Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1900-09-10
A TRIP TO EUROPE.
The Journey through the St.
Gothard Tunnel.
Vast Engineering Work Bewildering
Scenery Along the Line Beauties
of Italy 5 Sky-Milan and its Histor-
lie Associations Many Supertitions
Connected with it.
By 5. V. LEEcH, ID. ID.

We left Lucerne at midday by
fast train aud reached Milan in seven
hours. Our route was by the celebra-
ted St. Gothard railroad. 1t is one of
the most wonderful achievements Of
modern engineering. A solitary one
of its numerous tunnels. through
the mountains, is nearly 10 miles long;
and yet by some scientific process IL
is constantly kept full OF fresh air and
free from smoke. The tunnel is the
! longest in the world. The eminent
contractor for its completion, Mon
sieur Louis Favre, died suddenly, In
the tunnel before its completion. The
road cost thirty millions of dollars,
half of which was contributed by the
3 nations, Germany Italy and Switzer-
land. Itruns through many noun
tains, and it winds about the bases of
many more. The scenery alons the
route cannot be surpassed for majestic
grandeur and sublimity of natural
beauty. In steady succession the
train passes narrow valleys, rugged
preeipices, foaming cascades, snow.
crowned mountains OF enormous
/ height, beautiful rivers and lakes and
marvellous ponoramas. 1t sweeps hy
the Marienreuss Gorge, the Devils
Bridge, where, in 1899 the French de-
feated the Austrians, the Defile Of
DaZiO Grande. the great cascade of
Faido, the Gorge Of Pinmagrea, the
glorious Giornico Valley, where 422
years ago, six hundred Swiss soldiers
defeated fifteen thousand Austrian
troops, the Cascades of Biasea, the re-
nowned landscapes of Bellinzona,
Monte Generoso s.the Rigi of Italy,
and the beautiful Lake of Lngano.
Reaching Chiasso, on the frontier
Of Italy, Cur baggage was examined
by the Italian custom house officers.
They found no whiskey, brandy, gin
the stamp Of official approval. Then
We entered an Italian train for Milan.
It swept past Lake Como, the most
beautiful Of all the lakes Of that
country. tits Smiles long and three
wide, and along its mountain shadow
ed shores are numerous costly villas
and pretty villages Over it bends
an azure sky peculiar in its coloring
TO Italian territory. Delicately pure
was the atmosphere as sunset was
fading into night. We swept through
Mona where the popular and good
king Umberto was spending his last
Wednesday on earth in his favorite
palace, the royal residence Of the old
kings of Lombardy. In Mona Is
kept the royal crown of Charlemagne,
Ferdinand and Bonaparte. 1t is a
hoop or gold, set with diamonds, and
lined with thin plate Of iron said TO
be made of a nail of Christ's cross.
Poor Helena the mother of Constan-
tine. gets credit for all Of these base
less traditions. The old lady being
dead, cannot deny them. Italyhas about
so, 600 relics, foisted on tourists, and
invested with wonderful histories for
superstitious people. Twenty i've
miles from Mona we entered Milan
and were elegantly entertained at the
Hotel Metropole, facing the piazza
great square, Of Milan Cathedral.
Milan is a magnificent city OF 49,
600 population. 1t is $50 feet above
the level of the sea. 1t was sacked in
452 by Alta, King OF the Goths.
Frederick Barbaroso, Emperor OF Ger
many, destroyed it in 1852. 1T has
figured in many wars. The Visconti
family ruled It, and then the Sforza
family until 1886 when 1t was con-
quered by the Spaniards.
Later on, IN 1744, it passed into
Austrian possession. Napoleon made
il the capital OF the kingdom OF Italy.
In 3l3 Constantine issued decree
permitting the Milanese to espouse
the Christian faith and in 387 the
present ancient church OF Saint
Ambrose was closed by Archbishop
Ambrose against the entrance Of the
Emperor Theodosius. In the old
church the famous Augustine was
baptised. Numerous popes have
vainly endeayored to force the Roman
ritual on the churches OF Milan; but
Ethey still celebrate mass according to
the Ambrosian ritual and sing Au-
gustine's famous TIE Deum as 1t was
first sung.
Outside OF Milan were fought the
the Napoleonic battles Of Lodi, Mar
engo and Magenta, and the battle OF
Novaro 10 which Austrian troops won
q victory over the Sandman army;
also the battle OF MalegnaEo In which
1 Napoleon the Third took part.
Milan contains more than eighty
churches Many fine new streets have
recently been opened and many great
edifices are even now being erected.
Milan set the fashions for Europe in
old days and from that fact we de-
rive our English word, "Milliner. !"
The present eight miles Of city walls
were erected BY the Spaniards 10 the
sixteenth century. / will write OF
/ some interesting ediflces and places in
/ the splendid city called by the Italians