The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1870-10-13
THE sTEAsBURG CATHEDRAL CLOCK
- ANN IB RAkl., ..-.L..r ID

F..,a -...-,,..r AND iBRAkl-, e45i.st asi5
-qOne ofthe most 1amentable results
of the seige of Strasburg, leaving out
ofiview the loss of human life, is the
injury which the bombardment in
f1icted npon the noble cathedral and
its wonderful astronomical clock.
The vast cathedral, which, perhaps,
more than any other one thing, has
made the name of Strasburg celebra-
ted, is one of the finest gothic build
ipgs in Europe. 1t was founded A.
d. 504. The choir was built by
Charlemange; probably about A. D.,
500, though it was not completed un-
til l439. The material of which the
cathedral is built is o brown stone,
very much resembling our Connecti-
cut Portland tree-stoney so extensive
Iy used in Fifth avenue. 1t was OBJ
tained fromra quarry at Wassebonne,
in the valley of COuronne, a few
miles from Strasburg.. The architect
OF the existing editice was Erwin Won
Steinbach.l of9oB Baden! II One j ohm
Huells, OF Cologne, was the architect
OF the peerless tower. Its spire Is
the loftiest iu the world. ii Its height,
1866 feet, surpasses St. Peters, and is
about equal to that of the great Pyr-
amid The greater part of the entire
structure was destroyed by lightning
in I007, and The restored edifice was
begun in f0l5 and completed in l439.
The cathedral is in every part richly
! decorated with sculptures; and the
western front rising to a height OF 23O
feet, is, or was, particularly fine with
its wealth of statues, ornamental cary
iiigs, and bas-reliefs. 1t has circu-
lar window 49 feet in diameter. The
Prussiruo heavy artillery has made, it
is said, a ruin of part of the vast build
ing. l''.' IAN '''' 80
1.-The astronomical clock, the pro
duct Of a German clockmaker, in
about the year. 1850, is marvel of in
genuity and mechanical skill, and has
no counterpart. 1t performs not on
ly the ordinary service of a clock,
but exhibits the days, and the months,
and the years the process of the sea,
sons; the signs Of the zodiac, and the
names and movements of the heaven
1y bodies. At each quarter hour an
angel comes out and strikes one stroke
on a bell at every hour another angel
comes out and strikes twice and al
twelve, meridian, a figure of Chris
appears, accompanied by the twelve
apostles, all of whom move around {
central point and pass in, out OF, sight
by another door, the stroke of. twelve
being given, and a cock. flaps. his
wings and crows. The clock is enor
NOUS in size, like everything else con
nected with the vast cathedral, and i,
Invisible from the outside, street.-the
spectator passing Through the nave O
| the cathedral to see it 1t has suffered
from fire and violence before the
present year, having been out of re
pair and dmotionless since the revolu.
ton of 1893, until the year 1912, wher
it was repaired bya q matchmaker o
Bas-Rhin, and has been III operation
since. 1t is to be hoped that this in
genious piece of mechanism has no
been irreparably injured by, the pres
ent bombardment. r.. 49, 5-f. ..,., ,.
The loss of the ,Strasburg library
vast collection of 100000, vo lume!
including many collections of ,rar'
and curious monkish ,parchments-
is total and irreparable. It can never
be replaced by any collection here af
tel. made. Itwas the slow result of /,
thousand years; and its destruction
by fire. caused by the Prussian no
shot is like the burning of the Alex
andrian library in this, that of a grea
number of the works destroyed NJ
duplicates, can ever be obtained
Hartford Times. -, ..... d. ..s.o... .,.-7g
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