The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1905-03-02
SlcILY'S LARGEST CITIES.
There Are No Great Municipalities
More UP to Date Than Pal
ermo and Trapani.

Palermo La Felice" {275,000 inhaB
itants), the largest city of Sicily and tn
! fifth, | believe, ct Italy, is the peer in al
important respects Of any city OF its SIZE
in the old world or the new, writes AlvaI
F. Sanborn, in the Boston Transcript
Even in that comparative novelty calico
municipal housekeeping it is adept
| Judged by the standards OF modern prog
ress, and by these standards alone, quite
without reference to the splendor OF It's
site and the charm of its venerable mon
uments. it holds it's own admirably In
comparison with other cities.
It's docks, Quays and other harbo1
! works are solid and serviceable. Its
streets are well paved (the principal
| ones with large, square stone blocks)
well swept and well lighted. Its opera
house is unequaled Gf both exterior and
interior be considered) in the whole
United States, and is surpassed by few
in Europe, while two, at least, OF its
theaters would be worthy of any great
capital 1t has a satisfactory sewerage
system and superior water supply. No
where, to my knowledge, is water drink
ing made as easy as in Palermo, and no
where have l seen such phenomenal
quantities of water drunk. Water is kept
running continuously before the numer-
Gus coffee and refresnment bars which
are open to the sidewalk, and all passers,
whether patrons or not, are privileged
to make free with the glasses of the es-
Establishments, provided they rinse them
properly before and after using.
Palermo has it's quota of charities, phi
lanthropies and enterprises for social
betterment. Its insane hospital, just
finished, is a model institution, equipped
with all the appliances known to alien1st
science. Its other hospitals, it is true,
are somewhat antiquated, but they are
soon to be reconstructed on the most
approved plans. The city is at present
making an interesting experiment in
municipal socialism by providing munlc-
ipal bread.
The district Immediately surrounding
Palermo, known as the Conca d'Oro,
from its myriad orange, lemon and man
DARN groves, is one of the most marvel
GUS garden spots on the globe. 1t owes
its fertility mainly to a system of irriga-
ton, the basis for which was laid CEN
turtles ago probably by the Saracens.
possibly by the Romans), but which has
been restored, extended and perfected
in modern times with such good effect
that the gross yield of the region is said
to have been increased twenty-fold
A province that can show such an up
to-date capital as Palermo cannot be
treated superciliously even by the most |
modernists, and should |
be able to furnish valuable citizens to |
any country whatsoever. A majority of |
the Sicilian cities are behind Palermo in |
several respects, notably in cleanliness,
but it is only fair to judge the capacities
for civilization of a people in a state of |
slow transition by the best it is produce !
ing; and while it must be admitted that |
the Sicilian is not naturally Clearly, the |
spick-and-span condition of such cities
as Palermo and Trapani demonstrate
that he can be clearly when he makes up
his mind to be.