Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 31, Number 265, 22 October 1906 — Page 3

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rllOLSAMiS of tourist are thronging steamers homeward-bound, after 'ar a long summer holiday spent abroad. Tliey are coining from many parts of Earope and the British Isles with pleasant recollections of Scottish heatn. German ruins on the Rhine and the cos mopolltan gnyety of the Parisian capital, but they are one In the opinion that Switzerland Is the play-ground of the world. The first picture evoked by the name Switzerland Is one of mountains, white and shining in their eternity of snow, and of lakes as clear as lapis lazuli set in frames of dazzling emerald. But this Is soon followed by a raried kaleidoscope of tourists from every part' of the known world, who come to spend their holiday in this small though beautiful republic. Be hind the French auto enthusiast, the English sportsman and the American pleasureseeker stand, the ..Swiss - folk welcoming strangers to . their land.' with the beauty of. their country, comforts and amuse ments. The Swiss cater to foreigners and have learned through necessity the art of being excellent hosts. Their great riches are their scenery. But men cannot live on towering peaks, on snow-clad mountains. ranges and fertile valleys. The very grandeur of this scenery, has impoverished the country, as, far . as the essentials of life re concerned. Switzerland is poor; Its natural resources are few compared with those of adjacent countries. Much of the land Is too sterile and high to be used for farming, and in many parts where the land Is fertile the climatic conditions are such as to permit of farming only a few months of the year. Just as these sturdy, courageous folk struggled to get nnd maintain their freedom they have likewise tolled, labored and tolled to change their cold, haughtily sublime mountains Into gardens of smiling beauty. They have pierced the bowels of the earth to link their country with Italy and France. They have blasted the hardest rocks, making roadways along the seas and up the steepest sldea of their mountains. Through observation they learned that only genuine sportsmen enjoy ascending high mountains with pick and staff; therefore, scientists and engineers have worked energetically o perfect the cogwheel and mountain railroad, so that tourists might be carried up Pilatus, Stauserhorn and Rigl and heavenward toward the summit of the snowclad Yungfran. They have adorned their cities with splendid promenades, rich In flowerbeds and fountains. They have erected handsome places of amusement and hotels that compare favorably with any found in the largest European capitals. The Swiss are excellent botelkeepers, whether they run a costly establishment or a small Inn. The lodgings they offer are always immaculately clean and the board Is good. They are much more anxious to please a guest than to quibble over a franc of room tariff, reckoning If they please their guests they will come back another season. Before the season opens these hotelkeepers come together and discuss points of common i Interest, such as Improving the promenades, the tariff of room and board, the amusements they shall offer their guests, and if the roads are In good condition for driving and automobiling. A keeper of a email pension makes his place attractive with window-boxes and an oldfashioned garden, while the large hotelkeepers have French chefs and servants who speak many languages; an orchestra and a program three or four nights a week with talent supplied from the best theaters and concert halls of Europe, Almost every large city has a kursaal, where a band plays during the afternoon. Here th promenaders retreat from the heat of the day. chat with their friends, flaunt their handsome frocks and furbelows. Kipping wine, eating ice and listening to music. In the evening, during the height of the season, the proprietors of these kursaals enpage the best talent of Europe, and it is not onusual to hear artists from the Academle Fiancaie in Lucerce. Interlaken and St. Morltz. All these places have roulette tables, where' gmler from-ll .parts -of-Europe and America gather to gain 'and lose large fortunes. Antomoblling is another favorite amusement for strangers In Switzerland; many American and French people ship their own machines and visit the different parts of the country In a touring car. Others locate in Lucerne or St. Morltz. and, making, one of these places their center, ride many miles daily along the sea. across rich valleys and over -fa! ?h mountain ranges. The beauty of the Swiss scenery and the comforts and pleasures provided by the people have resulted in making Switzerland a perfect Mecca In summertime. The English come early and stay lite. They wait Impatiently for the snow to top falling from the mountain so they ran climb the Rigl and Pilatus; they cross the glaciers at Chanonlx and Mont Blanc, and even dare such heights as The existing methods of paving asphalt, wood blocks, tar. concrete and the like all fall far short of perfection. The treat fault In each case Is that the material is not sufficiently hard to withtar.I the wear and tear to which It is submitted for a lengthy period without requiring renewal. " Then. too. our Ideal pavements should be smooth, noiseless. Impervious to water, and yet possess a surface upon which horses will not slip r wheels skM. Many people are of the opinion that the pavement of the future will be some kind of glass. As the matter stands IUiks is far too brittle to be used for this purpose, but men of science recognlxe !he possibility of malleable glass glass to tough and bard, that U to say, that t would be no more easily shattered than wrought Iron, and yet retain the 3istlnctive characteristics which at present govern Its manufacture and use. Kroni the past stories have come down to Da of malleable glass, and it la related.

