The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-10-31
PARIS.


PARIS.
The City OF Strangers.-Dofngs OF
tho Commune.-PIacesa and Objects
or Bixtor1caI Interest.
Special Correspondence ofthe Register.
PARIS, September 3Olh, 1873.
Aud now we are in Paris, the City OF
Strangers, which. when taken through
out, is the most uniformly and entirely
beautiful that we have yet seen, not
withstanding the many vicissitudes
which have marked her chequered ex-
istenoe. The ruins Ct her late calami-
ties still remain as blotches disfgurlng
and defscing her once acknowledged
and furpsssing beauty. 0ne would cup
pose tbst there could scarcely be found
in city possessing the beauty and ele-
gauce OF Paris, OF which her people
were so justly proud, band OF vaudals,
and they too her own citizens, who would
deliberately and vantonly destroy the
most magnificent and costly structures
aud finest specimens Of architecture in
their own city. But such was the band
calling themselves the Commune.
which took possession OF the city 10
March, 1871, and openly declared and
uaged war agai nst the government OIL
France, which wss established at Yer.
sailles, closing the gstes OF the city and
organizing armies Tor its defence. Among
lie many
ACTS OF VANDALISM.
r.,nmitted by this band wss the pulling
Io.n of the Column Vendome, the
demolition Of the private hotel Of n.
Theirs, burning Of the Palace Of the
Tuileries, Palace Royal, Palace Of JUS
,ice, Ministry OF Finance, Hotel de Vile,
Hotel ofthe Legion of Honor and many
other OF the finest Of the public build
ings. The Palace OF the Louvre, Pan
theon Church, and some other buildings
were saved from demolition by the
timely arrival oil the government troops
who severed the burning fuse before 1t
reached the powder placed within them
This destruction OF property was COM
mitted BY the Commune" in their at
tempt to carry into effect the threat re.
peatedly made that il they could not
hold the city they would lay it 10 ashes
They fred shells containing petroleum
into all paris ot the city; bribed many
OF the fire companies who threw petro-
leum instead OF water from their en-.
gines into the flames, and filled the
II otel de Vile with petroleum. powder,
and other infammsble material to in-
sure its speedy and complete destruc'
tion. This building has played con-
spicuous part in the different revoIu-
tions, having been the rallyiDg p ace OF
the insurgents. 1t was the headquarters
OF the Commune" who as they were
gradually driven back gave vent 10
their rage aud despair by setting on
Gre many OF the surrounding build
iugs and numbering the inhabitantS,
while two OF their humber specially
charged with the task ignited the COM
bustibles in the building while about
600 OF their comrades were within its
precincts. The troops who were now
masters OF the situation poured an in"
cessaut FIRE into the building, giving no
quarter 10 those who issued from It's
blazing and falling walls, while those
who remained met the appalling fate
which their own hands had ignited.
SITUATION AND HISTORY oF TIE CITY.
Paris is beautifully situated in
plain on both banks OF the river Seine,
aud itstwo parts, those separated BY
the river, are connected by twenty"
seven elegant stone bridges. The
country on sll sides is very level and
presents little diversity OF physical ap-
pearance. On the north and northeast
il rises into low hills which are encir-
cled at q distance OF from three to FIVE
miles, by an outer range Of heights,
upon which are erected those impreg-
uabls forts, which constitute the outer
defenses OF the city, aud which bafied
the ipgenuity, skill and military proves
OF the Germans in the late war. Like
sll European cities during the middle
sges, Paris was enclosed within wslls
Her rulers foresaw their inutility as city
dsfenses after artillery was introduced
into military expeditions. and convert
ed them into boulevards or public
walks around the city, and they now
constitute the most beautiful and fash
ionablc pronenadss or streets g, well
a. the centre OF mercantile transactions.
TIE city has several times, through the
misfortuues Of war. fallen into the
bands OF invaders, beseigers and allied
armies, and has been tour times sacked
aud plundered By her own populsce
within the lsst century; iu 1872, 1880
lS4S and 1871 The process Of modern
zng The city was begun by Louis
XIV. carried to a moderate degree OF
perfection BY Napoleon |, and va, en-
tirely completed by Napoleon III. un-
der whose direction the old portion OF
the city was almost entirely rebuilt,
streets were videued and besutlfed, and
ne. and spacious thoroughisres opened
through the old aud crowded districts
The buildings on eli the streets aud
boulevards ARE most elegant 10 con-
struetiou and design. They are all
rom six TO eigh! stories IL height
aud are relieved by cornics,
balconies and mou;dinss o.
exquisite designs, which give
rhsn 8 ligh,, airy and IN.
wing appesrsDse 3They present q
striking contrast with the heavy, dull,
sombri fronts OF the houses 10 Berlin,
which very much resemble The sbut-
m.uts OF our railroad BRIDGE, with
seither balconies, cornice, or mouldlpgs
to relieve the monotouy OF the view
This no doubt our German frisrds
4.