The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-07-29
BELGRADE PRIDE
OF The SERVIANs
Quaint Capital Is Rich In Its
Traditions.
ITS new PART UP TO DATE

Great Wealth Lacking, but Neither Is
There Any Genuine Poverty-on the
Other Hand, the Inhabitants Live
Comfortably, and the Whole Atmos
phere Is One of Contentment.
The Servians are intensely proud of |
Belgrade, their capital, Of its historic
traditions and it's fine modern develop |
ment, but so far as its vulnerability to
few illusions.
Belgrade is, 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 Servians but all Serbs as we'll are
intensely proud, lying on the hill back
Of the fortress. In the low part of the
town is conferred much of the CONNER
cial life Of the city. The railroad and
steamer traffic is conferred there, and
the custom houses and many ware
houses and factories are also located
there.
The new part is laid out in broad,
well paved streets lined with fine build
| tngs 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 com
prehensive tramway system which ex-
/ tends far beyond its limits in several
directions and connects with it many
charming and fiourishing 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 Fer 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 We're killed was torn down and
has never been replaced. At the other
end of the plot where this palace stood
8 fine new palace is being erected for
the use of the crown prince.
The parliament building is so small
and inconspicuous- has but two sto.
ries-that only the flag flying over II
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 narrow flight OF
r stone stairs, and there is little forlnali
:. ty about procedure there. An old mar
j.. receiTes the visitors card and show,
!, him into a plain little reception room
from which a green baize door lead.
to the office Of the prime minister.
The people OF Belgrade are not rich
and there is a conspicuous lack of dis
play, especially in official circles. Auto
mobiles are comparatively few, and s
< are fine turnouts of any kind. Their
h. are very few footmen and few me
E. servants Of any sort, for the positio
n of woman is clearly defined, and me
do not assume her privileges.
Few Rich, but Fewer Poor
But as there are few rich people, S
y are there still fewer very poor one
= The people all over the city are we
: and comfortably dressed, the shops al
), bright and filed with new and attra,
!. tive goods. The people are gay an
: light hearted and are great frequenteI
of the street corner cafes, each one
which has gypsy band. The midda
siesta is an ironclad rule in Belgrad
and everything, from the biggest ban
IL to the smallest shop, shuts up betwee
u and 2. The business of the day
- over at s o'clock, and the entire tow
turns out to promenade and take Il
eS air. They stroll up and down the tv
an principal streets, filing sidewalks al
VI pavement alike, lingering at the caf
~ for Turkish coffee and for tall glass
"a of water, which seems a more popul
IN drink than anything else.
he By the sunset hour every one h
reached the alemegdah, park built
the hill right back of the old fortreS
- - 1t is beautifully laid out with tres
~ flowers and statues of Servian poe
for and painters and commands from
fine terrace, still called by its old Tur
ish name, the Slope of Dreams, sple
lds did view over the gray, waters of t
II joined rivers to the distant white to
ers and green trees of Semlin and t
- great Hungarian plains.
w~ Churches Combine For Work In Mex