Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1914-08-04
BELGRADE PRIDE
OF THE SERv|ANS
Quaint Capital Is Rich In lis
Traditions,
ITS new PART UP TO DATE

IIS New PAkI Ur III uAIt
Great Wealth Lacking, but Neither 10
Thsrs Any Genuine Pevsrty-on the
Other Hand, the lnhabitants Live
Comfortably, and the Whole Atmos
phere 10 One q Cententment.
The Servians are intensely proud Of
Belgrade. their capital. Of its historic
traditions aud IT. 6ne modern develol>
ment. but 20 fur a. its vulnera btlity to
Austrian attack u concerned they have
few illusions.
Belgrade Ii, roughly speaking. divid
ed into two parts, the older part. built
during the Turkish domination. lying
low on the banks Of the river, and the
new. modern part, Of which not only
all Ssrvians but all Serbs a. we'll are
intensely proud. lying on the hill back
Of the fortress. In the low part Of the
town 10 centered much of the CONNER.
cial life OF the city. The railroad and
steamer traffic Is centered there, and
the custom houses and many ware
houses and factories are also located
there.
The new part IL laid out in broad.
well paved streets lined with fine build
ings six and seven stories high which,
since the new spirit Of development
has seized on the country. have re-
placed the small. low buildings that
were first erected The city has a com.
prehensive tramway system which ex-
tends far beyond its limits in several
directions and connects with It many
charming and flourishing suburbs.
The public buildings Of Belgrade are
not imposing. The university and the
theater are near one another on the
principal square. The post and tele-
graph building Is near by and. like
most Of the other government build.
ings, is entirely inadequate to house
the business that Is transacted there
For years there have been plans to
build new one. but the strict economy
Of the state has always prevented.
New Palace For Crown Prince.
The royal palace Is on the Avenue
Prince Milan. one of the chief streets.
and Is not especially imposing. 1t is
part Of the residence Of the Servian
kings for many years. but the building
In which King Alexander and Queen
Draga were killed was torn down and
has never been replaced. At the other
end Of the plot where this palace stood
fine new palace Is being erected for
the use Of the crown prince.
The parliament building Is so small
and inc0nspicuous-it has but two sto-
ries-that only the dag flying over It
gives an indication Of its uses. The
buildings Of the various ministries are
all very modest. That Of the foreign
department Is just beyond the palace
and has the appearance Of an office
building. The entrance Is directly from
the sidewalk up a narrow fight Of
stone stairs. and there Is little formal
ty about procedure there. An old man
receives the visitors card and shows
him into a plain little reception room,
from which green baize door leads
to the Office of the prime minister.
The people Of Belgrade are not rich.
and there is conspicuous lack Of dis.
play, especially In official circles. Auto.
mobiles are comparatively few. and so
are fine turnouts VI any kind. There
are very few footlnen and few men
servants Of any sort, for the position
Of woman Is clearly defined. and men
do not assume her privileges.
Few Rich. but Fewer Poor.
But as there are few rich people, 80
are there still fewer very poor ones
The people all over the city are we'll
and comfortably dressed. the shops are
bright and filled with new and attrac.
tive goods The people are gay and
light hearted and are great frequenters
Of the street corner cafes. each one ot
which has Il gypsy band. The midday
siesta Is an ir0nclad rule In Belgrade,
and everything. from the biggest bank
to the smallest shop. shuts up between
IL and 2. The business of the day IL
over ut O'Clock, and the entire town
turns out to promenade and take the
air They stroll up and down the two
principal streets. filling sidewalks and
pavement alike. lingering at the cafes
for Turkish coffee and for tall glasses
Of water. which seems II more popular
drink than anything else.
BY the sunset hour every one has
reached the aleIneg,!nh. II park built on
the hill right back of the old fortress
It Is beautifully laid out with trees.
flowers and statues of Serviau poets
and painters and commands from its
fine terrace. still called by its cd Turk
lsh name. the SLOPE of Dreams. a splen
did view over the gray waters Of the
iOinpd rivers ~ tt+. Distant white tow