The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922, September 24, 1915, Image 2
THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE. NEBRASKA. DUTCA Towns U OLLAND In Its quaint way Is a land of rofiinnco, but or a burgherlBh solid 'sort, tho vory antipodes of tho romnnco of tlio sunny East. Dutch romanco Is tho child or In dustry, enterprise, doggod courage, fogs and waterways, and Its great days foil within tho limits of tho nMfnti nnntti nntlhlPV Thntl nlllnS of Holland sailed all tho seven seas and brought homo wealth and tales of advonturo. Then Its Bailors hammered at tho arctic Ico-pack and pushed tholr trado among tropical splco Islands. Then It was that Do Iltiytor sailed up tho Thames with a broom at his masthead; then, too, that Hcmbrandt painted and Vondol rhymed. That also for Holland was a great building ago, when prosperity caused cities to grow, canals to bo .1ug, ports to bo built, and tho multiplex activity of Dutchmen to manifest Itself In all kinds of makings and shapings upon tho surfaco of tholr nmphlblous land half earth, half water. Thus It lo tho Holland of Rembrandt's day and thoro nbout that remains most Interesting to tho trav eler, and it is the buildings then erected that are most worthy of study and presentation within tier towns, Amstordam, when Itenibrandt went to sottlo thcro about 1(131, was passing architecturally through a period of transition. Tho small coro Df tho city, whoro everything was on a small peale, still retained many remnants of tho mo Jlloval ago. Tho canal's In It wore narrow, tho accommodation for ships was oxlguous. A grow ing population and expanding trado woro finding thomsolvoa horribly crampod. Amsterdam grow like an onion, by layers sur founding layora nbout a center. From tlmo to lima now rings of canals wero added, with radial connections, and then moro rings .outsldo them. Of courso fortified wnlls woro erected round tho wholo at different dates, but thoy never lnsted for long and had to bo roplnced by now circuits as tho city expanded. Tho moat of each now circuit bocamo a canal within tho next. TIiobo who wero responsible for tho Important changes made at the beginning of tho seventeenth century had tho Rood sonso not to destroy overy memorial of tnodloval days. In particular thoy spnrcd some of tho old fortification towers, applying them to a ow purposo and refitting them accordingly. Thus Iho towor called Montolbaansloron, which still atands by tho old Schans, ono of the largest basins of tho carllor canal system, was a part of tho modioval fortifications. Thoy turnod It Into n plcturcsquo boll towor by tho nddltlon of n miporstructuro sot up In tho yoar ICOfl. Though this waB dono boforo Rembrandt's day, ho omitted tho steeple In an admlrablo drawing ho mado ot It, thus giving ono among countless instances that might bo cited, of his attachment rnthor to tho past than to tho coming- tasto or tho pcoplo or his day. Tho only othor high towor at Am ntordam drawn by him was--tho Wostortorcu or towor of tho Wcstorkork on tho PrliiBcngracht, which unfortunately, wo cannot produco In this jplaco. That towor was a favorite with tho folk of Amstordam, and I havo moro than onco found Jt referred to, In narrntlvos of Dutch exploration, las a measuro of height, as, for Instanco, when a Kinder cliff Is said to havo stood out of tho sea hbout as high as tho Wcstortoron. It Is a storied lower, composed of four retreating i octangular utagoa, each with columns at tho anglos, not tmllko somo of Wron's towers In tho city of Lon don. Tho Wcstortoron, howovor, carries us down J-athor too lato, when Palladlan Ideas woro af footing Dutch architects. This was a foaturo of tho chan go of taste, which made tho art of Rom fcrandl old fashioned and terminated his pros perity. Tho Mint towor ot 1G40, and tho others Bliown in our Illustrations, aro oxamplos of Am Btordam stoeplo architecture of Rotubrandt's own eonoratlon. If thoy must bo called fantastic thoy aro cortnlnly picturesque, and admirably suited to enliven a canal vista or to poko up out ot a foreground of crow-stopped gables. Thoso aro tho typically Dutch towers, thoao buildings of tho groat days of Dutch romanco. Earlier towers wo can And In Hollund, but thoy aro Gothic, and ro-ocho tho stylo elaborated In Franco. Franco also sot tho key of architectural Btylo in tho oightoonth century. In tho bovoii teonth century Holland Btood on her own feet, and othor folk imitated tho work of hor nrtlsts. Tho Dutch stylo affected England; It was tail' tatod In tho roiflarkablo buildings orocted In