Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-15

what Sratifies foreigners more than
ANYTHING else is the presence of Il
Grown Jewel" base-burning coal
stove Of American manufacture, which
is exceedingly welcome after ridin Z
through the wind for three or four
hours. Everybody signs the register
md writes postal cards to the love
mes at home, dated at the crater of
Vcsuvius. The register is valuabl ,
autograph book and bears the name /;
of many famous men. royalties, statec-
men. warriors, scientists, poets, au-
thors, artists, for everybody who come
to Naples wants to see Vesuvius. If
course. Upon the wall of the waiting
room are framed testimonials from ia
nous people who, at the request of IL :
manager, have expressed in writing IT, =
pleasure they have enjoyed. On IL e
last page of the book l saw the name ;
of Mr.. and Mrs. C. H. Mulliken cf
Chicago, who are on their wedding
iourney-their golden wedding journey.
The manager tells me that the visi-
to-s number about 10000 a year. TIL ,
popular season is February. March an
April, when they average about 200 4
day, more or less, according to tn,
weather. During the hot months Of
summer the average runs down to ten
and in the WATER it is about fifty a dan
More than half of them are American
more than all the other nations con-
bired--and the Germans are second il
number.
From the restaurant to the crater il
a cable railway about $500 feet Ions,
which reaches within 500 feet of the top
1t was built in 1880 by a French com
pany, and has been in operation con-
tinually ever since except when burie
under lava or dust or when the ma
chinery has been disturbed by erup
tons. These accidents occur every
year. For several days before our visit
the track was buried under a drift Of
sand. and they had to dig it out, but
the managers declare that no life has
ever been lost and that no person has
ever been injured in making the as
cent or descent. They give you plenty
of time. You can stay as long as you
please, and the car will run as long as
anybody wishes to go up or down.
At the upper station are plenty of
guides and chairmen who will lead OF
carry curious people to the crater.
Those who prefer to climb the noun
tain on foot instead of taking the lift
have the privilege of doing so, and
strangely enough, such freaks occur
almost daily. They are usually Eng
lishmen who are making reputation
as mountain climbers, and scorn such
cffeminate aids as lift. Occasionally
a German student comes along who
prefers walking, and the path is kept
open for that sort of people. 1t is not a
difficult climb. 1t can be made in half
or three-quarters of an hour. Several
donkeys are kept in the stable for the
benefit of those who like to go up that
way, and are called for almost daily in
pleasant weather by women as well as
men.
There are several other routes to the
crater of Vesuvius. On the south side
of the mountain is a zig-zag trail all
the way up from Pompeii, which is
owned by an italian, and was built
under a concession from tine govern
| ment. His headquarters are at the
| railway station in Pompeii, and every
body who arrives at that famous place
is handed a circular published in sew
eral different languages, explaining the
business and giving the terms as fol-
lows:
The excursionists who whish to
ascempt to Vesuvius from Pompeii are
begged to address themselves to the wei
Know Office B: Fiorenza, the only who
is autorissed by the government. The
| NJ, fnr hn e.,
into which is included: carriage horse,
guide and rate of passage through the
new road, and not q francs as the
other people ask.
The eXcoursionists may reach as
far as the Central Crater by the new
road without being obliged to walk on
the cindcrs and cutting lava for two
long hours with n declivity Of. 40 per
cent. to 60 per cent.
IN. b. The eXcursionists are begged
to take care of certain people who pre-
sents as agents of Fiorenzas Office on
travelling from Naples to Pompeii; the
guides of witch are provided of a white
cap with the inscription B. Fiorenza
Vesuvius guide"
On the way to Vesuvius you pass
'hipuSH tif tON II VI 1OTTc Gel tIfocO,
which is built upon the site of the for
mer City Of Herculaneum, destroyed in
the year 19 by the same eruption that
ruined Pompeii. Very little excavation
has ever been done there and nobody
knows what is buried beneath the long
blocks of tenement houses that line the
narrow streets. The discoveries have
always paid for the trouble, but the
owners seem to be contented with let
ting the dead past remain undisturbed.
The site of Pompeii is owned by the
government, and the excavations there
have been systematically done under
the direction of official archaeologists.
Travellers in Naples miss the beauti-
full peasant girls they read about in
books. All the women, and particularly
the children. have glorious eyes and an
abundance of hair, but their features
are not attractive. They might be more
so If the use of water was a little more
general, but it is difficult to reconcile
filth and beauty.
Conversation is n physical exercise
When you see two Neapolitans talking
you are sure to witness a pantomime
performance that is worth an admis
sion fee. Their arms. fingers and
shoulders gyrate in the most rapid
manner. as if they were under the in