Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-09-27


AND LIBRARY.-One of the most Ia
mentable results of the siege of Stras-
bourg, leaving out of view the loss of
human life, is the injury which the
bombardmeat has inflicted upon the
noble cathedral and its wonderful
astronomical clock. The vast cathe-
dral, which, perhaps, more than any
other one thing, has made the name
Of Strasbourg celebrated, is one of
the finest Gothic buildings in Europe.
1t was founded A. d. 504. The choir
was built by Charlemagne; probably
about A. d. 500, although it was not
completed until 1889. The material
of which the cathedral is built is a
brown stone very much resembling
our Connecticut Portland freestone,
so extensively used in Fifth Avenue.
1t was obtained from q quarry at
Wassebonne, in the valley of Couron-
ne, a few miles from Strasbourg. The
architect Of the existing edifce was
Erwin Won Steinbach, of Baden. One
John Huells, Of Cologne, was the
architect Of the peerless tower. It's
spire is the loftiest in the world. is
height, 466 feet, surpasses st. Peters
and is about equal to that of the
Great Pyramid. The greater part
of the entire structure was destroyed
by lightning in 1907, and the restor-
ed edifce was begun in 1915 and
completed in 1439. The cathedral
is in every part richly decorated with
sculptures; and the western front
rising to a height Of 23O feet, is, OF
was, particularly fine with its wealth
of statues, ornamental carvings and
bas-reliefs. 1t has circular window
As feet in diameter. The PrussiaI
heavy artillery has made, it is said. {
ruin of part Of the vast building.
The astronomical clock, the pro
duct Of a German clockmaker, il
about the year 1850, is a marvel o
ingenuity and mechanical skill, anC
has no counterpart. 1t performs no
only the ordinary service of a clock
but exhibits the days, and the months
and the years; the process of tn
seasons; the signs of the zodiac, anC
the names and movements of the heav
emily bodies. At each quarter-hou
an angel comes ont and strikes on
stroke on bell; at every hour an
other angel comes and strikes twice
and at II, meridian, a figure of Chris
appears, accompanied by the twelv
apostles, all of whom move around
central point and pass in, out Of sigh
by another door, the stroke of twelv
. being given, and a cock flaps hi
wings and crows. The clock is enol
nous in size, like everything els
T. connected with the vast cathedra
and is invisible from the out-sid
street.-the spectator passing throug
. the nave of the cathedral to see
|; 1t has suffered from fire and violent
l before the present year, having bee
out of repair and motionless sint
the revolution Of 1898, until the ye;
1912, when it was repaired by
matchmaker of Bas- -Rhin, and hs
been in operation since. 1t is to |
; hoped that this ingenious piece
mechanism has not been irreparab
injured by the present bombardmer
The loss Of the Strasbourg libral
"a vast collection of 100000 VI
umes, including many collections
' rare and curious monkish parchmen
is total and irreparable. 1t C;
never be replaced by any collectit
hereafter made. 1t was the slow /
suit of thousand years; and its de
truction by fire, caused by the Prr
W sian hot shot, is like the burning
the Alexandrian library in this, tn
of great number OF the works d.
e troyed no duplicates can ever be c
tained.-Hartford Times.