Don mark for Christian IV. It ponotratod to tho ends of tho oarth. It went with Dutch adventurers to Now York, to Coylon, to tho Capo of Good Hopo, whoro oxamrilos of it may still bo hunted out by patient searching. Our illustrations Include a few of tho earlier towers ot Holland, about which n word or two must bo said. Hero, for instanco, aro tho Catho dral and ono ot tho modlovnl gates of Maastricht neither of them In any sonso characteristically Butch, for tho Holland that tho world admires was croatod In tho flro or tho Reformation wars Tho cathedral church ot St. Sorvatlus at Maas tricht Is or early Christian foundation, and It Is cvon clalmod that portions of tho existing walls dato back .to tho sixth century. Tho building as wo soo it, howover, is a groat romancsquo church of Rhonlsh stylo, with restored olovonth century towers at tho anglos of Its apso and a later Gothic boll towor adjacent to a sldo aisle .Utroeht and Dolft havo boll towers of a Hko kind! tho upper story bolng uiany-sldod and many eablod, Anothor such towor Is In Paradiso itself, If wo nro to beliovo Hubert Van Eyck'H plcturo ot that dolectablo land, tho famous nltarploco still at Ghent, unless tho Gormnns havo carried it off Medieval Maastricht was not a largo place. Tho Cathedral was In tho center or Jt; not moro than five hundred yards away nro tlm romalno of tho city walls of 1290. Tho exigencies of war mako tho military architecture of a given dato everywhere much tho same. Thus tho tower flanked south gato of Maastricht Is not dlfforont In design from many another that can bo found In tho old cities of Europe. Uut though it had llttlo Individuality to start with, tho adventures and patchings or time havo enduod It with a pIcturesquenoBs ot its own. Tho builders gave It practically no decoration, but such solid works receive all thoy nocd from tho hand of time, which adds detail with unerring tasto. Tho plainer an odlflco may havo been to start with, tho bettor tlmo adorns It, provldod It has boon built with sound materials, good workmanship and In good proportions. Most of England's noblest castles must havo looked gaunt and oven (to contemporary oyes) ugly. To tho Saxon citizens of London tho Whlto (doubtless whitewashed) towor can hardly hnvo convoyed esthetic pleoB uro. Dut tlmo has oven decorated Norman cas tles, so that not tho baldost modern sky-scraper need despair of futuro admiration It it can hold Itsoir end up long onough. Amorsfoort tower Is anything rathor than plain. On tho contrary, It Is In tho Gothic stylo tending towards flamboyant, whllo Its general design Is of tho typo of tho towor nt Utrecht, which, Indeed, bolng only fourteon miles away, doubtless Bug gestod It. That was built during tho mlddlo halt of tho fourteenth century; Amorsfoort at tho very end of tho flftoonth. Both havo tho open octagonal top story already doscrlbed. Utrecht la 338 root high, Amorsfoort 312 rooL Tho lattor Is considered to bo tho finest Gothic towor in Hoi land. I supposo it to havo boon Burraountod or Intondod to bo surmounted by a plain splro, but tho prosont bulbous top and opon-work crown woro put on In 1C5R. Whero did Holland got Its taBto ror thoso bulbs? Sho did not havo a mo nopoly or them, for thoy aro numerous onough in Germany and oven in Switzerland. An oriontal original probably suggested them. Tho Amors foort church was built in tho fourtoonth century, and tho towor may woll havo boon projected trom tho first. An explosion dnmagod tho building, but iho damago was mado good and tho towor for tuuatoly escaped. Fow tourists stop at Amcrsfoort, but plenty ot them can soo tho towor from tho train on tholr way onstward from Amstordam. Tho summit of it looks northward far away over tho Zuydcr Zeo, and in ovory othor direction over a country as flat as wator. Thoro was aomo fun in building high toworB In Holland, thoy could bo seen from so rnr away. Amorsroort can hall Utrecht on any clear day, and both or thorn Rhoncn (I imaglno). which Rembrandt sketched. Anyone who has landod at Flushing, and pro coodod thonpo nnywhlthor by train, has boon carried for tho first fow miles ovor tho am Phlblous region of tho Island or Walchoron. Ho has passod Mlddolburg and prosontly, ir ho lookod away oft to tho loft, ho wilt havo soon, at a dis tanco of two or throo mllos, tho llttlo town of ooro. Doth nro old towns and highly plctur esque. So indeed Duror rocordod thorn to be iftn" ?.M?Ud t,U3m ,n th0 coI1 December of in. ' i M,?dolb,urg" said, "is a good town, a flno place for sketching. It has a boautltul town hall with a lino