Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-02-28
LETTER FROM GERMANY.
FRANKFORT ON THE.MAIN,
EahrnarY 2. 1R7H.

o
FRANKFORT ON THE.MAIN, Z
February 2, 1875. ]
EDITOR CHRONICLE, Dear Sir: Az
we mentioned few of the old land
marks in our last letter, we will begin
this by citing few others. The old
stone bridge over the Main might be
considered AZ one. AS the history runs,
first q wooden one WIS built in 1850, or
as some say earlier-but was destroyed
200 years later by an inundation. In
1896 one of stone was built, which in
1916 underwent the same fate. An
other of stone was also destroyed by an
immense ir undation. The one stand
ing at present is already 500 years old,
is $50 feet long, rests upon IA large
arches, with ice breakers. On the
main pillar stands thestatue of Charles
the Great, wrought In sandstone; for
merly stood two square towers at both
ends OF the bridge, one of which
bore carrieature against, the
Jews, and only disappeared In 1901,
when the whole tower was taken of.
There stood of old on the middle of the
bridge, an old house in which chris
tened Jew lived, who paid farthing
to every one for delivered rat; that
money WAS taken from the penalty
paid by the Jews. Also has disappear
ed hand cut through by hatchet,
with the legend: The hand will be ex-
ecuted to him who breaks up the free
dom Of the bridge. This freedom was
that severe punishment was inflicted
upon those who dared beat any one on
the bridge, and if there was bleeding,
he had his hand hewn off. One old
mark Is still left-the gilded cock upon
an iron cross, looking down the river.
Till the year 1913 criminals who had
to suffer death, were tied on hands,
knees, arms and neck, on the place,
and thrown down into the river, cap
ital punishment customary then. The
cock had to exhort the culprit, like st.
Peter. II is said, too, and Of course we
believe it, in the advent-time, when
at midnight he hears the Cathedral
bell strike twelve, he crows three
times. Yet another story about the
steady old fellow: When the bridge
was building, in order to haste the
work, the Devil was engaged to help;
he was willing ON condition that the
first being that first went over it should
belong to him. He thought of q hu-
man soul of course. When it WAS flu.
ished a meager cock w6s chased over,
and in remembrance of this trick and
the cheated Devil, the cock was placed
upon the holy emblem of Christianity.
Besides this, we have four others, in
cluding the Railroad bridge. A short
distance below the old one, stands the
Saalhof-is building of modern build,
close to the tower of rents, and until
lately contained the city's collection of
paintings; concerts are also held in il; is
built on the place of the palace of Lew
is the DebOnaire, who reigned from
814 till $40, in which he received the
slaves and heralds, King of Demo mark
and deputies; where Charles the Bald
was born, and Lewis the German died;
where Lewis Ill spent the last winter
with his SuitgaId, and Otho on Christ
mas eve reconciled himself with the
penitent son. Only the ancient chapel
is standing, with its two cross vaultings
and subterranean vault, with walls
six feet thick. Going up town a dis
tance and we are before E5chenhei mer
Thurm (tower) with its turrets, which
was built in the reign of Ludwig of
Bavaria, who reigned from 1884 till
1340-consequantly is over 400 years
old, and is the only one inside the city
walls that has been excepted in the
general destruction of the fortress; is
now almost in the midst of the city.
On the top is very old sheet iron
vane with nine holes iu it, forming the
figure 9. An old popular report runs
thus: A prisoner condemned to suffer
death, offered to bore in shooting from
the street by nine shots, the figure
in the vane, which he did, and was
set free; all is there as if it had thus
happened, but the story is not general
ly believed. A little farther tn the east
is the Yuden Case Jews Lane); at
present consists of as hard looking
lot of houses as is seldom seen. In the
twelfth century many Jews establish
ed themselves as "Imperisl Chamber
servants" in Frankfort, but it was on
ly in 1852 that they were consigned to
this street, whose gates were closed ev-
cry night, Sunday and HOlyday. In-
creasing in numbers, and not being al
lowed to live outside, they went &C.
cording to the plan that there is plenty
of room up, and built their houses ae-
ety-in places propped against each
ether, and not long since the walls OF
two fell inwardly together. Nova
days only one row OF houses Is left
standing, containing two houses worthy
of notice; one the original mansion of
the family of Rothschilds, the other of
Lewis Bourne the poet. The poet
Goethe was born in Hirshgraben ST.,
in another part of the city; his monu-
ment stands in Goethe Square; 1t was
moulded in Munich, and represents
him in the higher age of manhood, the
lofty form leaning against a vine
wreathed oak trunk;upOn base stands
The pedestal Of granite, on all sides dec
Grated with bass reliefs relating to his
works. His house bears upon the out
side the inscription OF his name, and
date of his birth; under this IL the stone
carved family coat of arms. Gutten-
berg monument stands In the largest
open place in the city, where Gutten-
berg presents himself on q pedestal ~
feet high. In Schiller Square stands
Schiller's monument, uncovered In
1864. The monument of the Hessians
stands in the eastern part OF the city;
was erected by the King of Prussia Ia
memory OF the victorious Hessians
who fell there on Dec. 2, 1892, fighting
for the Fatherlands. 1t consists OF
hsaped up boulders, upon which rests
q cutie hearing on its top q helmet u
sword, and q rams head, alluding 10
the assault made by the Hessians upon