Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1871-05-25
Demolition of the Column Vendome in
j. t.... Paris.

a
A dispatch from Paris, dated May II,
gives the following account of the de-.
.struction of the column in the Place
Vendome: wE ~. 3
seThere was a, tremendous scene at the
fall of the Column Vendome, Yesterday
afternoon. The fall was announced for
2 o'clock, and all the balconies in Place
Vendome were thronged with ladies.
Rues de La Paix and C~astiglione were
crowded. Three bands of music ar
rived while the workmer were engaged
in chipping the base of the column.
M. Abadie next arrived and inspected
the windIs IS. The excitement was in
tense. Rochefort next appeared, and
the people crowded around him, giving
him loud cheers. Soon all arrange
ments were completed, and bugles
sounded as if the column, like the walls
of Jericho, was to fall from a blast. The
cable stretched and frightened, but the
column stood firm. The windlass broke,
and the pulley flew into the air and
then descended, striking a sailor and
wounding him--After this accident
Abadie declared hat he needed two
hours in which to repair the tackle.
The odds rose that the column would
not fall. At SIS o'clock, it was given
out that the column would not fall be-
fore 7 o'clock. A general expression of
d~isapprobation went through the crowd.
Abadie was accused of completely with
the Versailles Government, anG threat
ened with the g~uilIotine. At 5:25, the
cable was again stretched for the work
of demolition. Suddenly, 1toEthe sur
prise of the spectators, the vast column
moved and swayed. : 1t next swept
magnifcently down, bursting into frag-
ments as it struck the earth. 1t fell
lengthwise in Rue de la Paix, exactly
on the manure cushion prepared for it,
splintering with. dull, heavy, lumber
ing sound while athick cloud of dust
and crushed and powdered masonry
the column FELL gave tremendous
shouts of ssVWe la Commune and the
bands playingthe " Marseillaise Hymn
When the dust cleared away, there lay
the glorious column, shattered to pieces,
its b~ronzeeand masonry in two masses
together, in the middle, and the statue
Of the Emperor several feet from one
end of the column, with the lead
knocked off. The crowd rushed for
ward to secure the fragments as relics,
and the guards were unable to resist
the rush. Next the orators commenced
their speeches, indulging in all sorts of
~extravagant language. Inc statue OF
the Emperor was treated as if it were
the Emperor himself. National Guards
spat into his face and struck it with
their rifles. After the ceremonies were
concluded, the crowd dispersed, and
the soldiers moved off, waving theirred
flag, and giving expression to their joy
with continual shouting" gr5u. rs5
|, 1NoTs. This famous column was
erected to commemorate the exploits of
the first Napoleon. The monument is
(orwas( 1926 feet in height. 1T was built
of stone and incased in bronze, the ma
terial of which was obtained from the
cannon captured by Napoleon in his
battles with the Austrians prior to the
year 1S05-the whole surmounted by a
statue of Napoleon. The bronze plates
were adorned with b~as-reliefs represent
ing the battles in which the cannon
were taken.
Birds and the Thoughts They Suggest,