The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-13

William +. Curtis in the Boston Globe.
"LORENCE-I have not had time
to visit the Uffizi gallery, which,
L as everybody knows Is one of the
three greatest in the world, but | am
told that the Italian government has
recently introduced steam heat This will
be conducive not only to the comfort
but to the health of the thousands OF
students who are working there every
day, and formerly in the winter were
nearly frozen because the temperature
is similar to that of the polar circle
for four months in the year. ssis
Although Florence is considered the
most delightful OF all Italian cities for
a residence, its winters are very Sc
we're The ice-laden winds from the
Apennines come down the valley of the
Arno, and a favorite author mentions
rat physicians say they can scarcely
conceive how people can live In Flor
ence in the winter or how they can die
there in the summer
The brother of the late Senator Quay
OF Pennsylvania, who is the American
consul here, says that he has been told
that there are 900 Americans in Flor
cree, but he does not believe there are
more than half that number. Only 200
are registered at the consulate. most
OF whom. he says, are remittance
people and live here because it is CHEAPER
than In the United States.
Many are drawn here also because of
the climate, the art and historical asso-
Citations, the society. the opportunities
for study and for other reasons. About
cne-half of the Americans are students
in one line or another.
Expenses In Italy have increased from
50 TO 100 percent. however. during the last
10 or IL years. The charges at the fash
ionable hotels are quite as high as those
in New York. which is due in a. measure
to the fact that they have introduced
modern conveniences in the way of hot
and cold water, bathrooms, steam heat
and electric lights. and they are aware
that their rich patrons are perfectly will
ing to pay for them.
House rents and the prices of food OF
every kind have nearly doubled within
the last 10 or II years, and every. article
advanced considerably, so that 1t is no
longer very much cheaper to live here
than 1t is In the United States.
Twelve or Is villas are owned and oc-
cupied by American families. l de-
scribed Mr.. Ellsworth's Villa Palmieri
and spoke of the Villa Bellariposo of
ex-Gov. Fletcher Smith Of Vermont; the
Doccio villa Of Henry w. Cannon of
New York; the Lander villa. which be-
longed to the late Professor Fiske of
Cornell university. in my letter yester-
day.
In addition to these, Mrs. Sheriff. Dodg,
of Buffalo has the Villa Curonia; the
Fscwell family of Boston have recently
be ~ an estate In the immediate vi
cinity of the city. Mr.. Heron of Gin.
cinnati has a beautiful place and Virgil
an ancient VILLA on the top OF hill
which is one of the most attractive places
about Florence. Walter spaldng of Chi
cago has a "palazzinia.'' which means
small palace, that formerly belonged
to Talleyrand His son, Albert Spald-
ing. who is rapidly gaining fame as a
v:olinist, was educated here by Signore
Chitti y
There are many pensions and board
ing houses scattered in different parts
of the city, In which accommodation
are furnished according to tho price that
Is. paid for them, and they are we'll pat
rorized by idle families az well as stu
dents and remittance people" from
America.
The architecture of Florence Is sup
posed to furnish the best examples IN
existence of all the different schools OF
art. and the greatest architects that
ever lived have left tie imprint of theil
genius upon the crooked streets of this
OLD city.
| 1t is unfortunate that the buildings can.
rot be seen to better advantage, 1t II
difficult to explain, when the world is
so wide and there is so much vacant area
| in the valley o. the Arno, why men who
had the money and the taste to cree
such magnificent buildings should have
placed them where they cannot be seen
! Only a few OF the finest structures
s,,,t, tho pitti aSa~> kha roio - Noc