towor. Thoro is much art shown n a t things bore." All ho has to say nbout Vooro Is that It Is a flno llttlo town whero lie ships from all lands." Tho object or Duror's untor tunnto winter Journoy to tho islands or Zooland was not, howovor, to soo towers and town halls, but to satisfy his Insatiable curiosity about natural history. Ho wanted to mako a drawing -o a whalo that had been strandod In thoso parts. Such curiosity in tho caso of mon liko Durer and Leonardo Is tho first Indication wo possess of tho approach of tho ago of ncienco Tho whalo had boon washed away boforo Duror'a arrival, so tho drawing was never made, but a chill that ho caught on this Journoy laid tho foun dations of tho illness which eventually carried him off. The town hall of Mlddolburg and Its flno tower woro now buildings when ho saw them. Tho town hall and towor ot Veoro wero some forty years older, having been built about 1470 by A. Kcldormans the elder, though tho statues on tho facado wero not added till after Durer's visit. Unfortunately tho surviving pages of his sketch-book contain no drawings of these places. Thoro Is, Indeed, on ono page tho complicated top of somo tower, unnamed, tho highest member of which is liko that of Vooro, but tho rest is different. Durer was evidently entertained by thoso fantastic stoeples and sovoral ot them ap pear In his sketches. In tho naturo ot things, howovor, such light wooden structures as crownod the towers ot tho low countries wero not so durablo as tho jitono substructures. Somo havo perished by fire, othors havo lost their open work decorations, othors havo had to bo repaired in various dogroos, and repair has generally meant simplification. Tho tower of Veoro, how ovor, was apparently novor vory elaborate, and probably remains much as It was originally built. Four-square and plain below, the atono portion is completed with a clock chnmbor, strengthened at tho corners. Thon comes a balustradod boll chamber, with a bulbed spire tor roor to It, ot unsually slondor and gracotul proportions. Little Imitation dormer windows wero a common deco ratlvo detail on thoso bulbs, but on Veoro splro thoy aro reduced to the roots or ttiom only. Theso and tho Gothic crochets hlghor up aro tho only modioval olomonts surviving In this tower. Tho town hall bolow contnlns a treastiro cor talnly worth Booing, for lovers of flno goldsmith's work worth going to soe-nii admlrablo classl flcatlon of "slghtH" which wo owe to tho common sonso or Doctor Johnson. How usotul n guide book to Europo, confined to tho things "worth going to seo," would bo when peaco returns though a real peace In a onco more friondly world s hardly to bo looked tor In tho days ot any but tho young. Tho treasure at Vnero is a magulfl cont goblot, richly enameled an.l chased, which tho townsfolk causod to bo mado tor, and pre sented to, tho Emperor Maximilian How thoy managed to have both tho prestlgo or giving It and tho solid satisfaction of keeping It is not rocordod in any books to which I havo access. At all ovonts, thero it romalna-a very handsome oxamplo of a flno period of art in tho low countries. Vooro also possesses a fourteenth century churchonco In ruins but now repaired also somo romarkablo old houses, a fountain of 1551 and othor ngroeablo roraalns. On tho wholo a traveler on landing In Holland might woll spend a night at Mlddolburg, whoro bo can biro cyclo or motor and make In a slnlo day a circuit or ontortalnlng llttlo placos, which prosorvo tho charms or old Holland moro completely than tho argor and moro famoUa cities whoroln modern llfo has compollod much external modernization ELABORATE EVASION. "Aro tho fish biting now?" asked (ho stranger "Yes," repl ed tho boy. "Dut you ain't attawed to catch "om." "Do you moan to say you don't fish?' "I don't exactly sh. But If a-fish comes along and bites at mo I do my bost to defend- niysoli." umaMuM. warn I iS..3Vtf-"S?i 313i3 I riTOBBUBHBBBBBBBBBBBBBr E3W .jmmwsmm PORTUGAL'S NEW PRESIDENT Bornardlno Machado, tho recently elected president of Portugal, has been prominent for years In public life, having served his country as pro mior, provisional minister of foreign uffairs, minister of tho Interior and minister to Brnz"Il. Ho has been con sidered tho foremost man in tho re publican party, and boforo tho over throw of tho monarchy was regarded as tho logical choico of that party for tho presidency. In January, 1908, ho was accused of conspiracy ugalnst tho crown, but tho charges novor woro proved. Sonhor Machado, who is Bixty-flvo years old, formerly was professor of