House and Garden 
EXTERIOR OF THE MILAN ARCADE 
one thousand feet in length, fifty feet wide, 
and nearly one hundred feet in height. A 
glass cupola one hundred and sixty feet 
high crowns the octagonal center. The Gal¬ 
leria Umberto I. in Naples does not have so 
fine an exterior, but cost twice the amount 
of money, and perhaps excels it in the treat¬ 
ment of the interior, which is gaily adorned 
with sculpture, stucco and gilding. At night 
it is brilliantly lighted with electricity. 
SIDEWALK ARCADES. 
Block or street arcades are not of great 
importance as a means of preventing conges¬ 
tion ; they do, however, relieve it somewhat. 
But the sidewalk arcade has many and impor- 
MODERN ARCADES IN BOLOGNA 
ARCADES AT BONA, ALGERIA 
tant advantages. The general plan is that 
of removing the curb line back to the house 
line, or nearly to the house line, sufficient 
distance being kept to prevent vehicles from 
injuring the buildings. The structure is sup¬ 
ported by columns instead of a solid wall, the 
intervening spaces being arched to give 
strength and beauty. By this means the 
sidewalk, which is within the house line, is 
well lighted, well ventilated and easily acces¬ 
sible. When a carriage stops at the curb to 
permit its occupant to alight, he immediately 
steps within the protection of the building. 
In stormy weather the pedestrian is fully 
protected from the wind, rain or snow ; and 
in summer from the heat and glare of the 
sun. The street itself is made more artistic, 
for, whatever may be said in favor of the 
artistic sense of window decorators, there is 
apt to be an obtrusiveness which often repels 
rather than attracts. The arcade places these 
displays several feet from the curb line and 
the columns hide them from view to a con¬ 
siderable extent. Thus, while the attention 
of the pedestrian—the one the shop-keeper 
wishes to reach—is as effectually arrested as 
otherwise, the appearance of the street is im¬ 
proved, as is evident to every traveler who 
has seen the long processions of arcaded 
blocks in foreign cities. As an example we 
have only to note the Rue deRivoli in Paris. 
FINANCIAL MERITS. 
The financial advantages of sidewalk ar¬ 
cades are still greater. When a street is 
widened or a new thoroughfare laid out, the 
property condemned includes the exclusive 
right to the area from the center of the earth 
to the heaven above—a very costlv and ex¬ 
pensive process consequently. The arcade 
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