Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-09-26
MEMORIES OF PARIS.
A HaIloweIl Teacher Tells Of
Visit There.
Greatest Charm is the Ming|Ing Of
Old and New.
An Interesting Chat on Its Points of
Interest.

thorough acquaintance With this city
remarkable in its manifold forms OF at
traction and replete in the amount anc.
variety Of its entertainment. Here is
found peculiar ming!ing o. the ole
and the new. Historically it is an Cd
city, and it's surrounding wall of per
endicular granite with its outer moat,
IS We'll as its Old cathcdraIs and
churches with the sharp angles of their
:cuptne rounded and dinmed by the
continued force of the elements, attest
o It's centuries of existence. while the
act that Paris sets the styles for the
world, and that it leads the world in its
ursuit of the fine arts. shows it to be
! modern city as Well This peculiar
,ontHust and min@ling of the old and
ne new is noticeable everywhere
bout the city, in the buildings, streets.
ars, shops. ana most noticeable of all
the customs and habits of the people
themselves 1t is this snglllarity, the
urnrises that one meets. that gives to
he city its peculiarly attractive teat-
ure.
In shape the city is nearly oval. with
Very regular boundary some twenty
i've miles in length. and with the Seine
'iver. possibly tWo-thirds as wide as
he Kennabcc at Augusta. but deep
nough for steamers and river boats in
my part, Howl ing nearly in the middle
If it. Thus it is more compact than
New York or Boston and one mus!
-ravel in many directions to see it all
whereas in New York a ride through
he city gives a general idea of a con-
siderable portion of it.
Paris is the best equipped city for
,etting about that We noticed during
our travels. There is AGAR line entirely
tround the city just inside of the walls
he largest and longest avenues have
alectric lines the other bculevards and
avenues have cars propelled by small
engines in the front of the cars ali
the cross streets have omnibuseS
!raWn by horses, while small steam
RS pass up and down the river every
5Wo or three minutes. Then the auto
mobiles and cabs are numerous and OF
'eVeral forms and varieties. much the
same rs those seen in Boston, only
much more numerous. 1t also has q
subway similar to that Of Boston but
more extensive, radiating from Il cen
one wishes to cross the city rapidly
he takes the subway car; if he wishes
to go rapidly, and see the city at the
same time, he takes an electric car or
Il steam tramway; if he wishes to see
NE sights along the Seine he takes Il
steamer: if he wishes to wind in about
'the narrow cross streets he takes q
''tuss'': if he wishes to ride in Il more
stylish manner he takes z cab. 1t
aaems to be the principal business of
The city to convey about and entertain
visitors. Loaded teams such as seen in
the Boston streets are very rarely seen
but the streets are always filed and
crowded with buses and cabs of va
rious Kinds. one peculiarly is shat the
drivers seldom turn out for the
pedestrians: they drive along and
whenever they see anyone crossing in
front they sing out to them and eX-
oect them to look out for themselves.
If a carriage runs into a person and
becomes injured | am told that the per-
son who is run over is responsible for
any injury done the carriage or driver.
The buses seldom stop for one to get
aboard. When one wishes to get aboard
ne usually runs ana SttllS VII Nliil' - -
in motion although noticed that rare
~ one stopped when signaled to do so.
Very near the centre of the city in the
river is a large island said to be the
part of the city first settled, probably
chosen because of it's facility for
fertilization in those times when a
river or moat was Of more consequence
as a barrier than at the present
time. Although of small extent
this is a very important and in
teresting part of Paris rs it is here
that the court house, tha mor%ue, and
Notre Dame cathedral are located, the
first a building of imposing size and
beauty: the second q low SreWsome,
unattractive place. the third the most
remarkable in some ways of any
cathedral in the world-beautiful in
structure AMI ornaments tion. 1t was in
this court house chat the famous trial
of Drcyfus was held and a good idea
Of the unjustness of that case was OBJ
tanned in our visits. a trial OF
French lady who it seems had gotten
large sums of money from various
narties through some form OF ms
representation was going on. The halls
and corridors were guarded by large
numbers of soldiers and no visitors
we're allowed in the room where the
trial was being held. Such trials are
largely secret and prejudice and per
sonal interest often influence the de-
cisions to tremendous degree. The
moreue. where bodies of unknown per-
sons are exposed for the public to view
for a day or two after death, is quite I
factor in this city where on an average
from two TO dozen bodies of un-
known persons who have died in the
civ are found daily. The faces are
exposed that relatives or friends KNOW
inc them may give Information III
,,ossihle. All about the walls were
nrotoaraphs of other unfortunate VIC
ms Of accident or crime we made
two or three visits to this place our
inc orr stay but recognized none Of
,,ur friends or relatives. 4
Notre Dame is covered with carved
e- -nU Of curious appearance: dogs.
,,,nn,levs tigers and animals win
curious nru grinning or snarling faces aces pee pee
zaun from above. We considered our
" Gown t fortunate in being in Paris when