Omaha daily bee., 1916-02-06

active centers Of entertainment and off,
cial exchange during peace times.
In front of the former German embassy
dredges are now at work cleaning out the
side canals. This Is a mammoth work.
done every 200 years in the Grand canal
and every twenty years in the side canals.
The present absence Of traffic has given
opportunity for this securing. Great
masses OF black mud are brought up and
carried out TO sea. All the sewage Of
Venice empties into these canals, but the
tides of the Adriatic sweep out the sew
ese and keep the city in a reasonably
healthy condition.
In the Market Section.
In the market section Of the city the
Grand canal shows its usual actiyity,
with the fish and vegetable markets sur
rounded by boats and crowded with Gus
toners. Venice has recently finished a
veritable palace for fits fish market ana
the military escort told how this had
come about.
The queen came here about five years
ago." said he. ''She was shown the
beauties Of the Grand canal and admired
them greatly-all except the old fish mar
ket. She declared that was a blot and a
scandal. And so the city decided to spend
100000 francs for new market And
yet the queen has never since come here
to see this building erected to meet her
taste. and Venice is beginning to ask
whether It was really worth while to
spend so much money to meet a woman's
whim."
The Rialto bridge is the very heart Of
the busy merchant quarter This famous
bridge is the only one known to have been
made stronger by increasing its weight
IL began to crack at the outset. and the
architect said add more weight
The House of ShVl0ck.
Bazaars and stores were therefore
adoed all along the bridge, greatly in
ereasing its weight, and this SO steadied
II that 1t stands secure today. One of the
bomb raids was IN this vicinity. and the
people crowded the bridge and ouays
watching the aircraft as it dropped it's
bombs. One of them was the bomb which
destroyed the famous Scalzi church
nearby.
The house of Shylock. not far from the
Rialto bridge, is a small two-story rough
stone structure. The first floor is now
a butcher shop. A priceiist of meat hung
back OF the butchers stalls, the prices
oelns fixed by the city. They showed the
erect or war stringency in meat. Beef
steak was set down at 30 cents a kilo,
ana beef and mutton at 60 to 50 cents.
The cause of this the butcher explained.
was that the army used so much meat.
Inc butcher was very suspicious while
his pricelist was being examined. and
finally said
"Are you German" We have to be on
the lookout always for Germans The
markets and stores in the vicinity
showed var prices prevailing everywhere
owing to the military demand. except on
some vegetables and fruit. CauIiflower
was cents. turnips 6 cents a kilo. pota-
toes 8 cents a kilo. Apples and pears
were from 10 to 70 centimes a kilo. Eggs
were cents each-quite cheap. Butter
was high. ana beans particularly high
because the supply from Galicia has
been cut off by the war.
Meals StnI Cheap.
The working classes continue to get
meals at reasonably cheap rate, owing
to orders given by the city authorities.
: Shops for the poor are selling soup at
cents a plate, and with bread cents.
A big slice Of maize cake Is l cent, and
. with baked fish cents. The price OF
bread is kept down by municipal reEu-
lations. and the quality Of the bread kept
/. up.
g King Victor Emanuel went into one
l OF these bread shops not long ago. It
y was soon whispered about that this was
I, the king. and the proprietor of the shop
= hastily looked up some very fine bread
I which he spread before his majesty
p And why this superior bresd?" said
! the king.
Because you are the king" said the
sstonished shopman.
a But in the matter OF bread the kins
4 and the people are all the same" replied
a King Victor sternly. you, have offended
= against the law which requires all bread
: to be OF equal quality and you are
!. ordered to pay fine OF 500 iira for the
offence"
!, War signs are evident in the fish
market nearby. All fishing in the Adri-
attic has been suspended. owing 20 the
fear OF submarines and also TO prevent
fishermen from having any chance to
!, communicate with the nearby enemy
N Fishing is therefore confined TO the In.
A shores and lagoons and prices have
A sOared-about so cent a kilo for the fine
!, grades OF fish down to as little a. Il
: cents kilo for poor grades and rnimOws
: which are boiled in bulk. The city hai
= even made provision for the school chill
J, dren 20 get hot meals during war times
and shops are provided selling hot pota
toes and hot chestnuts.
Altogether Venice in it's war-dres'
shows the plain effect of the strain &
; Is under I'm being the center OF the wal
- zone, but the people are not suffering
% supplies are adequate though nj con
y siderable advanced prices. and the spiri
OF the people shares in the enthusiasm
y, OF the soldiers for pressing the war nnti