Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-26

EhSAA world, where for more than four
49, centuries the finest gowns OF the
bellies OF all nations have been turned out
on common hand looms. Lyons makes
about $50, 900, UUU worth of silks and silk
goods every year. It's satins and velvets
go all over the world, and within the past
few months it has been busy making the
rich red velvets which were worn at the
coronation of King Edward VII.
The city is the commercial center OF
middle France, and, next to Paris, the chief
city Of this republic. 1t took me eight
hours on the railroad to cover the 200
miles between here and Paris, and l now
find myself In the rich valley OF the Rhone,
in one OF the most beautifully located of
cities.
Lyons is surrounded by hills. 1t lies on
the lowlands, under the mountains, at the
confluence of the Rhone and the Saone.
On the other side of the Saone are the
Heights Of Fourvieres. with a great tower
upon them, up which we shall climb for
the view. We walk through the town,
passing the site CT a Roman palace in
which the most cruel of the Roman en-
perors, Claudius and Caligula, were born;
we 20 over one of the Saone bridges and
by q cable railroad are elevated to the foot
of the tower. Another elevator takes us to
the top, and we are 600 feet above the
river, hanging, as 1t were, high over the
city. Behind us are the Golden mountains
OF Lyons, and beyond them. over a valley
OF gardens and trees, are the mighty Alps,
their snowy peaks forming a ragged silver
mass against the clouds. The day Is clear
and we can see the snowy cap OF Mont
Blanc 100 miles away. Turn about now
and look down into the valley. There Is
the Rhone, fresh from its glacier cradle
in Mont st. Gothard, and nearer still, flow
ing almost at our feet, is the Saone, WIND
ing about through the town side by side
with its twin sister, the Rhone. Between
the two is the greater part of Lyons and
as we look we see the silvery streams en-
bracing the municipal maiden in her silken
clothes and going singing on together TO
the sea.
Stop n minute and think whore we are.
We are in the heart Of enc of the Oldest
parts Of Europe and on the site OF one
of the most famous cities of France. This
Rhone valley was a trade route in the
days of Julius Caesar and great fairs were
held here In the middle ages, to which
merchants from Amsterdam to Venice
and from other parts of Europe came to
buy and sell. The Gauls had a town on
this site 600 years before Christ was born
and at the time Christ lived mere was a
Roman city. On this very hill enc Roman
emperor caused 20 1000 Christians to be
massacred and in the days OF the French
revolution the Tribunal, finding that the
gulllotine would not kill the Lyons arls-
tocrats fast enough, tied them together
with ropes in rows of sixty and executed
them by Wholesale with cannon loaded
with grape shot.
The Lyons OF today, however, devotes
itself more to business than to politics
or religion. 1t is a great manufacturing
center. 1t contains 500. 900 people ami
with its suburbs has about three-quar-
tiers OF a million. Standing here on the
tower you can see the smokestacks Of its
car shops, tanneries and chemical works
and there, across the valley, on the other
side, is the famous Croix Rouse Cred
Cross), the hill where the silk makers
live, where the fashions of generations
have been woven and where today some
OF the most beautiful cloths Of the world
are produced. The hill looks but little
like a manufacturing center. 1t has nc
vast brick buildings, walled with windows
such as you see in the factory towns Of
our country: 1t has no smokestacks pour
ing volumes of black into the clouds and