Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-12-29
Special Correspondence.

interior a succession of charming val
legs. sheltered on one hand by noun
tains and washed by the historic inland
sea on the other. are cultivated TO the
utmost and may well be described In
Scrptural phrase az "a land Of wheat
and barley and vines and fig trees and
pomegranates; land OF Oh and olive
and honey-a land whose stones are
iron ana out Of whose hills thou mayest
dig brass" Barcelona, on the sloplng
edge Of a small but wonderfully fertile
plain Is the very garden spot Of all.
Its situation is one OF the loyeliest in
Europe-between the mouths Of two
great rivers, the Lloubregat and Besos
with green foothills close behind, the
blue Mediterranean In 'front.' and the
now-capped Pyrenees in view, The
district round about is thlckly set with
villas amid most luxurious vegetation
/ while the smoke from many manufac-
tories, the constant whrr and buzz Of
machinery ana the hustle Of busy sea-
port give it the appearance Of an
American or English city rather than
Of additionally lazy Spain. In a colder
country, dominated by a more prosaic
race, It would be another Leeds, Shelf
field Pittsburg or Philadelphia; but in
this semi-tropical r'gion It stlll pre-
serves intact the romance and beauty
that distinguished It in the middle ages,
when Barcelona WIS lord and terror
of the Mediterranean and
DIVIDED WITH VENICE
the enrching commerce of the east
Local tradition says that the port was
nourishing four hundred years before
the foundation of Rome; and history
does not deny the assertion. At any
rate, 1t was rebuilt about two CEN
turtles and quarter before Christ, by
Hannibal's father, after whom it was
called Barcino, and It soon became Sec
ond only to TarragOnia, little farther
south on the Spanish coast Under the
Goths, who took 1t about the year 400
1t rose to great Importance and coined
money which bore the legend Barci-
mona. When the Moors destroyed the
neighboring cities, this one wisely ca
pitulated, and under its new masters be- |
came a still greater metrOpolis-One OF
the gardens and granaries Of the world
During the eighth and ninth centuries
It was ruled by an independent Chris
tan chief, whose twelfth descendant
dropped the hereditary title OF Count Of
Barcelona and assumed that Of King
Of Aragon Then for many years the
Galatians We're at peace--the struggle
between Moors and Spaniards being
carried on at the other end Of the pen
lnsula. Their commercial code, dating
BACK 70 l29' was respected throughout
the maritime world, and Is still IN
vogue. Barcelona's golden day was in
the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries
when Il was eminently a city OF luxury
and learning. renowned among the ma
lions OF the earth for its announcement |
Of art and cultivation OF letters Every |
year Its court devoted month TO cele- |
Dratlng tournaments and literary con- |
tests, presided over by masters Of the |
gave science before whom, I'm the |
presence Of thousands Of spectators |
trouoadours and Ministries. from Eng |
land, France and Italy. exhibited |
their talents for improvisation and /
competed for the
GOLDEN LAUREL WREATH
that rewarded the victor. The pros.
perity OF those times has left lndelibIe |
marks behind. not only in churches ana |
buildings, but In the character Of the /
peaple Unlike the Castilans. the no |
less proud Castalans have never held |
trade to be degradation. ana we find |
here fewer heraldic decorations than |
further south-the merchants mark |
having always been considered more |
honorable than the arm0rlal charge. |
Literary ambition and maritime en- |
terprlse seem 70 have died together. or |
been swallowed up In manufacturing |
interests-a state OF affairs which the 1
jealous Galatians attribute 70 their
union with the Spanish monarchy. |
against which they are perpetually con-
spring and cherish relentless hospital.
~. Inc working classes have always |
been turbulent lot. After the restor-
alton the Condo de Espana ruled
Barcelona with a rod OF iron, but II
arose In favor of Don Carlos In 1927, |
and has ever since taken the lead In
every rebellion against established au-
thOrity, Nevertheless. ana In spite OF
SPANS disasters. IL remains a pros
porous hive OF manufacturing Industry.
commerce, shipbuildiug. and all kinds
Of iron work.
The city. once surrounded on all sides
by strong line of ramparts. and stul |
overlooked by the citadel on Montjulch
heights. erected by Philip Y mot for
defense against a foreign foe. but ,u
overaWe It's people, ls divided into two
distinct towns known as LA Nieja"
and La Nueya.' The old and the new.
The ancient Notifications So restricted
the growth Of the city that, some nifty
years ago. IN the face OF strenuous OPP
position by the crown, the local author
ties removed most OF them The wall |
Of the deep wide boat served as cellars
for tho new houses and soon occupied |
the ramparts, and the space between
was laid out In horticultural gardens
Then a rapid extension OF the city Co
the northwest took place. and al last.
compelled by popular sentiment, an |
elaborate plan tor laying out the new
district received royal sanction. Thus |
while Barcelona Nleja consists OF mar
row. irregular streets lined with gloomy /
brick houses Eve and
SIX STORIES HIGH.
with fat projecting roofs ana no win
doWs to speak of-the new section Is
mostly built In modern style OF beauu-
tul hewn stone from the nearby noun
tains, often with house fronts Of Italian
marble wide. wcli-paVed streets. gas.
sewerage and many public fountains of
purest water on the southeast ON
The long narrow tongue Of lind that
helps 60 form the port. lies the locally
swell suburb OF Barcelonita. CIittle
It's aristoCratc villas an
aid out after a uniform pattern. so that }
/ man must needs go home very sober 4
n order % 10 his own latch-key. The !
main street oi TINS quarter is the celo- q