philosophy In Colmbra univorslty, but was ousted from his chair because ho Joined tho anticlerical movoment. Ho is an oxccllent speaker, and during his public career has been regarded as strongly pro-British. One of tho Interesting stories ro- irnPfllncv RnnVlni- Hfnntirw1 la 4f.nt l. n sorved ns Portuguese minister to Washington In 1900 and 1901 under tho name of Marquis do Santo Thyrso, but was recalled because ho mado a pre mature announcement to his country of Presldont McKinley'B death, wh!6h resulted in Lisbon sending messages of condolenco four or flvo days boforo tho president died. After his recall, according to tho Btory, ho dropped tho title, which was of papal origin, and resumed his family name. Tho president of tho Itnmihlle of Pnrtntmi ,n nintn.i . nin - - ---tj.-.. w v.Mti. IJ J J Willi , uiu VJ L both chambers of parliament for a term of four years, and cannot bo ro- uiucieu. PLEASANT TOM TAGGART Tho power of personality never was bettor Illustrated than In tho ca reer of Thomas Taggnrt, tho Indi anaand national political leader. Irish by birth, Taggart must havo caressed tho blarney stone from the earliest days of his infancy to tho day of his departure for American shores. This Is not to say that ho Is an orator. Ho is nothing ot tho sort. On tho con trary, ho is no spoechmaker at all. But when it comesto saying quickly, in private conversation, or in passing groeting, tho right thing in tho right way at tho right moment, Taggart is without a superior in tho wholo coun try. Not ovon his bitterest enemy will find tho slightest fault with Taggart's ovor-brllllant, ever-pleasant smllo. That was tho gift with which he began lite. That was his talont and his capital. A cheory amllo, a firm, friendly hand-clasp, a ready sympa thythese went -with it. And the com bination elevated Thomas Taccart from a clerk's position behind a depot lunch counter and a aalary of eight dollarB a week to tho highest position ot political bossism in Btato and nation and to tho millionaire's status in point ot fortune. Taggart's intimate friends aro agreed that Taggart's political leadership has cost him, In money, far moro than it has ovor put in his pocket. His hands, they say, are clean. His fortuno was mado when lio gained control of tho company that operates tho Fronch Lick Springs hotel. GUARDS PRECIOUS DOCUMENTS Woman's sphero In affairs of state extends Into ono ot tho most Impor tant ofllces of tho government. Espe cially important at tho prosont day is tho library of tho state department, whoro aro kept tho treaties, recordB and valuablo data that determine tho American policy In world affairs. Miss Lucy Stuart FItzhugh, who has catalogued and classified tho library, Is tho export clerk of tho library, and caros for Its precious doc uments. Sho takes tho placo of tho honored "keeper of the rolls," who ranks as a high dignitary in foreign governments. "Wo havo horo a great many pub lications and documents that are to bo found nowhere else in tho world," she says. "Among our most precious, documents aro tho Declaration of In dependence and tho Constitution of tho United States in tho originals, with tho articles ot confederation, tho emancipation proclamation and other papers vital to our country's history." Miss FItzhugh is a Kentucky girl. Sho taught school In Pennsylvania, Georgia and Michigan, and won hor present offlco through tho civil Borvlco. Dr. Eugono Wambaugh of Harvard, who was a special counsol for tho state department when tho European war broke out, remArked that tho govern ment had at least ono cmployeo well placed. Sho translates foreign lan guages, and knows the contents of treatloa Hko a book. -' 5-..- ., - 'J ' v. - f 'Wy ...';:-: :.: . CHIEF JUSTICE WHITE'S JOKE Although ponderous and learned and dignified, Chief Justice Whlto of tho Supremo court cracks an occa sional Joko. "Whlto buys cigars at a certain drug storo in Washington, and tho man behind tho cigar countor has como to know him woll onough to talk to him rather freely. Ono day as bo handed the chief Justlco his changu tho cigar salesman Inqulrod breezily, by way of small talk: "Well, Mr. Chlor Justice, how's tho Supremo court going to decido thoso antitrust cases noxt week?" "It Isn't a niattor that we're sup posed to talk much about," ropllod Whlto, pleasantly. "Still I don't mind tolling you, provided you'll givo mo your assuranco that It will go no fur ther." "Oh, I shan't tell a bouI," declared tho cigar man, earnestly. "Not a word." Whlto lcanod ovor tho counter and whispered: "We'ro going to dccldo thorn right." '''''