Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-08-11
ROME A CRY OF FOUNTAINS
Possesses . Greater Number Than Any
Other European Capital.

Possesses . Greater Number Than Any
Other European Capital
Rome Letter in the London Tele-
graph: To me, an obstinate London
er, and, as such, unfamiliar with any,
thing in the nature Of water supply
that is at once gratuitous and orna-
mental, one of Rome's chiefest fascin-
atoms has always been her profusion
Of beautiful fountains. by far more
numerous and decorative than those
Of any other capital city in Europe.
Besides the great jets that rise with
q rush and fall with splash on either
side Of an Egyptian obelisk-like these
Of the Place de la Conccrde in Paris
in front of the great Transteverine
Basilica, there is the majestic Fontana
Paolina on the height o. San Pietro in
Montoris, with It's three broad streams
that seem to have burst out OF the
face of rough-hewn rock by spon-
taneous effort of nature rather than
cunning continuance Of art; the Fon-
tana di Trevi, q gigantic composition
of colossal statuary and babbling wa
terfalls dominated by a marble Nep-
tune high above groups OF minor sea
gods, tritons and dolphins; the splen-
did water play of the Piazza Navona,
presided over by Father Tiber in eff
BY; the ever-Aowing founts of the Pr
azza de Spagna. Santa Maria in Traste-
we're. Pantheon and Monte Cavallo of
the Villa Borghese, and of the Aqua
Marcia.
Whithersoever one may wend
ones devious way through Vie anc
Vicoli Of ancient and modern Rome,
on either bank of the yellow river
one is bound to light upon some pellu-
cid spring. issuing from stately or
elegant framework of marble or carv-
ed stone designed and executed by
sculptors of renown in the past days
of papal magnifcence. In Rome there
is water. water everywhere" and all
may drink their I'LL of 1t who choose.
without disbursing single batocco.
Near few OF the minor fountains dur
ing the long summer "hours OF thirst"
are set up the stalls Of lemon and
orange vendors. who only charge u
half penny for compromising. with
fruit, sugar and frigid water from the
spring. delicious beverage, which
they serve In thick glass tumblers.
clouded on their outer surface WIFI
the inward GOODNESS OF the spring.
The abundant endowments OF the
eternal city in regardm ?jisg.-ETA
eternal city In respect to drinking wa
ter Of inimitable quality are for the
most part due to the enlightened muni-
ficence Of sovereign pontiffs. Romans
by birth. and scions of illustrious pa
trician houses that have fallen from
their high estate in these democratic
days. and. In some extreme cases OF
decadence. experience no inconsider-
able difficulty in paying their own do
nestle water rates. The Romans OF
today have good reason to DO grateful
for many papal bencfactions Of the
past by which they still profit; but 1t
is to be hoped that they arc not I'M
mindful of the improvements effected
In the sanitation and cleansing OF the
noble capital under royal rule and par
liamentary government. Rome Is now
US clean and unodorous rs It was for
merly dirty and evil smelling. Though
the weather has been sultry for several
successive days. have not encounter
ed n single offensive stencil in any Of
the narrow old streets. which used to
reek with the vilest bouquet d'abom-
nations" when Plus TX. was king us
we'll as pope of Rome.