Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-11-01

Louis XIV, seized it in time Of peace and
annexed it to France but this unwarranta-
bic act did not make Frenchmen of the
people Of Strasbourg They look German,
and generally speak the German language.
French is taught in the schools. The great
est attraction in Strasbourg is the celebrated
Cathedral with its lofty spire, on which
busy mechanics have been at work for 600
years, and have not yet reached the height
of the ambitious architect. The Cathedral
is one of the finest Gothic edifces in Eu-
rope; its spire is the highest in the world,
being thirty feet higher than the great Pyr-
amid of Egypt, and 13O feet higher than
St. Paul's, London. This is one Of the
church steeples 1 did not have the courage
to climb, as was informed that people oc-
casionally dropped though the open work,
falling distance of some 500 feet The
Bishops have found it necessary to issue
many indulgences toprocure money to build
the Notre Dame or Cathedral of Strasbourg.
The church is decorated with some fue
statues, and numerous paintings. Its ex-
treme height has made it mark for the
lightning; it has been struck more than
dozen times. In 1854 the spire was en-
tirely demolished BY lightning, but was
soon restored In 172S an earthquake
came near shaking it to the ground. Its
stained windows are beautiful; one of them
is unusually large, being fifty feet in diam
eter. The rich painted glass was manufac
tured in the 18th century. 10 1904
year long to be remembered throug ghout
Franoe-the Cathedral fell into the hands
of the Jacobins. They caused several hun.
dred statutes of Kings and Saints to be cast
into the streets and river, and converted the
church into an arsenal and place for COM
missary stores. The cut of the Jacobin
sabre is to be seen on many statues, paint
ings and church altars, not only in Stras-
bourg, but in Paris and other cities.- In the
Cathedral is an astronomical clock, almost
as celebrated as the tall spire. Three Ger
man professors spent lifetime iD trying to
perfect it, but did not complete their work.
1t is called the Clock of the Three Sages.
This celebrated clock has racked the brain
of the German mstbenaticians for 500 years,
and was finally perfected by Schwilgue, who
is now resident of Strasbourg 1t shows
the hour, day of week: of the month, the
year, and many church celebrations. Pre-
cisely at twelve o'clock its full mechanism
is set in motion. At that hour the crowd
is generally so great it requires a number
of policemen to preserve order. The figure
of Death is surrounded by four figures, rep.
resenting the four ages of life. Childhood
strikes the first quarter, Youth the second,
Manhood the third, and decrepid Old Age
the fourth Con the Continent the clock al
ways strikes each quarter of the hour). As
Death. strikes the hour, Youth turns over
the hour.glass that ne holds in lis hands
At noon the twelve Apostles pass, bowing
before Christ. As they pass one at time,
our Saviour lifts his hand to bless them
During that time, cock, which is perched
on the right, flaps his wings, and crows
three times. Mr.. Schwilgue has recently
added an ecclesiastic compute, with all its
indications, presenting also the revolutions
and eclipses Of the sun and moon for an In.
definite time. AS an intricate and fne piece
of workmanship, the old clock surpasses any
thing 1 have yet seen. Perhaps to the ma
jority of Americans it looks like an unne
cessary expenditure of time and labor. 1t
proves, however, what skill and mechanism
can produce.
- 1t is urged that the Radicals will ad
NIT the Southern States to representation,
provided they accept the proposed Consti-
tutional amendment Upon this subject,
the New York Independent emphatically
says:
We know personally every prominent
member of Congress, and We know that the
leaders do uot mean to admit the unaduit-
ted States on the mere adoption of the a.
mendment Moreover, we know personally
the leading Radicals of the Republican par.
ty outside of Congress, and we know they
have no intention of making the amendment
the final measure of admission.