Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 July 1893 — Grasping Swiss Hotel Men. [ARTICLE]

Grasping Swiss Hotel Men.

There are few things more annoying to travelers in Switzerland than the obstructions and tolls imposed by grasping landlords. It is gratifying, therefore, to know that at the annual dinner of the Berne section of the Swiss Alpine Club, a few days ago, Regierungsrath von Steigeo complimented the- club upon its success in liberating the beauties of nature in the Oberland from the expropriating landlord. The “landlord" in Switzerland, it need hardly be said, does not stand for the landowner; who has there no power, as he has among us, of prohibiting "access to mountains.” It means the great speculative hotel keeper, the Gessler of the modern Swiss. The government of Berne, thanks to, the Alpine GJjib. has at last, interfered with the “rights* of several of these private speculators. The “Wirth” who erected a little house in front of the Handeck falls and demanded an indemnification, not only for meat and drink, but for the favor of having the peep door opened, has been ordered to open the door gratuitously henceforward. The impropriator who set up a Tyndalllte screen of boards to intercept the free view of the Upper Reichenbach Fall has also been commanded to take down his shutters. The concejsslon granted to the owner of the Hotel Wetterhorn has also been, withdrawn, and the right of way to the Upper Grlndelwald glacier is declared to be free for all tourists. The charge for entering the lee grotto, however, as it is not a work of Nature, is allowed to continue. —Westminster Gazette.