The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-06-29
HORRORS OF THE CAPTURE OI
PARIDI

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HORRORS OF THE CAPTURE OF
PARIyl
Vivid Deseriptisn ef the 0on6agration.
i From tho correspondence and
foreign papers received, it appears
) that the telegraphlc dispatches
horrible indeed as were their details
did not sufficiently portray the
reign Of terror through which the
city passed. The red days Of '9e
were moro than excelled in terror,
for to the prodigal effusion OF blood
by the infuriated Veraaillists was
added the spectacle of the burning
of Paris BY the defeated and retreat
ing Communists.
| We extrsct q few Of the most vivid
scenes ~ described by eye witnesses,
but no history so terrible as this has
been related before during the CEN
tury. A Paris correspondent writes
on May Gath to the London Times:
i "A SHEET OF FLAME.
At dark climbed upon the top of
the Hotel Catham, and sight, such,
| trust, as l never may see again,
met my view. The southwest Of
Paris was sheet of flame I began
to fear that the menaces which we
had sc0ffed ct as idle threats were
about to become terrible reality.
From AnteuiI to MoDtrouge the
heavens wero lit by series Of con.
flagrations, which died away in sui.
phurous smoke, only to burst forth
again with a loud report, and spread
still farther westward:
We were at loss to conceive what
could be on fire. Passy seemed
smouldering slowly. the real blaze
being more in the direction Of Lux
embourg. 1t shot up in showers OF
sparks, revealing q dark mass Of
dome that loomed black against the
sky. This We took to be the Pan
thcon, and rejoioed in the fact that
the river lay between us and the ad-
vancing blade Of flame. The smoke
spread slowly but surely, and some
one announced that the Pantheon
had caught fire. We saw light
shining through the roof, and pres.
entity an immense jet of fame shot
straight up into the sky, revealing q
form which was at once recognized
as the central pavilion of the Tuil-
cries.
A CRY OF Horror
Burst from the lips of the people
who had assembled on the roof at
tho discovery of the terrible truth,
and we gazed fascinated as the flames
licked rapidly the mass of buildings,
shot up from time to time in long,
forkcd tongues, accompanied by
heavy white clouds of naptha-smcll-
ing smoke. Although at SO great a
distance from tho scene of opera
tions, we could hear the roar and the
clattcr Of shivering slate and raftnrs,
while we were 30 we'll lit up in our
position on tho roof that tho bullets
began to whistle in our direction -
probably from the linesmen on tho
Opera House, who took US for mem-
bers of the Commune, celebrating
our hideous victory. Shells whiz-
zed past US, rattling down in the
neighboring streets, and we began
to feel our situation precarious. By
this time the great pavilion was
A MERE SKELETON OF GOLDEN LIGHT,
Cut by curved ribs Of black, and
crowned by square gallery. 1t re-
minded me somewhat Of st. Peters
when illuminated-St. Peters, of
course, appearing as a toy in con-
trast. L continued to stare, scarce
daring TO believe my eyes, whom sud-
denly there was vivid light; the
pavilion had sunk In with . crash,
and q strcam of sparks few straight
into tho heavens, literally mixing
with the stars.
Steadily the fire advanced, with q
certainty that Indicated the presence
Of petroleum in large quantities. and,
at last, that tho great collection OF
the Louvre was to be sacrificed.
Fortunately, the pictures of the
Italian school are hidden away, but
who shall replace the antique statues,
the Venus Of Milo, and the Polhym-
MIA, that are destined to be destroy
ed by the diabolical spite of tho mad
men who have been terror to us
for SO long?
| The sight, ahd the reflections
which it engendered, we're 30 awful
as to blind us to the presence of
other CONGREGATIONS that were
springing up along the line. A hugo
red bar, like giant furnace, indica-
ted that q large portion Of the
j Quarter St. Gerinain was being des-
troyed, while q light in the Palais
Royalo, and another in the Luxem-
bourg, suggested tho idea that all
Paris was, indeed, to be destroyed.
i THE AMAxoNs OF THE SEINE.
The correspondent of the London
News says: Among the prisoners
4 marched into Versailles were y CON-
rany Of the Amanons Of the Seine,
and q battalion of patriotic children.
8 The former were dressed as uiUdndi.
f eres. Some; who had ehown them
f selves restive, we're hand cuffed. -
One had child strung on her back
! the arm of another was in . sllng
the habit shirt of another pretty
brunette was covered with fresh
blood. Another Amazon was wound
> cd. They all showed symptoms o
n fatigue, but still wore defiant air
! and did not seem to belong TO tn
i class with which the Magdale'
Asylums are peopled. All wero no
young; indeed, matrons wero NOR
numerous than maidens in this ban'
of female warriors. They wer
L forced TO walk ut . quick pace, unde
% the broiling sun, by . troop ofmoun,
70 cd gensd drmes. Their advent in tn
% streets of Versailles was the cause G
d much mirth among the people. On
v stout old woman, who responded I
A. the smile of tho bystanders by di
l xuo, hn,t,J a