Middletown transcript., 1869-05-08

monuments, far outstrips all others in the
world-being in fact city of the dead,
where about twenty thousand persons are
inferred annually
While the new Woodland Cemetery, SIT
uated in Westchester county, N. Y. about
~ miles from the city, and larger than
the latter, will soon vie with Greenwood
in its magnificent walks and drives among
the towering monuments.
The Catacombs of Paris are vast subter-
ranean quarries or exhausted mines Of
building stone, underneath the city, of
which the original contents were used to
construct the houses on the right bank of
the Seine. About the year 1777 they.
began to be dangerous, after having been
long forgotten. Some parts fell in and it
became necessary to take some means of
securing the ground. While this was be
ing done, it occurred to the authorities that
it would be good opportunity to remove
thither the bones of the cemetery of the
Innocents, then about to be converted to-
public purposes. After this the catacombs,
as they were thenceforth called. were So
lemnly inaugurated in 17SS They have.
since received the contents of other ceme-
teries, and the bones have been built in
with view to ornamental and architectu-
raj decoration.
The Catacombs can only be viewed by
special permission from the engineer who.
superintends them, and then only on GER
tain occasions. The labyrinth of passages
would render visit under other circum-
stances extremely dangerous. --
In the Dupuytren Medical Museum of
Paris, a male skeleton measuring about
ten feet and six inches in length can be
seen, which was found in these catacombs
several years since, while many of the
bones taken from the cemetery Of the In
nocents were being overhauled.
The noble structure called the Palais du
Louvre, occupies space which has been
used for public purposes as a palace OF
fortress from the earliest date, was the
habitation of the Kings of France till
1864, at which time the western wing and
about half the south facade were alone
completed. These date from 1911. 1t
was greatly advanced in the reign of Hen
ry w, and has gradually, and at intervals,
grown into its present state. The final
completion was reserved for the present
Emperor, who connected it with the Tui-
leries in 1952-1S57. The exterior of
the Louvre is very striking, and the finest
part is the magnificent colonade, by Per-
rault, which adorns the principal facade,
opposite the church of St. Germaip I Aux
errois. 1t is nearly $40 feet long, and
consists of three parts, The height is
about 90 feet. 1t is generally regarded as
one of the most successful works of its
kind in existence.
The interior of this structure is occupied
to very great extent by the magnificent
museums, the pride of France, 1t con-
tains also the hall of meeting for the great
council of State, first opened in 1859. In
the lower part, IN three inner courts, ara
the stables of the Emperor, which are
splendidly fitted. There are nearly hum
dred carriages of all kinds, including the
State carriage called the Voiture de Alar-
iage. 1t weighs more than six tons.
The Louvre is connected with the TUT
leries-the capitol of France-hy noble
court. The whole area covered by the
two palaces is nearly nine acres.
New York, April, 1869. b S. T.