Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-11

animals are superb. They look as If they
might be alive.
Nobody would suspect from the name that
| the Secession House is an art gallery. 1t
| is so called because it is used for the exht-
bition of the pictures of certain artists who
! will not submit to the conditions of the gov
eminent art department. They represent a
| faction that has been quarreling with the
authorities for many years and is strong
enough to erect it's own building and exhibit
| it's own work in it's own way.
Utility and Art Welded.
| The municipal authorities of the United
| States might learn great deal by study
| ing the designs and management of the
public utilities in Vienna. A thoughtful
person who visits this and other European
cities cannot help wishing that they would
do so, and that when they go home they
| would Introduce more of the esthetie into
our public works than they do We Amert-
cans are rapidly improving the architecture
| of public buildings. and our business blocks
| as well as residences. in American cities are
Of a much higher order than those that
were erected fifteen or twenty years ago.
The improvement is especially noticeable In
schoolhouses, in college and university
| buildings. in railway stations and in other
public edifices, but we lack the application
| Of similar esthetic taste to other public
| bridge they make 1t artistic; when they
bank up a canal it Is done in a permanent,
| tasteful and attractive manner; when they
erect lamp post 1t Is always of artistic de-
sign. The letter boxes of the postal SERVICE
the fire alarm boxes, the brackets that carry
the wires Of the trolley cars, and everything
that meets the eye of the public is intended
| to be attractive.
Ever since we came to Vienna I have
| been watching the construction of a bridge
across one of the canals near the hotel
where we are stopping. 1t Is going to be
| one of the handsomest structures in the
city. The design Is monumental, the work.
| manship Is perfect and when it Is finished
| everybody will be pleased and proud of It,
| 1t has occurred to me every time go there
| why such bridges cannot be erected over
/ the Chicago river. and why the new bridge
! across the Potomac at Washington could
| not have been an ornament just as well
| as an eyesore. 1t does not cost much more
| money to make a beautiful bridge than an
| ugly one, and I think that everybody will
agree that 1t Is worth the difference The
waiting sheds for passengers at intervals
| along the street car lines in Vienna are
| very artistic In their designs. and might
| be initiated without much expense to the
public welfare In American cities. And we
ought to have law, such as they have
| here, requiring the architectural designs
for factories and other buildings to be SUBJ
| mitted to the criticism Of a commission or
| a competent architect connected with the
building department In Vienna several Of
| the factories are imposing In appearance;
| they are just as artistic in design as the
| palaces or the churches the museums,
| and they contribute so much to the looks Of
| the CITY instead OF QeIrdCting from IL. Inc
same is true in all the German cities, and
| the rule might be introduced into the
United States. Doubtless there would be
! some opposition at first; some Of the build
| ers would naturally object to the additional
| expense, but am sure that the most OF
| them would gladly agree to make their
| buildings ornamental If they were assured
that everybody else would do it.
City Meat Markets.
| In telling you yesterday about the mu-
| nicipal ownership features of Vienna I for
| got to mention one of the most important
| and interesting. Since 1867 the city gov
| eminent has been running the slaughter
| houses and has kept a large number Of
meat markets in different parts of the
| city, chiefly where the poorer classes live.
| 1t has recently enlarged its cold-storage
| and refrigerator plants and expects to go
| into the provision business more extensive
! ly, much to the CONSERVATION of butchers
and grocery men. 1t is already selling but
| ter and eggs. chickens, lard, hams, bacon
| and other provisions, on the theory that
| 1t is the duty of the city fathers to keep
| down prices, and the extensions Of the bust
ness justified by the fact that 1t can
| handle provisions at its markets in addi-
| ton to meats without any additional ex-
| pense. During the year 1905 the municipal
| ity sold 16,461. 1888 kilos of beef. 4.s45. $3.50
| kilos Of fresh pork. 1.140,O23 kilos of veal
meat markets. The government officials
| bought cattle. hogs, sheep. etc, slaughter
ed them and distributed the carcasses
| among twenty or thirty different shops
where the meat was sold at price suff1-
| cient to pay expenses and leave a profit of
| 10 per cent, which went into an insurance
| and sinking fund. All butchers are re-
auired to have their animals slaughtered at
| the city abattoirs and the competition of
| the government is expected to keep their
retail prices down, but itldoes not do SO. I
| am told that nearly all the private dealers
| charge from 10 to 30 per cent more for all
| kinds of meats than the same cuts cost at
| the government meat stores, and the fancy
| cuts are quite as high as they are any
| where.
Tipping the Conductor.
In Vienna it is customary to tip street
| car conductors. When passenger pays
| his 4-cent fare he usually gives the con-
| ductor pour boire anywhere from a
| kreutzer, which Is one mill, to cent. The
| city officials who manage the line know
| this custom and tolerate 1t. It Is difficult
| to see what the conductor does to entitle
| him to a gratuity, but he never declines It.
! Nobody declines a tip in Europe. On the
| contrary, everybody expects one and 1t is
sometimes embarrassing to decide whether
you shall offer q coin to man who looks
| like q gentleman and behaves himself with
dignity. And the custom is no longer lin 4
| tied to the servants at hotels and public
restaurants; you are expected to give fees
| to the servants OF your friends. If you are
| invited to lunch dinner at q private
house you must hand tips to the butler
! and the maid and often the footman, who
will be waiting at the door. Sometimes
the cook will come up for one also. In
Russia, Germany and Austria 1t Is custom
airy to fee the servants at houses at which
how intimate you may be with the family,
or how often you go there, you are ex-
pected to give something to the man who
answers the bell and takes your hat. 1t