Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1916-05-18
SEINE RIVER IS
GREEN, SLUGGISH
THIS BODY OF WATER is NOT
MAJESTIC, BUT PICTURES
QUE BY LIFE
Many Boats are Moored Four Abreast
Waiting for Business


Paris You can catch one ever fif-
teen minutes and it costs two sous
Il cents) to so from one end of tho
city to the other, Il distance of per
haps eight miles; and then once out.
side the city walls you pay two sous
more.
The Seine River is narrow, dull
green and slow moving; not majestic
p, all, but made picturesque by the
life that is upon it. In Paris it is
commerce and artistic beauty com
bined that border its banks. Within
the boats that dre moored to its pal.
ings are so many different kinds of
eXistence-baths, hospitals, wa, h.
houses, homes, restaurants and lods-
ings. People live half above, half ul.
Ger the water, and in some places on
the Seine for long distances these
boats are moorcd four abreast and
following in line like holders Oh
march. These are the flattesS OF
boats. When they come up the river
freighted their tops are just at the
waters edge. The Seine seldom
rises or falls very much and it is held
IN its banks by concrete walls.
Taking the passenger steamer 1t
Place de pAlma and going down the
river, in one minute you pass through
the shadow of the Eiffel tower tina!
stands in the Champ de Mars, almost
en- the river bank 1t is the most
guarded object in Paris today and
the one most sought and attacked
from the air by the enemy. For here
is the wireless telegraph station and
there are strung four receiving wires
t. the north to the two towers of Tro-
cadero palace, and six receiving wires
to the south, to the military school.
In this high tower are searchlight.;,
observation glasses and other equip
ment of modern science for observa-
ton and for the judging of distances.
Up here, too, are the mitralleuses
ard the long range common that fire
upon the enemy aeroplanes.
From this high point observations
can be made for 50 miles. 1t is mill
tary territory. "A high picket fence
mas been built around the beautiful
gardens and soldiers guard with rifles
4 baionette every few rods The Eiffel
tower is 9S5 feet high, the loftiest
monument in the world. This enormous
structure, built like great pyramid
with its base resting on four massive
piers of masonry sunk 46 feet in the
& ound that form an open quadrangle
$40 feet square. The girders which
stay this structure of interlaced iron
work are hollow. The four uprishts
have an initial inclination of 81 de-
srees, and beneath the first platform
ure united with each other rounded
spans. Above the first platform the
four uprights are still distinct but
gradually blend as they ascend and
finally coalesce into a single snaft The
laird platform which is 905 feet above
tie ground supports a glass pavilion
capable of holding 500 people. The
Eiftel tower is wonderfully pictures
que in the twilight, when its black out
line is mellowed and the open work
iron looks almost like lace
Three times since the beginning Of
tine war the German aeroplanes have
succeeded in lancing bombs in it's
direction, but fortunately they have
missed their mark. One Saturday
afternoon at IS hours the time of the
change of the aero scouts, German
Girship came painted blue gray like Il
french aeroplane ard flying FIencl
c0lors. He flew high, just until he Was
over the tower, then descending quich.
Iy. threw six bombs and was gone.
After Eiffel tower comes long
narrow island-Allee des Cygnes---
but l have never seen any cygnes
fwans) there. 1t makes an Ameri.
tLn feel a little homesick, for this
island is guarded by statue of Lib
erty enlightening the world just like
her" in the New York harbor
Next is the city wall, ard just op,
posite is the aeroplnne park at Issy-
MoulineauX. On the afternoon of my
trip there were some beginners learn
ing to fly. they wabbled like young
birds not yet sure of their wings At
this point the river breaks into two
parts and forms the beautiful wooded
island of st. German.
From behind the trees in the center
of the island Uses the building con-
tanning military supplies. Every few
yards are red pantalooned guards.
rifles a baionette, and th~ bright red
Is in nice contrast with the green.
Here the Seine becomes more pictur-
esque as it is carpeted with trembling
reflections.
Roads follow the river on each side
They lead to the manufacturing dis
tricts outside of Paris and the traffic
Lere as everywhere is mostly military.
l saw steel plated automobiles, auto
trucks filled with rolls of barbed wire.
pneumatic tires and cans of gasoline;
others with shoYels and with picks and