Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1899-11-30
FREAK TOWNS,
Cities Of the Old World with Very Qseer
Inhabitants,

About one third of the population OF
the Flemish city of Gheel are lunatics.
Those mentally deranged are sent
there from all over the Continent, the
idea being that the freedom given In
this town, which lives on lunatics, VIII
help to cure the patients. Yet the cure
is founded on very improbable
legend. A kings daughter having,
during the Middle Ages, eloped to this
city with forbidden lover, was fol-
lowed by her father, who, CHANGING to
meet her at street corner, promptly
cut off her head. Two lunaticS passing
at the time were so shocked by this
act that they regained their reason,
and the town got it's livelihood.
The town of Gibraltar, owing to its
position in regard to Spain, has prac-
tically been in state of siege FOR over
two centuries At sunset the draw
bridges are raised, and at sunrise they
are again let down to the tune OF the
reveille. The. whole town is kept I'M
de. strict military rule, none but Eng
lishmen being allowed to enter With
out pass, and none but residents I'M
der any conditions being allowed to
sleep within the town.
The town of IquitOs, in South Ameri-
ca, is a seaport situated some 4,OOO
miles from the sea. Yet it boasts some
of the finest dock yards in the world.
Ships from every port and of every
build, from the tramp steamer to the
Atlantic liner, can enter it's port Dy
sailing or steaming up the River
Amazon. 4
There is a large city in Northern
China whose Inhabitants, numbering
many thousands, never speak to one
another, eat or drink. It is city OF
graves. The corpses are deposited III
earthen urns, and, having left little
rice and opium for the spirits of the
departed to eat or give as offering to
the national dragon, the living rela-
tives hurry away from the town OF the
dead. But at nightfall, from out OF
the hidden caves, and even sometimes
desecrated urns, creep lepers and out
casts, who, while they make merry with
the yiands, laugh at the simple faith Oh
the givers, who suppose in the morn
ing that the gods have devoured them.
There are two cities many of whose
inhabitants have never seen Gods sky
-Epernay, in France, and Wielicka, In
Poland.
The former consists of miles upon
miles Of subterranean streets heWn out
of the chalky soil, and cemented with
millions upon millions of champagne
bottles Of all blends and yintages, left
there to ripen.
Wielicka is hewn out of satin TACT
a great salt mine, so large that the
workers in it are also inhabitants
MANY families date back three or four
generations since any of their number
have seen the world-from the outside
Many centuries have passed since
woman was seen in or near the town
of Caryes, situate on the coast OF Mace
donna. The town is dominated by
large monastery. and no woman is ever
allowed to enter it's gates. Even the
inhabitants and Turkish guards are
obliged to be bachelors. The greatest
punishment in the Turkish army is to
be sent to Caryes.
LIQUIDS Island, lying off the coast OF
the State Of Maine, is ideal from one
point of view and also unique. 1t
boasts of no police or ruling power OF
any kind, and, consequently, no taxes.
This town, which has a population OF
nearly 1000, was started by a deserter
from the British navy, one John Loud,
and his descendants to-day are the
aristocracy 1t speaks well for this
town that no murder has ever been
committed there, and only once have
the inhabitants been called in to settle
local dispute, and then the evidence
was so strong for both parties that to
restore peace it was decided that both
were in the wrong, and if they did not
keep the peace they would have to give
up their right to live in LIQUIDS Town.
The Cat and the Cuckoo.