the Flnsterhorn, Shreckhorn nnd the Yungfrau. They stay late, often the entire winter, amusing themselves with skating. tobogganing and Ice-coasting. The French are no less busy scouring the. country in their touring cars, blind to all dangers of mountain passes and ravines, more Interested in the records they can make than In the sublimity of the panorama. The Italians come tip from Como and Lake Lugano, glad to exchange the summer's heat for cool mountain breezes. Close on their heels are the nnspoiled Germans, who usually locate In one place and make many excursions on the lake and op the mountains. Last, but not least, are American tourists, to be divided Into two classes those who are out to see all of Europe In a season and those who come for an easy, comfortable holiday at the more fashionable places In Lucerne, Interlaken and St. Morltz. The tourists find their pleasure In visit ing the museums and churches In the historic towns of Zurich, Berne and Geneva. But Zurich boasts of Its surrounding beauty as mncb as it does of Its historic Interest. It Is the capital of the canton and lies at the north end of the lake ou the green rapid summit. The time to approach the city is In the evening. As the train sweeps through the valley the Utleberg and the neighboring mountains re flect thousands of lights on the shimmering waters. Another vantage point Is the Thonhalle, a concert hall and restaurant, perfumed by beds of roses from all sides. Zurich at night resembles a single pearl set with many brilliants. Though less beautiful by day, it affords a variety of Interests. A ride up the Utleberg affords a splendid view of the town below. with a diadem on its breast. In the far distance gleam the Itossburg, the friendly Rigi and defiant Tilatus. The town is rich In historic interest. It has a handsome and well-eqaipped museum and two Interesting churches. The spires of the Frau-Munster-kirche Is a staid piece of German architecture that belongs to the twelfth arid thirteenth centuries. Its gray stone has been made dingy by time, but the dinginess Is relieved by the red roof of Its towers. The church holds many treasures, including a letter of Zwlngll to his wife, three autograph letters two of Lady Jane Gray and another of Frederick the Great. Far more attractive is the Romanesque Grossmunster. It is an exceedingly picturesque church, with its tall Gothic towers crowned with helmet-shaped tops and gilded flowers. The art museum of this old historic town is among the finest known In Firope. It Is built in the medieval style and has historical and art Industrial objects from prehistoric days down to our time. An Interesting feature of this museum Is a erle of rooms' fitted up w!fi medlevaJaJid wmaJssanee furniture Jt iaa' some splencfid models of villages as they were during the time of the Swiss Iakedwelleca. Another attractive feature of this town Is the broad sea-qual. with a beautiful promenade. Toward sundown the place Is thronged with men and women out to enjoy the cool evening breeze. Many wander toward the Tronhalle, where they dine and listen to lively patriotic airs of a Swiss band. Not far away Is Berne, the capital of the Swiss Republic, at the foot of the Bernese Oberland. Though the Journey across the Bernese Alps Is a steep ascent. It Is so gradual that, were It not for the tops of the mountains, the rush and roar of cataracts, the small Swiss cbflets and for the cattle grazing on the s'r.p??.. the traveler would forget that he was being carried across a chain of high mountains. Here is a rugged mountain, there Is a

Pavements of the Future.

