The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1907-07-05


soon all right again. After Id
con we viewed the Roman Win
American Consular Agent,
Jerome, most interesting buildm
and then carriages we past over OF
of the most beautiful roads ha\
ever seen, which winds on an easy
grade up and around the face of any
imposing cliff from which we had a !
wonderful and oft described view of
the blue Mediterranean and the
Bay of Naples, arriving at the vii
lage of Anacapri on the top of the
Island. Some ladies of the village
entertained us by executing their
native dance which is very curious
and simple, though attractive. We
returned to Naples in the evening
and had conferences with various
persons who are interested in emil
grafton, and on my part to framing
letter to Deputato Moretti who
expressed an interest in South Caro-
lima, and requested me to write
him fully regarding our state which,
of course, l was only too glad to do.
On Wednesday after completing
some necessary shopping, Messrs.
Burnett, Bennett anY myself took
the seven O'Clock train for tour of
inspection through Sicily and south
ern Italy, arriving at Messina,,
Sicily, at nine o'clock the nexl
morning after an all night ride
very comfortable Pullman car,
previous arrangements we were n
at the wharf by Mr.. Caughy,
American Consul, DR.. Maui
Fishberg and Mr.. Robert A. Do}
mus, who are connected with \
Commission and who preceded
to Sicily. That morning we -
and interesting interview with
Perfettor or Governor of Mes
whose jurisdiction extends
100000 people, and which Prd hi
is one of the three in the Islam HM
Sicily, each governed by a PERT Ito,
who is the representative of the
king. Sicily has total pouhtion
of 3,5OO,OOO persons. At 1.O D.
m. we were on our way to Gesso.
AS soon as we left the city limits of
Messina, with the Americana Vice
Consul, Mr.. Pierce, as our guide
and interpreter, | was attracted
again by the fact that we were on a
very remarkable and marvellous
road. such as is found nll over
Sicily. The country here is very
mountainous, but this road was so
we'll constructed and on such an
easy grade that though it was a
continual ascent our carriages
moved along without apparent dis
comfort to the horses. The road
bed was hard and firm and the
system of drainage had been worked
out with so great skill that it was
positive pleasure to climb such
mountains as we did, in a distance
of not more than five miles rising
to altitude of about 1000 feet. At
the village of GcSSo we were met by
the Sipdica, or Mayor, and two
Carabinieri;s, members of Il mag
nificcnt state police force, who h; !
been assigned to that village fo,
that afternoon by the Perfctto OF
the Province to assist us in our in
vcstigation, as we'll as to show
respect to our nilsson. Gcsso is a
village which but few years ago
had over. 5000 population but
which now has probably fewer than
1,SOO, though that was the figure
given us by the mayor, about one
in nine of those left being man in
his prime, the rest being old men,
old women and children. Upon
inquiry we found that the former
inhabitants are now located at Phil
adelphia, Pa, Atlantic City, Pleas
antville and Hammondtown, n. j.
One of the oldest churches in the
village was burned on last Christ
mas day and it was an interesting
and curious sight to see on the walls
of this burned church, which itself
dates back many centuries, print
ed subscription list of over SOC
former residents of Gesso, who now
live in the United States, and had
sent the money back,to assist in the
restoration of the church in the
village of their childhood. Gesso
is on top of q mountain which over
looks the Mediterranean. Going to
the boundary of the village we
came to a place where we had the
unusual spectacle of seeing two
smoking volcanoes, Aetna and
Stromboli, which still have frequent
arnntinpc NVa ratrr,nl ~ Eassr