La Junta tribune., 1908-08-08
FLORENCE. ITALY. July l6. 1905.

eie hobiS seSteiudS al ". III.
and arrived at Florence at $50 D.
m. riding in one of the Italian
trains. cars and engines much small
Ter than the American and passing
through rather diversified coun-
try. with the Apprentices in full view.
which mountains are the backbone
of Italy. The coach wesrode in is the
common railroad coach of this coun-
try. with doors at the side opening
into about a half dozen compart-
ments extending across the coach,
with very narrow aisle running
along one side. connecting the end
coaches. Each compartment will
hold eight or nine persons. four seat
ed on one side and four or five OPP
posite on the other side, face to
face. 1t is devoid of comfort. close
and hot, ~hile one can see but little
of the country and one-half must
ride backward. There was no bag
gage car for grips and valises at the
front of the train, we had to take
our baggage into our compartment
with us and pile it in the racks over
our heads. We had no large trunks.
however. suppose there must
have been baggage car some
where else in the train. We rode
second class. which is used by al
most all tourists. is quite as COM
Portable or uncomfortable. as the
first class. there being but little diff
ference between the two. There is
no water on the train and little
other conveniences. The street cars
in Naples and all places but Rome
are arranged Cor two classes-first
and second by separate cars
always. but by certain seats being
without cushions for second class.
On the street cars you pay accord
] ing to the distance. three. four or
| five cents. the second class being
I two. two and one-half and three
cents. and not as in America, the
same for one block as for twenty or
more. The street cars run slowly,
not like those in our cities. Cabs
and carriages are used a great deal.
The regular fare in Rome is twenty
cents for two anywhere in the city.
but if you stop on the road you have
to pay extra. Yesterday We drove
from st. Peters church to our ho-
tel. A young lady of our party saw
some cherries and had the driver
stop twice, not more than three
minutes. and this cost us thirty
cents more. She did not buy any
cherries after all, as she split on two
cents. the first vender asking eight
cents for big double handful Of
finer cherries than we often see at
home. while she offered but six
cents. Generally when you hire a
cab or carriage you have to pay the
driver tip of two to four cents
just as you please addition to
the price. 1t pays always to drive a
bargain, for the people always ask
you about double what you are ex-
pected to pay if you ''dicker" with
I them
Rome is very modern city COM
pared with other Italian cities. |
saw no cows or goats driven about
the city. though in some portions
they are to be seen. The people
are well dressed on the streets. are
intelligent ana courteous and not 50
many beggars. Many new build
ings are going up in the heart of the
city, taking the place of the old
ruins and old. dark. prison like
buildings Of the old city. Instead Of
erecting churches. the people are
building shops and manufactures,
and the smoke stack rises aloft. with
its summit crowned with curling
smoke. by the side Of the ancient
columns Of generals and emperors
surmounted with their statues and
BY the side Of the granite obelia
from Thebus and the E1yptiar
desert The people are IN industsi.