The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1870-10-20
with military life.


The horrors Of u seige are we'll indica-
ted in the following despatch to the
Boston JoWnui, dated Strasbourg, Sep
temher S.
Over two thousand citizens have been
killed. The beautiful cathedral which
was used as an observatory, is partly
destroyed. There are now over five hum
dred cannon beaHng upon the citadel
aud forty thousand Baden troops ready
to enter as soon as the walls are broken.
Over twenty thousand refugees ure with
in the walls, suffering all the terrors of
homba rdment. The Qualifications arc
slowly burning. The Germans captured
have their heads cut off and stuck on
poles. Hundreds of Germans expelled
have been killed between the fires of
the two parties. The city is in flames in
twenty different places, and the rabble
are plllaging the houses and making a
destruction of everything they can lay
hold of. There are daily thunder storms
and the Rhine has risen, driving the
inhabitants from the cellars. The pco.
pie are lighting for places in the sewers
to escape destruction from the shells
which are poured by hundreds into the
streets. Six hundred citizens were bur
led by the falling ot buildings. Horse
flesh Is the only meat to he obtained IN
the city, and the inhabitants are on the
verge Of starvation. Awful scenes are,
witnessed. Many have been killed in bed
and the commander shoots at once all
who talk of surrender. The mob Is riot
ing nightly and demanding surrender.
The city has not fired gun since the
9th. 1t is under fire from three sides.
The sluices which furnished the city
with water are destroyed, thereby add
ing to the suilerngs of the people. 1t is
known that there are two hundred
thousand Chassepots stored in Strus-
bourg. The Immediate surrender of the
city is predicted. There are only seven
thousand regular troops now in the
city.
One of the most lamentable results of
the seige of Strasbourg, leaving out Of
view the loss OF human life, is the inju-
ry which the bombardment has inil,ct-
ed upon the noble cathedral; and we
may add, upon its wonderful usronOU-
icUi ciock. The last cathedral, which,
perhaps more than any other one thing
has made the name Of Stiasbourg cele>
brated, is considered one of the finest
Gothic buildings in Europe. 1t WAS foun-
ded a. ID. 5Oi The choir was built by
Charlemagne; probably A. ID. 500
though it was not completed until l439.
The material of which the cathedral is
built is Il brown stone, very much resem-
bling our Connecticut Portland frees tone
so extensively used for building purposes
in Hartford, and in the Fifth avenne OF
New York. 1t was obtained, we find
upon inquiry, from quarry at Vase
! bOnne, in the valley of Couronne, few
| miles from Strasbourg. The architect of
the existing cditice was Erwin Won
| Steirbach Of Baden. One John iuells
OF Cologne, was the architect Of the
peerless tower. We state these facts
seen in print. It's spire il the loftiest in
the world. Its height, 500 feet surpa~ses
st. Peters, and is about equal to that
of the Great Pyramid. The greater part
of the entise structure was destroyed by
lightning in 1907; and the restored edi
flee was begun in 1Ol5, and completed
in 1886. The cathedral is in every part
richly decorated with sculptures; and
the western front, rising to a hight o.
23O feet, Is, or was, particularly fine
with its wealth of statues, ornamental
carvings, and bas rcliefs. 1t has a circu
lar window As feet in diameter. Tn,
Prussian heavy artillery has made, it is
said,a ruin of IA part of the vast building
The astronomical clock, the produc'
year 1880 is a marvel of ingenuity an'
Of q German clockmaker, In about The
mechanical skill, and has no counter
part. 1t performs not only the ordinary
service of i clock, but exhibits the days
and the months and the years; th'
process of the seasons the signs of th'
zodiac and the names and movements o
the heavenly bodies. At each quartz
: hour an angel comes out and strikes on'
stroke on a bell; at every hour anothe
angel comes and strikes twice; and at l.
meridian, a figure Of Christ appears
accompanied by the twelve apostles, al
, Of whom move around central poin
, and pass in, out ofsight by anotherdoor
!, the stroke of twelve being given, and
cock flaps his wings and crows. Tn
r clock is enormous in size, like every
thing else connected with the vas
cathedral, and is invisible from the out
side street, the spectator passing through
the nave of the cathedral to see it.
The shop-keeping interests of Pari
are suffering terribly from the state {
l seigc. There are no tourists to buy pref
G ty trifles at exhorbitant prices. The Ru
!. de Rivoli, the Rue de la Paix, the Ru
: Royale, and the Rue Castiglione, ar