File:Italian life in town and country (1902) (14586282820).jpg

Identifier: italianlifeintow00villuoft (find matches)
Title: Italian life in town and country
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: Villari, Luigi, 1876-
Subjects: Italy -- Social life and customs
Publisher: New York, Putnam
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
rains run between Milan and Mouza,between Lecco and Sondrio, between Milan andVarese, and other lines will shortly be started.There are large generating stations near Milanand at Vizzola, and a huge new one has just beenopened in the province of Udine. Among the other industries shipbuilding de-serves mention. The number of steamers hasdoubled within the last few years, and Italianliners rank high both for comfort and speed. Thevessels for the fleet are now built entirely in Italy,at Leghorn, Spezia, and Venice. There are manyfine harbours on the Italian coast, and it is be-lieved that Genoa, which is now the second porton the Mediterranean, with the opening of theSimplon tunnel will occupy the first place. Italy is rich in mineral wealth. The chief min-ing districts are the islands of Sardinia and Elbafor iron, zinc, and lead, the province of Grossetofor mercury and iron, the Romagna and Sicily forsulphur. Copper, manganese, and antimony arealso found in various places. The number of
Text Appearing After Image:
CO I- I Wealth and Poverty 67 mines actually at work has risen from five hun-dred in 1871 to fourteen hundred in 1898, and thevalue of the output is ^^3,000,000. The total value of the paid-up capital of rail-ways, tramways, shipping companies, commercialand manufacturing concerns, has risen from ;^54,000,000 in 1887 to nearly ^70,000,000 in 1900. Thus, in spite of the grinding taxation, the odi-ous fiscal system, the neglect, the ignorance, andthe past misgovernment, the prosperity of Italy isincreasing. The last budget showed a surplus ofabout ^800,000, and the savings banks an annualaccumulation of ^2,000,000. Wages have risen,food is more plentiful, and clothes are better, whileboth food and clothing are cheaper. The standardof comfort is rising. The population—at the lastcensus, thirty-three million—is increasing rapidly,and its general health has improved. Agriculture,although not flourishing everywhere, is in a bettercondition than it has been for a long t

Note About Images