Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-03
CURIOUS SETTLEMENTS.
Towns and Villages That Have Been
Built of Queer Materials.

bu1lC OF queer Materials.
From TH-Bits
One Of the most popular health resorts
at this season Of the year is the railway
carriage village near Shoreham, in Sussex.
England. Some time ago a railway company
put up '1ot'' Of 100 old railway carriages
for auction, which were knocked down to a
builder. who conceived the novel idea of
founding village on the foreshore with
them. During the summer months the de-
mand for these strange dwelling places IS
enormous, and they not infrequently let
at from two to three guineas week fur
nished. while in winter they have been
found to be proof against the toughest
weather.
Nor is this village unique, for not single
brick has been used to build the town IF
Nidah, in Georgia, which boasts 1900 in
habttants, all Of whom live in disused tram
cars. The mayor and corporation transact
their business In the town hall, consisting
of two-cars knocked into one, and there are
also two tramcar churches, a theater and
nine public houses. Another peculiar town
Is Carracross, on the west coast of Ireland,
which was built in 1850 entirely of fishing
boats. There are large stone quarries in
the neighborhood, but the inhabitants
Stoutly decline to have a proper house N
the town on the ground that an inverted
fishing boat Is far more comfortable.
There is probably only one town built of
glass In the world, and that may be found
near Yellowstone Park Wyo. The glass
is not artificial, but obsidian, naturally
formed by ages of volcanic action, though
In every respect 1t resembles plate glass,
save that it is either dark green or black
in hue. Tt Is cut in slabs, and, being prac-
tically impervious to the weather, Is excel
tent material for building. There are over
100 houses and shops, and a large church
been excavated intact. great number of
people visit the town every year on pur-
pose to watch the effects of the sunsets on
the glittering houses.
Bareira, in Portuguese East Africa. has
the reputation Of being the only zinc city
In existence. Although but six months
were required for It's erection. 1t has pop
ulatfon of some thousands of people: the
reason that zinc was chosen being that X
is the only material capable of Withstand
Ing the peculiar climate. The hospital,
churches, arsenal and every residence is
zinc; zinc utensils are in the houses, and
when man dies he is buried in zinc
coffin. while even the railway with its car.
rtages and trucks are zinc throughout.
Those who have a prediction for art
cannot do better than reside in the illus
trated village Of st. Legier. near Vevey in
Switzerland. Some years ago an artist of
considerable repute, who Is well known in
the Paris salon, M. Alfred Begun, began
to paint all the exteriors of the houses
both with water cofors and oils. Every
shop has series Of pictures representing
its trade skillfully painted upon its plaster
walls, and private houses are adorned with
landscapes and caricatures Of local celet.
rifles. &c. M. Begun has now extended
his work to the neighboring hamlets. and
hopes before he dies to adorn all the larger
villages In the canton.
One of the most remarkable cities in the
world Is Ke}berg. near Cracow, for, besides
being situated underground, 1t Is excavated
entirely In rock salt. The inhabitants to
the number Of over 5000. are. of course,
workers in the famous salt mines. and all
the streets and houses are Of the purest
white imaginable.
One of the most famous features Of the
city Is the cathedral, carved in salt and lit
with electric light, and when the late Gar
Aexander visited 1t eleven years ago he
was so fascinated with the magnificent
effect Of the light upon the crystal walls
that he presented the cathedral with jew
eled altar cross. Such q thing az infectious
disease 10 unknown in Kelberg; in fact, the
majority of the inhabitants die OF old age.
Finally. we may conclude with briehy
mentioning Cooktown. the seaweed settle
ment OF Alaska. The town was originally
built Of clay bricks. but the action Of the
sea salt with which the air 10 redolent
caused tho bricks to crumble away. and In
their place slabs Of seaweed mixed with