The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-06-02
Miscellaneous.
THE GATE OF PARIS.

TIE GATE OF PARIS.
the Arch of Triumph aud Old Paris lIausmann the
Magnificent and Ills Work.
When the great Napoleon resolved to
perpetuate his name and fame by the
huge stone memento which has recciv-
cd the common appellation of the Arch
Of Triumph, because it was larger and
finer than all former arches of triumph,
his Typographical eye set it, with his
usual clear judgment, upon the very
spot where, above all others, it belonged
ON the hill Immediately west of the
city Of Paris. Lower than Montmartrc,
but high enough to overlook everything
else, it was not onlya commanding site,
but what was more to the purpose, it
was vacant, the city only having stag
gerod to q distant base OF the hill, while
the village of Passey lay full quarter
Of n mile beyond it. For many years
the stupendous pile stood out in tho
cold, among rickcty county shantics
and cabbage gardens. Tho true Paris.
ian, faithful to his gregarions instincts,
scorned the airy, commanding heights
about the arch for the steaming cutters
around the Tuileries, or the malarious
procints of the st. German quarter.
But finally came the coup detart, and
then the second empire, and the third
Napoleon, bringing home from his ex-
lie in New York and London the con-
taeeon of modern improvements, found
the fitting apostle of his enterprise in
the great demolisher, IIausmann.
Hausmann was what might be called
a landscape gardener in cities. BY a
single move of the outer wall, he added
one.t third to the superficial area of Paris.
He took an old map Of the city, and
sketched but grand design, binding
the segregated towns, villages and sub.
urbs that com posed it into one great
metropolis, having unity OF govern.
ment, communication, defense, embel-
lishment. Nor was it merely paper
plan. His resources were ample. He
had the will of a despot, the labor of q
city, tho revenues of nation, at his
command. He did not Sickle at forms,
nor stop for bubbles, nor wait for ap.
propliations. Where he drew his lines
there went the surveyors levels and
the workman's pick.ax. There was
dust and rubbish and confusion, ever
while the inmates were yet swarminl
out Of the centuries old rookeries, lik,
bees out of disturbed hive.
The streets and boulevard5 of the
new empire dug remorselessly through
the heart of the city, sparing neither
hovel nor mansion, literally turning
things inside out, in way that very
greatly disturbed the oldest Inhabitants
Not one of the old fossil bourgeois ever
got sniff of the plaster-dust but hi
shook his head with rueful and ominou'
looks. "H taiAe dams le rD"-" he cut
into the living flesh "-they would say
1t was curious to stray in among thest
eXtemporized ruins. The blackenet
Gimme y,fluos, the tarnished wall, pa
per, the dust marks OF mirrors ant
picture-frames, suddenly exposed to the
sky and sunshine, seemed to reveal tn,
whole inner life of every building. |
reminded one of that legend of satal
unrooflng the houses of great city
and laying bare at one swoop all ii
secrets and sins and sorrows.
But the prefect of the Seine coulC
|
bound up the pecuniary wounds o
houseless landlords with liberal indem
mites, and healed the architectural scar
with miles and miles of solid and ele
CANT six and seven story buildings
almost ms beautiful and artistic as al
alabaster toy box. Avenues, squares
churches, theatres, fountains and gar
dens sprang up under his dictatorship
like mushrooms. He is thing of tn
past but in his day he destroyed ant
created n city-not emitting debt of
hundred millions, which the stubborn
Parisians obstinateIy refuse to considc
Il municipal blessing.
The hill which is crowned by tn
arch of triumph did not escape the ap
preciative eye of this architecture
landscape gardener. When he bull
his new city wall he took it in, witt
ample margins. He evidently reserve'
this for his masterpiece, and therefor
proceeded with it slowly and delibel
atcly. lie finished up the rugged in
completeness of the Champs Elysees
, the broad and ample avenue leading
straight as an arrow, from the garde
, of the Tuileries up to the arch, placing
, on each side splendid line of builC
ings. Around the arch he traced
generous circle, land made it the centr
, from which radiated avenues in a
directions. The chief one of thest
however, led to the west, being in poir
of fact simply continuation of ii
Champs Elysees. 1t is of still ample
Dimensions, and is named the Aveur
of the Grand Army. At its extremit.
, the gate, called Porte Maillot, gave II
cess to the suburb of Neuilly, lyin
close up to the wall, and through tn
Z I suburb the avenue of Neuilly is, on Il
same grand scale, continuation OF
straight line from the Tuilleries, ru
ming to the bridge of Neuilly whiS