Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-06
POMPE||AN RUINS
FULL OF INTEREST
Reveal Mode of Life and Gus
toms of Ancient
Peoples.
DIFFICULT TO SEE
ALL OF CITY'S FEATURES
Neapolitan Tourist Attractions Are
Surrounded by Limitations,
Says G. A. Lyon. Jr.
san Correspondence OF Tic Star.

stan Correspondence OF The Star.
NAPLES. May metropolitan tourist
attractions are peculiarly surrounded by
limitations and conditions. Capri-that is
to say the blue grotto, which is synony-
NOUS with Capri in sightseeing Ian
guase-is impossible wher the wind blow $
from the north. Nesuvius cannot he
profitably visited when the clouds hang
low or the wind is from the east. north
cast or southeast. Pomreii. having been
deprived of its roofs by the Nesuvian
ashes and lava, is unfit for inspection on
Il rainy day. Therefore one must sched-
ule the various expeditions with reference
TO the weather. taking each when the cir
cumstances are propitious.
Today was "A good Pompciian day. with
bright sky and mild temperature. SO it
was devoted to Il trip to the victim of
the volcanic fury. Two routes are open
for this purpose. an electric line which
ssirts the northern and eastern slopes OF
Nesuyius, and the steam line. which runs
eventually to the very toe of italy and
connects with Sicily and the scenes of
Etnas devastation. BY the latter the
distance to PoUpeii is fifteen miles and
the 1880 train makes II in the phenomc-
the electric and consequently We select
cd it,
The run from Naples to Pompeii is al
most uninterruptedly through villages and
towns, with stretches Of market gardens
between. Most of the buildings have their
foundations in lava. but apparently the
possibility of danger from the grim mon
ster that rears its smokc-capped head SO
near at hand does not disturb the dwell
ers in this often ravaged region. They
hue tnnyr~ eric .,t,t -N1
manufacturing and are as merry at their
work as though the earth had never
trembled or spouted fumes and flames
and molten rock.
Built Over Herculaneum.
Portici is built in part over Hercula-
neum. deeply buried by the eruption Of
70 A D., which also destroyed Pompeii.
The train passes it without slackening
and runs through deep cuttings in the
lava flows of various explosions of molten
matter. The town of Tore del Greco was
built on the lava of 1881. A little more
than a century after that outburst the
town was partially DESTROYED, and again
in 1'"4 1t suffered, while in 1851 it was
once more visited by the volcanic forces
and lost many people and much property.
Sfil the inhabitants persisted in their
selection OF site, and so today Tore
del Greco stands as a defiance of the
element that has three times caused it
grievous suffering
A few miles down the line Is Tore An
Runziata, from which it is possible TO
on horseback. This town has no volcanic
record. but is famed for another reason.
From it goes the largest supply of maca-
reni produced in any single center of
manufacture. The long poles of drying
nacaroni. shining yellow in the sun, are
stretched on racks on roofs and balconies
and in yards. and one small outfit is SIT
uated close by the railroad tracks. with
perfect Indifference to the strong proba-
biiity of soiling the product. Fortunately
rnacaroni is always cooked before being
eaten, else a view of the drying process
might cause one to take vow of alb
sfention.
Formerly only one express train a day
from Naples stopped at Pompeii station.
and visitors to the ruins taking any other
train that the 2:15 were compelled to
afight at Tore Annunziata's central sta
ton and drive over to the dead town-a
fact which created a lively carriage in
dustry. Now the 1880, q so-called ex-
press, stops at Pompeii, but 1t waits so
long at the two stations of Tore Annun-
zfata that it quite forfeits its title as re-
CARDS the Pompeiian service.
No Modern Town.
There is no modern town of Pompeii
Two hotels, which are little more than
restaurants with souvenir shops attached,
constitute the community outside of the
walls encircllng the once unconsidered but
now carefully safeguarded ruins. We de-
cfded that although it was not yet noon,
our best course was to lunch before en-
tering the excavations so az to have an
uninterrupted visit. 1t was not until then
that We learned that. being Thursday,
this was a free day." and that while We
would have gratuitous admission, many
Of the houses would be closed. Thus ap-
pears another condition affecting the Nea-
politan attractions, for the tourist who
wants to see all of Pompeii should not
20 on Thursday. however fair the
day. But there are ways of lessening tho
limitation of the Thursday closure of
some of the places of interest, as | will
relate
when everything is open and accessible.
and when piloted by one of the numerous
authorized guides who infest the en-
trance and draw vivid pictures of the in
tricacies and mysteries which can be
solved only with their assistance For to
traverse all the excavated streets of the
ancient city, which are several miles in
total extent, is a feat requiring great
physical exerdon. and after time the
mind Is wearied by the succession Of
ruins and impressions are dulled by repe-
tition. One can either engage a guide and
ask to see the most significant places, or
trust to the printed pages Of standard
work and pick out few of the leading
features and thus gain a general concept
Of the scene. We decided to follow the
latter course, preferrng the Impressions
OF approximate discovery to enduring the
mechanical recital of indifferent pro-
fessionals.
Purpose Of Visit.
n.ifter all, the main object in visiting
Pompeii is to obtain an idea of how its
Inhabitants lived at the time of the