HAUSSMANN

haussmann, georges eugene, baron (1809-1891), whose name is associated with the rebuilding of paris, was born in that city on the 27th of march 1809 of a protestant family, german in origin. he was educated at the college henri iv, and subsequently studied law, attending simultaneously the classes at the paris conservatoire of music, for he was a good musician. he became sous-prefet of nerac in 1830, and advanced rapidly in the civil service until in 1853 he was chosen by persigny prefect of the seine in succession to jean jacques berger, who hesitated to incur the vast expenses of the imperial schemes for the embellishment of paris. haussmann laid out the bois de boulogne, and made extensive improvements in the smaller parks. the gardens of the luxembourg palace were cut down to allow of the formation of new streets, and the boulevard de sebastopol, the southern half of which is now the boulevard st michel, was driven through a populous district. a new water supply, a gigantic system of sewers, new bridges, the opera, and other public buildings, the inclusion of outlying districts--these were among the new prefect's achievements, accomplished by the aid of a bold handling of the public funds which called forth jules ferry's indictment, _les comptes fantastiques de haussmann_, in 1867. a loan of 250 million francs was sanctioned for the city of paris in 1865, and another of 260 million in 1869. these sums represented only part of his financial schemes, which led to his dismissal by the government of emile ollivier. after the fall of the empire he spent about a year abroad, but he re-entered public life in 1877, when he became bonapartist deputy for ajaccio. he died in paris on the 11th of january 1891. haussmann had been made senator in 1857, member of the academy of fine arts in 1867, and grand cross of the legion of honour in 1862. his name is preserved in the boulevard haussmann. his later years were occupied with the preparation of his _memoires_ (3 vols., 1890-1893). haussonville, joseph othenin bernard de cleron, comte d' (1809-1884), french politician and historian, was born in paris on the 27th of may 1809. his grandfather had been "grand louvetier" of france; his father charles louis bernard de cleron, comte d'haussonville (1770-1846), was chamberlain at the court of napoleon, a count of the french empire, and under the restoration a peer of france and an opponent of the villele ministry. comte joseph had filled a series of diplomatic appointments at brussels, turin and naples before he entered the chamber of deputies in 1842 for provins. under the second empire he published a liberal anti-imperial paper at brussels, _le bulletin francais_, and in 1863 he actively supported the candidature of prevost paradol. he was elected to the french academy in 1869, in recognition of his historical writings, _histoire de la politique exterieure du gouvernement francais de 1830 a 1848_ (2 vols., 1850), _histoire de la reunion de la lorraine a la france_ (4 vols., 1854-1859), _l'eglise romaine et le premier empire 1800-1814_ (5 vols., 1864-1879). in 1870 he published a pamphlet directed against the prussian treatment of france, _la france et la prusse devant l'europe_, the sale of which was prohibited in belgium at the request of king william of prussia. he was the president of an association formed to provide new homes in algeria for the inhabitants of alsace-lorraine who elected to retain their french nationality. in 1878 he was made a life-senator, in which capacity he allied himself with the right centre in defence of the religious associations against the anti-clericals. he died in paris on the 28th of may 1884. his wife louise (1818-1882), a daughter of duc victor de broglie, published in 1858 a novel _robert emmet_, followed by _marguerite de valois reine de navarre_ (1870), _la jeunesse de lord byron_ (1872), and _les dernieres annees de lord byron_ (1874). his son, gabriel paul otherin de cleron, comte d'haussonville, was born at gurcy de chatel (seine-et-marne) on the 21st of september 1843, and married in 1865 mlle pauline d'harcourt. he represented seine-et-marne in the national assembly (1871) and voted with the right centre. though he was not elected to the chamber of deputies he became the right-hand man of his maternal uncle, the duc de broglie, in the attempted coup of the 16th of may. his _etablissements penitentiaires en france et aux colonies_ (1875) was crowned by the academy, of which he was admitted a member in 1888. in 1891 the resignation of henri edouard bocher from the administration of the orleans estates led to the appointment of m d'haussonville as accredited representative of the comte de paris in france. he at once set to work to strengthen the orleanist party by recruiting from the smaller nobility the officials of the local monarchical committees. he established new orleanist organs, and sent out lecturers with instructions to emphasize the modern and democratic principles of the comte de paris; but the prospects of the party were dashed in 1894 by the death of the comte de paris. in 1904 he was admitted to the academy of moral and political science. the comte d'haussonville published:--_c. a. sainte-beuve, sa vie et ses oeuvres_ (1875), _etudes biographiques et litteraires_, 2 series (1879 and 1888), _le salon de mme necker_ (1882, 2 vols.), _madame de la fayette_ (1891), _madame ackermann_ (1892), _le comte de paris, souvenirs personnels_ (1895), _la duchesse de bourgogne et l'alliance savoyarde_ (1898-1903), _salaire et miseres de femme_ (1900), and, with g. hanotaux, _souvenirs sur madame de maintenon_ (3 vols., 1902-1904).