The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-12-23

But Advantage is Taken of
the Quietness to 5Dredge
the Canals.
.tBy Associated Press

VENICE, Dec. 23..-TaiaGa gondola,
for a trip through the Grand Canal
during these war days and one sees
many changes in the centers ofIinter.
est well Unknown to travellers and read:
Il ers-the war.dress OF the homes OF
) Lord Byron and the composer Wag:
ner, Of the poet Browning and the
American writer W. D. Howells, the
romantic palace where Desdemona
waited for othello, and further along.
lin the market! quartz. near the Riaito
bridge, the house OF Shylock. the
quaint building standing there un-
changed today, hut now used as a
/ butchers shop where a lusty Italian
butcher exaets shylock war prices of
90scents, a 'kilo for the. pounds OF flesh
5dealtsoyer the counter. i i.,
Starting from The quay San Marco.
the broad lagoons entering the Grand
Canal have an air OF martial and ma.
wal Preparations rather than the slls.
ual5 carnival aspect which markes this
center. The square are slined with
soldiers and sailors, and the gondolas
are carrying great loads OF war sup.
;splies back and forth, and transport
ing troops and marines from point to
point while the launches from the war
ships dart in and out among the gon.
do1as! fsll.t !.
Ordinarily there are $500 gondolas
in regular service-7600 private and
1000 spublic-but only a very few OF
these remain In use owing to the ter.
sror inspired by the bomb raids, Most
1 OF the wealthy residents have hurried.
sIySleft for@the south and there are no,
tourists to make use. Of the public
sondolas. Only one tirst-class hotel
remains open, and half Of It is given
4 over to a hospital for the wounded
brought IN from. the nearby fighting
Illness -, e.
Entering the Grand Canal, the great
domes Of Santa Maria della Salute
stand out on the left, but always with
their war trappings, for here Is loca,
ted the Headquarters Of the army Red
j Gross where most OF the work of the
field Hospitals is5reSulated. The pal.
ace sYenier next to the church Is SIM
tlariy used for army hospital admin
istration, and the Red Cross flags are
flying everywhere. as q warning of
Immunity from bomb raids. Further,
up the! Canal on 'the.right:iss the; house
OF Desd emona. Just what Desdemona
did IN her day IS matter Of tradition
land Shakesperian romance. \ Now the
Sold palace IS occupied By a rich mer.
chant family who have. fed to the
south; the curtains are drawn, the
lower windows guard by steel shut.
tiers, and the gardens neglected.
On the left OF the Canal is q row
of palaces often occupied by promt.
nent sAmericansf families. Two of these,
4 the palace Balbi---yalier and the Pol
ignac:=-are closed and closely shut.
tered while most: the otherseinf the
quarter are partially abandoned. OPP:
iposite this group Is the palace Fall
liers:where ". D. Howells lived while
IN 3wrote his scenes from Venetian
,flife and activity and the well.kept
Sgardens are full Of fowers.which hang
Unto the canals ,fanking Il in front and
Eialong ono side! Just across the
4 Grand Canal is the palace Rezzonico
where Robert Browning lived and
died. Usually this; is a very gay quar-.
ter, with crowds Of gondolas passing,