The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-08-15
INTERESTING
Points Visited By Senator
HOuCk And Family
On The European Trip They
Are Now Taking
The Most Beautiful OF All Is
Switzerland
Played At SNOWFALL 10 The
Alps Mountains
And Dan Put One Over IN
The Old Man

NeuhauSen, SWItzeTlahui July oV'
Editor Banner:
am writing this letter. using the
Banner of July 1G as a pad, and every
word has been devoured. Thanks to
you for the news.
We are more than seven thousand
miles from you-in beautiful Switzer-
land. We found sunny" italy well
named. Weather hottie warmest In
fifty years. Twelve days on the At
lantic and Mediterranean. fine wealth
or and a happy voyage OF five thou
sand miles, landed us at Naples.
city of half a million, on the Bay OF
Naples.
We saw great things here and sound
ancient Italy in the form and manner
of their living. CAB drivers have more
authority than policemen Oxen and
dogs for beasts of burden: a dirty un'
kept, filthy cits. representing the true
life of the reaA Italian before he Is
Americanized.
thousand feet, and looked down its
crater and saw IL belch'ng forth fire
and lava-a wonderful sight to behold.
Eighty thousand people live in huts
and little mountain houses on It's
steep sides. More than seventy erup-
tons have occurred, entaiiing vast
losses of life and the total destruction
of many cities aud villages.
Pompeii was visited and ! can not
describe it's wonders. In seventy-nine
buried under twenty feet of ashes and
lava from VesuVius and three thou
sand lost their lives. II was city Of
thirty thousand Excavations were
begun In 174S and still continue. |
saw many men working. The con
crete lower stones remain. The
shops, taverns palaces aud street no
tices are very interesting. We saw
many of the bodies found in the ruins.
From Naples to Rome on her seven
hills, the Eternal City" on the Tiber.
All roads lead TO Rome, but II is en-
closed with wall fourteen miles
around and fifty.five feet high. which
was erected In 100. u G.. We passed
down the Appaian Way and through n
gate erected in B. c. st. Paul
passed through this gate on his way
TO visit Rome
In ST. Peters aud the Vatican We
saw the masterpieces of art and Ro'
man architecture Florence. founded
10y the Romans before Christ, stands
+on a narrow plain. surrounded by the
<Appennines and on the Arno river
us art galleries aud cathedrals are of
saat interest. llo nome OF Dante, born
~ a245
Nanice, the marvel OF the world
No streets, but water. no horses but
tour of bronze on San Marco, the
tciocR that runs eight years without
rewindlng; the pigeons that are al
ways hungry; a city Of 10000 built
-1n "pllirg" in Adriatic sea Milan,
the Chicago OF Europe" a city OF
100000. The cathedral with it's art
treasures, also Leonardo da Vinci's
famous fresco OF the Last Supper"
Thence through beautiful and pic,
turesque Switzerland with her noun.
ialn homes and rushing water from the
Alpine peaks
In the valleys fine farms are cul-
tiyated and every evidence OF pros.
perity and happiness. Landing at Lu-
cerne we climbed Risi, 5000 feet;
thence to lnterlaiiCn whore we saw
beautiful snow lS miles away on the
Alps. We asccnded $1,000 feet 10
IuugIrau, the highest peak OF the
Alps, where we made snowballs, and
sSphoolboy Ike, Dan pelGd me in the
sDeok with hard one kt the foot of
the mountains beautiful and fragrant
Showers were blooming ana all nature
seemed to be bursting forth in beauty,
exc are sorry TO leave Switzerland. the
'-garden spot" Of an Europe We are
well and having good time, Re.
CARDS and best wishes TO all
Sincerely,
LEWIS u. HOUCK.
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Afrq NytIa wbuford and da,pbtar