for Instance, that a man once brought to the Emperor Tiberius a glass goblet which, being dashed -to the ground, was only bent, and was easily straightened again with a hammer. Whether such tales are founded upon facts it is impossible to say. At the same time there Is oo room for doubt that malleable glass Is not only a scientific possibility, but that one of these days It will become an accomplished fact. When that day arrive It will, revolutionize .the manufacturing world. But much as we want malleable glass, we want still more an artificial substitute for rubber. Never was rubber more la demand than it la at the present day. By neglecting to replant the rubber forests In the past mankind has brought Itself to the verge of a rubber famine. Trees are now being planted by the thousands In Ceylon. Brazil and elsewhere, but It will be a good many years before these came to maturity. Meanwhile the demand for rubber has increased from

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green-carpeted valley; not far off dances and lisps a waterfall as it breaks over the side of a Jutting precipice. On every mountainside and summit is a neat little chalet, whore the peasants tend their cattle during the summer nnd eke out a liviug carving wood during the cold, bleak winter. Berne has many points of Interest for the stranger. It lies in a low valley, encircled with high mountains. The new part of the city is handsome and modern; the old is quaint and picturesque. The handsomest building In the new part Is the Bnndesrath, or Swiss Parliamenthouse, which compares favorably with our Capitol. The first floor has a rotunda decorated with stained glass, windows Il lustrating the arts and crafts of Switzerland and the shields of the different can tons. Above stairs are the splendid apart ments of the president, his cabinet,- the halls for the two houses, their lobbies, reading-rooms and the large hall where the two bouses sit together. The Swiss presidents are. as a nile. unostentatious, hard-working men, usually possessing superior culture, " who have served their country In other official capacities before they are elected to this office. They hold their position only one year, but they may be re-elected several times. The streets in the old portion are rery quaint; they are flanked on either side by small arcades, which serve as a covered way for foot passengers. An hundreds to thousands, and there is no Indication that "it will do other than continue to Increase year by year. A single Atlantic cable, for example, uses up fully 000 tons of rubber for Insulation purposes, while motor and bicycle tires call for a bage annual supply of the only suitable material for their manufacture which has so far been discovered. How rich a reward Is waltiag for the Inventor of a successful rubber substitute! In conclusion, we may glance at one more problem which has puzzled Inventors for several generations to wit. how to harness the lightning. Everyone knows that the atmosphere is charged with a vast and perhaps limitless supply of electricity. If this could be turned to practical use. without the employment of chemicals and costly machinery, how great would be the advantage that mankind would instantly eujoy. Every house might collect its own electric fluid, and Ithe supply would be forthcoming free gratis and for nothing.

Interesting spot Is the Kornhans Platz, which in olden times was used as a place of exchange. It Is embellished with a grotesque fountain called the ogre fountain, decorated with 'a procession of armed bears, the symbol of Berne"s protection. Berne Is a handsome as well as an interesting town. The River Aare divides it into two parts. This quiet stream is spanned by several handsome bridges: The beauty of the city is seen at Its best from the little Schautzle. a large park and terrace. In the foreground are seen the new public buildings, prona lu their splendor. Beyond rises the wooded Gurten; the Beruese Alps on the left; to tie right the Stockholm chain. But the traveler refuses to leave German Switzerland without seeing the Rbinefalls, the most beautiful stream in Switzerland. It welcomes the stranger with rush and roar and by a series of terraces It falls in a whirlpool below. This stream Is. of wchidrous beauty. Splendid are the light and play of colors with the sun or moon shimmering on the

