Traveling to Rome by Train

May 24, 1897

This morning at 8 o’clock we left Naples for Rome, distance 161 miles, reaching there at 1:30 p.m. There are four classes on the trains, the 4^th however being on the slow trains and consisting of cars open all around the upper half and without seats. The difference in fare between the 1st and 2nd class is about 1 cent per mile. A government tax of 1cent per ticket is charged. The cars have no arrangements for ventilation overhead, no water or toilet conveniences, no heating except that in the coldest weather hot water pans are sometimes placed for foot warmers. The newer cars are more civilized, however. The cars, both freight and passenger, are very small and light, 40 men or eight horses being the limit. The wheels are light and open like our old fashioned street car wheels. The roadbed is rock ballasted(sic). All depots and grounds are enclosed, tickets are taken up invariably upon leaving and no one but passengers or employes(sic) are allowed inside the depot. There is no bell or bellrope on the train and the conductors or guards, as they are called, carry a huntsman’s trumpet or horn swung around their neck, with which they signal the engineer. For 30 or 40 miles north of Naples we passed through the famous Campagna, said to be one of the most fertile spots in Europe. It is well irrigated from the Apenincs and two crops can be grown each year. Trees of various kinds are planted in the fields, their tips pretty well trimmed and vines are planted at each tree and trellesed(sic) to the next one, so there is a regular network of vines. The ground will be in olive trees or lentils. Olive trees are numerous. Every foot of ground over this plain is cultivated and it formed a great contrast to some of the shiftless methods of farming at home. We crossed the Volturno River and various other streams all having yellow and turbulent water like the Tibur here in Rome. The poppy seems to be the leading weed here and in the hill districts some poorly farmed fields are scarlet with them. We passed Monte Cassino with its famous Monestary Perchid hundreds of feet above the plain at the summit of a mountain. This was built in the 5^th century on the ruins of a heathen temple. Soon we came in sight of the great Roman plain and then followed the ruins of the great aqueduct for several miles and finally reached the Eternal City. We stopped at a pension or boarding house at nos. 7 and 8 Via San Basilio kept by Swiss nuns. They wait on us, dressed in their black garb and a large iron door closes the court. When we ring, a sister pulls a slide and looks at us thru a perforated iron plate and then opens the door with a great key. Every room has a crucifix, pictures of saints, etc., but we are comfortable and it is a new experience. While out this afternoon we engaged passage home by way of Montreal through H. Gage and Sons, paying them ten pounds down. Also arranged with Lemon and Co. to ship our surplus clothing, wraps, etc. to Stockholm. The barber shops in Italy are hair dressing establishments for both sexes and they also keep stacks of perfumery and soaps. The millinary(sic) stores keep men’s hats also. Many of the women of the poorer classes wear their corsets outside of their dresses.