The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-09-28
The City of Strasbure.

the French orthograpby and Sttassburg in the Ger
man-s situated on the west bank OF the river III,
about mile from the left bank OF the Rhine, to
which it's glacis extends. 1t is $50 miles east by
south from Paris, and is the capital Of the French
Department OF Bas-Rhln. At the outbreak OF the
war, 1t had population OF about s5OOO the inhabi-
tants being chiefly of German descent, but speaking
the French and German languages with equal diff
dculty and inaccuracy.
Directly opposite Strasburg, and near the mouth
OF the KinZig in Baden is situated the small German
town OF Kehl, with population OF less than 1900.
1t was fortified by Vauban, and was formerly Ger
man bulwark against France, but its fortincatioAs
have been dismantled. Kehl has long been con-
nected with Strasburg by bridge OF boats across
the Rhine. This bridge was strongly fortified on
the French side, and for years two silent sen
tines had been on constant duty upon 1t, the
represe ntative Of each country tramplng
quietly from the shore up to the line which
marked the limit of his jurisdiction, and then re-
turning on his monotonOus beat, without work
with the companion who kept watch and ward with
him. This quaint scene will doubtless never be
witnessed again. as Germany will doubtless retain
the hold upon Strasburg which she obtained after
such protracted struggle. on July 22 the eastern
end of the bridge was blown up by the Prussians,
the first step towards attempting the capture OF
Strasburg.
The river III fows-or, rather, did now-through
part of the town in northeast direction, has many
branches, and is crossed by several wooden bridges
The streets generally are narrow and crooked, but
the principal thoroughfares are broad and attractive,
and there are several fine squares. The houses are
lofty, well built, and have steep roofs There are in
the city large number of prominent public build
ings, including fifteen churches.
The largest OF these the cathedral is considered
one of the finest Gothic structures In Europe. Orig
nally founded in 504, 1t was almost entirely de-
stroyed by lightning in 1907. The present building
was commenced in 1918, the architect being Erwin
Won Steinbach, but was not completed until 1889.
The principal dimensions OF the cathedral =
Extreme length 357 feet; height of ceiling, 70 feet
length OF ransept 140 feet and breadth of the nave,
30 feet. The west front, which is richly decorated
with sculptures, statues, and bas-reliefs and con-
tans circular window as feet diameter, rises to
the height Of 230 feet Far above this, however,
towers the splre, the loftiest in the world, to a
height OF 466 feet From the peculiar location
OF the town, a splendid view OF the country for
miles around is afforded by ascent to the top, this
grand panorama being one OF the chief attractions
of the city to the tourist The great feature OF the
cathedral is the famous astronomical clock, the work
OF German clockmaker, in about the year 1850. II
IL marvel OF ingenuity and mechanical skill, and
the world has never seen the like of it elsewhere
This marvellous affair performs not only the ordinary
service of clock, but exhibits the days, and the
months, and the years. the progress OF the seasons
the signs OF the zodiac, and the names and move
ments of the heavenly bodies AT each quarter-hou
an angel comes out and strikes stroke on a bell
at every hour another angel comes and strike:
twice; and at ~, meridian, figure OF Chris
appears, accompanied by the twelve apostles
all OF whom move around a centra
point and pass in, out OF sight, by
another door, the stroke OF twelve being given, and
q cock flaps his wings and crows The clock is
enormous in size, like everything else connected
H8h the vast cathedral, and Is Invisible from Ehs