hissing, seething waters. These waters dash and play on the little island of Worth, situated on the lert bank, while beyond the castle of Lanfen rears Its proud head. On the high slopes of the right bank Is a beautiful hotel with a terrace and a wonderful garden of flowers. These hotels are so well managed that girls come here from the 'surrounding cantons to study cooking and hotelkeeping. In these parts the hotelkeeper always comes forth to receive his guests, and when they go he says; "Aufwider'sehen," by presenting each , one with a bouquet of flowers.. Attractive as are the Rbinefalls under all conditions, they are most splendid at night, when Illuminated by colored lights. Like a weird dragon it gleams now red, then green and black ' in a flash. But the Rbinefalls have a cruel rival In the VierwablstatterSee. Lucerne is the starting pijnt of this lake, and by August It becomes a perfect Me'cca. Under the . handsome promenade bordering on the lake areeen men and women of every nationality. Walking under an arch of shady treesre a group of Parisian women dressed 4,in most perfect fashion, laughing and ijpquetilng with friends they have m Russian diplomats brush by them quick! enjoying the grandeur of the surrounding! mountains while they discuss Important' affairs of state. In sharp contradistinction are a group of Italians, too anxious to enjoy the rest and calm of the mountain breezes to consider anything weighty. It Is not difficult to recognize the English tourists, dressed In their smartest white frocks and suits, seated before a fashionable hotel sipping afternoon tea and planning a trip up the Rlgl for the following day. Russian women are scattered here and there, smoking their cigarettes andT commenting on handsome gowns that are shows from many parts of the world. . Americans are scurrying in many directions; there are those who are hastening for fear they shall miss the boat going up the lake: others have planned tu hear an organ concert given at the church daily. None think of leaving Lucerne without a visit to the handsomely carved lion erected to the memory of those Swiss guards who died fighting to pro tect the Lily of France. There are plenty of Germans who are too busy sightseeing to worry about handsome toilettes. There are high ofl3cials from the South Ameri can republics who are glad to escape the uncomfortable beat known la their countries. There Is the promenade for those who like to walk; handsome roads for the automobiiists; mountains for those fond of sports; the casino and roulette tabic for sporting people; museums and old churches for "tourists and grand scenery for lovers of nature. Lncerne, on the left side, rises in ondulating bills that are sprinkled with handsome villas, while on the right, behind the town. Pilatus rears Its jagged head. Itai neighbors are sttausernorn and

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Burgenstock. Smiling on them from the opposite side of the lake Is the broad Rigl. The mountain-climber ascends at last Pilatus and RIgL From Pilatus be gets a magnificent view of the Bernese Oberland, with a whole chaplet of peaks, including the Schreckhorn and and Flnsterhorn. From the Rigi he gets a splendid view of the entire canton, with the Vierwaldstatter See gleaming in the middle. There are two other ways of enjoying the beauty of the lake by large steamers that go from one end to the other, stopping at the different points of Interest; the other Is by touring the lake, for there are excellent roads all along the shore. The Lake of Lucerne Is a perfect labyrinth of beauty, and is best described as a cross Iayed slantwise. Every kind of beauty Is seen along Its shore, from the tender-rushing water of Lenau to the grandeur of Pilatus and the milder beauty of the Rigl. One arm dips Into lovely, nndulatlug hills; another touches the majestic threshold of the Alps, and the southern arm hugs the Bay of UrL "From over the Brunig the snow peaks of the Oberland are reflected as beantiful as a dream on the surface-, of the lake. The Burgenstock, with Its flrs; the Rigl, with Its cliffs, are mirrored 'n the deep; half

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Making Money for the British Empire.

At no place in the world Van money, be made more quickly than at tne Royal mint In London. The gold comes fVm the Bank of England to the Royal Mintun carefully guarded vans. The ingots, vrtiich weigh about 45 pounds each, are stocked in various strong rtfornj until requirek. When the officials decide that gold colw are to be madethe ingots, after having een assayed, a& carefully weighed and le necessary quantity, with Its proper aviount of alloy, IS handed over to the strrintendent. wlose responsible duty it to watch It tiouch the various procefces until It Is reurned in the form of mon Every ounce t the precious metal m be satisfactory: accounted for. The gold is st taken Into the melt lag room and U received by men who are armed In thltk gauntlets. A certain amount of the orAMs placed In a crucible and let down lntaione of the furnaces and melted. At tn expiration of about an hour the cruciblk Is lifted and the ;molten metal is emptavd Into molds placed fceadv to receive it. aThe metal, when led. has now assunrea the shape of thickness and The bars are about half an Inch rth about $3,000 n weighed and if pa by the as-ling'-room. are carried into tb the bars are gi lly reduced rly the thickness of thico!Ds to be by passing them flgaincnd again several heavy rollers, sad Id this converted Into long strl;. These next operated upon t a cutting pi s, which rapidly punctxs out the rael into circular discs. Another machine Ives the discs a rim, anv. the metal wl h we first saw in Ingot: now assummd a more iamniar shape. Alter passing thugh the annealing furnai heated to a ij(i?h temperature and plur Into a cold lth. the coins are ready the stamping Vress. and not the least of the Interesting Vork begins. Before proceeding, however, to deal with the operation of Stamping, a few words regarding the silver aplnage are necessary. Silver, being the cheaper metal. Is naturally dealt wit'i In a larger bulk. An Ingot weights a hundred pound, and th3 crucible In which It Is melted contains close upon three-hundredweight. The operations through which it passes are much the same as in the case of gold. The metal Is reduced to the required thickness, and the discs punch out the different sizes that are required until they are ready to receive the King's Image. The heavy hydraulic presses are so arranged that they are capable of stamping every coin of the realm from the lowest to the highest save one. The

