The San Francisco call. [volume], September 30, 1911, Image 1

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
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ISSUED EVERY SATURDAY FOR THE BOYS AND GIRLS OF SAN FRANCISCO AND CALIFORNIA
AL ONZO
MOTORS FROM
VENICE TO ROME
THE San Francisco CALL
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL V SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1911.
(Special Dispatch.)
" Rome, Friday, Sept. 29, 1911.
Dear Juniors: -', • . x . ■x ' ./'.>'' "/' *, - ■*,'>'"
After - rescuing our car, at Mestre,- we sniffed the odor of the garage from
our aristocratic noses and." forthwith, with no more delay, took the road for the
south. After a week ;of /gondolaing and floating; the springy, swift', breezy
movement of the big touring car came as a welcome change, to me at least, and
the purring hum of the motor seemed atune to the sunshine and the flowers and
> the birds—that Is. when it did hum. There's nothing in the world so "sad as the
motor that doesn't hum;properlyY/
■ 4*': ? About half way between Ferrara and Bologna something went wrong with
our machine. It began to cough and spit and sputter. and fuss in a;most agoniz
ing way. Our. chauffeur drew upby ; the roadside arid climbed, out to.investigate,
He said there was something wrong with; our carburetor, whatever that Is, and
talked about the magneto. Puppy and I sat still and looked wise, while Ju-Ju
.accompanied the/man?on:his i tour of exploration. Ju-Ju a most inquisitive
bent, and on this occasion he felt that if he could': only poke around enough he ,
might 'qualify as an up to 'date;mechanic. Out-to the front of the car they
went., The chauffeur unfastened some flaps arid peered' into * its interior. * Like
wise, Ju-Ju. They looked to long that 1 began ;to get nervous. .
"What," said I to. Puppy, "do you reckon they see down there?//
/'You-nevercan tell," remarked;the Pup, flippantly; ''maybe its billy, goats "
'•*-.* Just then we saw Ju-Ju, relieved of the presence of the chauffeur, who had
gone to the back of; the carjfor something, stick his foot into the gaping opening
of the I hood. Nothing -happened* at first,:arid he began to look worried. He
punched around for quite a while, and then the Inevitable came to pass. The
: pesky thing rose up and bit him,.'and;it wouldn't let go, either. All 'could see
was^a wildly dancing Ju-Ju, his wings flapping frantically as he strove to get
loose, while the still summer lair was,punctuated ; with raucous squawks and the
; staccato: pistol shot t replies of the: enraged car. In less time than it takes to
tell, the chauffeur had ;come to the rescue,* and Ju-Ju had retired to', the recesses
of the tonrieauY Hunched in a corner,' his wounded' foot under one wing, he . sat
and glowered; forebodingly"- at* every one that";looked at htm". 'He: has since j
dropped the study of .mechanics, / :./ , . ••. 'V
■',' / We got into Bologna In f time for luncheon and decided to remain* In the city
until Monday morning. V ■■//:'/" ?/■ • "i - YXYZr,// . /■"*.-.; /Xy/ / ,/Y/XY
>.»/i Bologna is ..situated in the center^of a vast plain at the intersection of the
ancient Via Aemilla, of Roman construction, with; the : : Reno, and ;is surrounded
by a wall with 12 gateways/* The Via AemlllaV'by the g way, despite Its great age,
•is one of the best roads In Italy today, and runs from Rimini, on the Adriatic
sea, to P!acenza. Owing l to * the fame of its'" great university, Bologna "was ,in
; the early part of the middle ages known as "Bologna, the Learned,'/ and ]at that
time boasted the possession of 180 leaning towers. The majority of these,'-how.-'
ever, have disappeared with/the, march of time, though there are still two of
singular ? Interest intact. 'One of these? belongs, to the Aslrielll family, and was
built in 1109, attaining a height of 320 ;feet,, while the other, *theGaflseridi
tower, was started a year ; later and is little over half "as high. Bologna's
(cathedral of San Petronlo is also a splendid structure, designed*; In 1300. -'One of
the features of 'the city's architecture^is Its miles and miles of arcades, which
;. extend" in "every direction. These 'arcades are' formed Iby the > extension of the
second story of each building out over the sidewalk/the extension being sup
ported by, pillars.. This, provides for'the pedestrian a protectionfrom the-hot
rays of the sun or the downpour -of the occasional rainstorm. It is said that
Bologna is the only city in Europe to carry out so thoroughly the system of
arcades. '.// '_ '-'. 4 . * * ■**■ -\ . x - '' l. • ■■ .
What with* the many stops along the way, we did not reach! Pisa until Mori
day night, and spent the next day In sightseeing. The city is built on "both
'sides/of-the; Arno, and boasts many splendid residences along Its banks. It is
perhaps better j known for its leaning tower than for: anything else, -.though; the
tower shares honors' with-the splendid cathedral baptistry with which/it is
; grouped./ ' '-•/. '" • *XX „''"' '' . . ... '*• J -t.
? After a day in Pisa we went on to Florence, the Beautiful, which the Arno
divides" into two unequal sections, the northern half being the larger. The
stream* is spanned by four ancient stoi\e bridges arid; two iron structures of more
modern architecture, the; most Interesting = of .which is the Poote ;Vecchlo/on
which are located the many "goldsmiths'"shops. The streets of Florence, while
.narrow, are.well payed and clean, and the; houses are very; tall. The newer part
of the. city extends beyond the walls, and has many good ; driveways/;chief Of
which is the Vlale dei .Colli.* » Then there, is I,the great;cathedral and the:cam-'
panile, which was built in 1334. The latter is said to be the finest example of its
kind in the'world. " Florence is noted as 'a'}storehouse for *i treasures' of art and
literature*,' and In the early days of its history was equaled only by Athens. ;It
has been the * home of,; such; men -as - Dante, : J Donatello, Leonardo
and ; Galileo, . - - X,-.?. ..„_„,. >M . # /.././■ V." '. .//j! 1 ///'
:Xy{ On the last; day of .our journey we passed through 'Siena, which Is charm
ingly situated on the crest of three; hills 1,000 feet above sea level./ It is sur
rounded by ancient walls and is intersected by narrow, steep and crooked streets.'
Its cathedral is a thirteenthY century structure. reached Rome today,? arid
will: remain here for ; a week. V; In my , next letter I •>. will lip)! you my impressions
of the imperial city. With best wishes, /, ALONZO.
MMflQfi":/:
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