a population Of one hun
dred and fifty thousand.
rhere are three hundred and seventy
eight bridges In Venice, and one hundred
ond fnrty-slx canals. The Grand canal,
shnnpl ike big letter rs, Is crossed
M, Two iron bridges and by the old stone
hTIige. the Rlalto, with shops on 1t, and
IN the locality made famous by Shakes
"aors's Merchant of Venice. They point
out the spot where was the money loan
Ing once Of Shyioek & Co.
Tha lace factories here are extensive
md Mrs. Scott IL out now with other
ladIes Of the party, feastlng their eyes
with the rich laccs in process OF making
visited two Of the best glass houses
here, and while they do make lovely
things In the glass line, yet one would
etnrye 10 death In America working as
they do,
II Is an interesting sight TO row
,br1flrh lhe narrow streets. Il reminds
orr of some large city overtaken by a
food The streets all covered with water
up q, near the floors OF the houses, one
WDuu imagine that this was an UNI
healthy Mace as all the refuse is thrown
INTO the cauals. but the water Is largely
gll water and there is tide Of about
eighteen inches coming from the Adrl-
Mic which takes all this filth away.
The water has beautiful green appear
mace Back OF the hotel, on the same
saunrc, is the most interesting place in
Venice. 1t Is called the square of 81.
Marks and Il Is said to be one of the
finest In the world. II Is about the size
Of our blocks IN Wheeling and Is paved
with blocks OF gray and white stone
and which are fitted well together, max
!Hg smooth pavement.
u rs surrounded on three sides by
beautiful threc-gtory buildings. There
As colorado with great pillars under
the second floor all along these three
sides Al the one end of this square Is
the 81 Marks church, which Is u Won
dcrful structure built about 800 years
ago, The front of Il makes very i'm
posing appearance. There are three
dUmcg a very high one In the center and
one on each side. There are five en-
frances In front the center one being
very large and having two large bronze
doors. on a gallery above these doors
stand four enormous bronze horses,
which are said TO have been taken from
NerOs Triumphal Arch In Rome, and
from there they were taken by Con-
stuntlne 10 Constantinoplc, then
/ brought to Venice and placed
In this gallery; but when Nap
oleon with has grand armies over
run this country, he took them up to
Paris, dragging them across the Alps,
and after the downfall of Napoleon they
were again brought to this place. The
church is built in tho shane of a Greek
cross and is very large. The whole in
side Of this church Is very beautiful,
and decorated with costly glass mosalcs
and beautiful pictures. II is all decora-
ted with gold. II Is said the mosalcs in
this church contain 10000 square feet,
more than an acre Within this church
lies the body of St Mark, which was
brought to this place from Alexandria,
In Egypt becauge according to tradI-
ton, he had preached the gospel in Ven
Ce The emblem of Venice ia the
winged lion Of Ezekiel, and everywhere
you see pictures OF 81. Mark standing
beside lion,
on one corner OF this SQUARE stands
the cloel, tower. 200 feet high built over
400 years ago, II elbows The hours. The
phases Of the moon and the slrns Of tho
zodiac Every hour the clock is struck
by two bronze figures OF Vulcan. each
one having a sledge in his hand with
which the bell ia struck. At precisely
Y o'cl7rk n ronnnn ' tn Gt,oh,I,,o oi'' b,,
claatri,I,,. 10 u,rli'l, ~" uy