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hidden In fruit trees peep the bamlet along the Kussnacbt and the Alpine arms of the lake, while In the distance the towers of Lucerne greet us. Here is the loveliest part of the lake; here are reflected myriads of colors from the valleys and the encircling mountains. The sun plays In turn on the blue waters, the sharp faces of the mountains and the dark forests. By September the season Is at its height; the tennis tournaments begin and some of the best plays made In Europe are shown on the tennis court at Lucerne. A rival to these are the races, where fine horses and women handsomely gowned are not wanting. There are the dally concerts an3 elaborate programs at the Kursaal, which afford satisfactory excuse for those who desire to play at the roulette tables. The peasants of the town occasionally give homely folk plays. Lucerne shares the honor of receiving guests from all parts of the world with Interlaken, which lies in a low valley hemmed In by three mountains covered with perpetual snow the Elger, Morisch and Yungfrau. These haughty mountains were overpowering were It not for the spacious hotels, the Kursaal and the life of the street. The Swiss have brought the grandeur

crown piece. Instead of the usual milled edge, has In place thereof an inscription running round the rim, and to imprint this a special machine is called Into requisition. The designs used in the stamping of the coins are made direct from the original "matrix engraved by the designer, and there Is only one matrix for each class of coins. At the rate of 100 coins a minute the presses are fed, and the die comes down and a clear impression taken. The coins are now complete, but one or two operations are still necessary before they are permitted to rank as the current coin of the realm. Every coin Is "rung" for the purpose of detecting any crsck or flaw which may have been caused In the process of makCracked coins are all remelted and ide. fter this comes the weighing test. The part of, the machine Is Incased In In order that not a breath of air shaltvlisturb the accuracy of the balance.

ird Trials and Executions.

A curiousVise of trial by a Jury among birds was rt?ntly reported from India. A great numbaV of scarlet flamingoes were observed in amarshy field near the Gauges River. Whey were standing In a regular circle and screeching violently. In the middle of aVe "circle stood one solitary bird, and lt'Vmel it was against this Individual th A all the wrath of the rest was dlrectVl. For some minutes the palaver wen tVon, and tben with one accord all the circ pitched "poa the unfortunate in the centea and pecked blm to death. More than one simllarrase has been seen elsewhere, particularljk among rooks and starlings. Near NorwIcTk some years ago a doctor driving along a Valet coun try road had his attention attraVted by a cowing from an open grass fiej cearbyk Many hundreds of rooks wee settJeJPJ n two rings, the Inner conslsuWg of aljoutkSO, neemingly the veterans of the Cock. As before, in the center of all was the erfaainai. looking quite rcrky and pleased With himstlf.- The deliberations went on fwr sometime, and the spectator noticed the manner of the accused gradually changing, his bead bowed and bis wings drooped and he cawed faintly, as If imploring mercy. Then ti..- was silence for a moment, when suddenly the inner circle closed and rose a moment later, leaving only a mangled carcij on the grass. It is well known that rooks punish thieves when cansbt by pu'llng their nests to pieces. Havens, well known for

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of the scenery nearer by building a railroad through the lovely valley of Lanterbrunnen, that winds Its way throngh the woods of Grindelwald op the Klelne Scheldlg tp the Yungfrau beyond. Hem the strangers enjoy the beauty of the three sister mountains. Here be views a panorama that has only been made possible because of the dauntless energy ot the Swiss. The most fashionable of the 8Hm a turner resorts is St. Morltz, la the Eagadlne. . Though the summer season only lasts eight weeks, more money is spent here than in any of the other Swiss resorts. German barons, French counts and English lords and American millionaires vl with each other trying to see bow much they can spend. The price of room mounts from week to week as the season advances; but proprietors reckon that their seasons are short; the guests carry large letters of credit and will be seen there at any cost. The following story well Illustrates this point. A guest, being asked an exhorbltant price for a room, complained. The proprietor said: "Bat you need not care; you are a rich Frenchman." The guest answered thst be was not. The proprietor retorted: "Well, tben. a rich German, Italian something. Hearing his guest was an American, be explained: "I have given it to you too cheap; so yon don't appreciate it." St. Morltz lies at such a high altitude that its climate is considered beneficial for those who can stand the altitude. Some come to take the baths and drink the waters; this duty is lightened by handsome promenades and morning concerts. The scenery of the place Is delightful. The mountain Is set with a beautiful lake, and Its environs sre covered with woods and delightful walks. The most attractive Is the one to Pontreslna, st the other end of the Tillage. The pathways are bridled by valleys and steep forests. St. Morltz is quite as popular as a winter resort because of the winter sports. Many English people stay here all winter Ice-boating, skating and tobogganing. From here they go to Ragatz and Engelberg for the same purpose. Switzerland has Its visitors all the year round. During the spring many go to Magglore, enjoying the beauty of the lake and the forests, rich with laurel and olive wood. Nowhere doea nature wear a more romantic mood the upper end of the lake Is Inclosed by high mountains., while the' eastern bank, towards the foot, slopes gradually down to the plains of Lombard. The Swiss have been given two giftsgrandeur of scenery and a desire to work and because of this they enrich tbelr coffers with foreign gold and make tbelr country the playground of the world. DELIA AUSTRIAN. . Each coin Is dropped dowa tube tot the weighing machine, which. In addition to accurately weighing them, automatically aorta the coin Into three classes the good, and those that are too light and those that are too heavy. The faulty ones are remelted, but those that havo passed the test are next dealt with by perhaps the most remarkable machine in the royal mint the counting machine. The working of this machine Is most ingenious. Two men stand at the top and receive the coins. They empty then on a slab sloping down to a single passage. A cog wheel of the requisite size and make to suit the particular class of cola to be counted baa already been inserted. The weight of the coin acting upon the cogs causes the wheel to revolve until f 300 worth of money has been passed through the machine, when It automatically stops and the coins are collected into bags, ready to be put into circulation. their wonderful sagacity, have bees watched in Switzerland doing exactly the same thing. A curious part of the proceeding is the inevitable formation of a ring round the culprit. Then there is the old, but perfectly true, story of the sparrow which bad stolen the aest of a bouse martin and was by them literally bricked up and suffocated. A French surgeon at Smyrna. Syria, wanted some young storks, but the Turks entertained such a veneration for these birds that be could not get any. So be abstracted the eggs from a stork's nest on the top of bis house and put them under a hen. replacing them with fresh hen eggs. In due time the young chickens came to light in their elevated position. The surprise of the storks may be Imagined. The male stork speedily disappeared and was not seen for a couple of days. When tie returned It was with a large number of storl who formed a rude ring on the surro.nndinz roofs. The poor female stork was tben brought Into the middle of the circle, and after a lengthy squawking she was attacked by the whole flock and torn In pieces. In Nagasaki. Japan, there is a pyrotechnist who manufactures birds of great size that, when exploded, snil In a lifelike manner through the air and perform many movements exactly like those of living birds. The secret of making tbeso wonderful fireworks has been in the possession of the oldest child of the family of each, veneration for more thin 13UQ years.

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