The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-08-01
POMPEII.
A Visit to the Ruins of the Silent City.


We took an early breakfast, and at a
quarter past o'clock were in the cars,
vending our way around the head of the
bay, along the base of Vesuvius, towards
the ruins of Pompeii. In three-quarters
OF an hour the train set us down in front
of the Hotel Diomede.
We entered the ruined city by the
Della Marina gate, one of the eight gates
in the walls of the city, i've of which,
the Herculaneum, the Stabian, the
Pompeian, the Jovian and the Decuman,
have been unearthed, and are in good
state OF preservation. It should be borne
in mind that not more than one-fourth
of what has been traced to be within the
boundary of the city has yet been ex-
cavated, although the work is still pro-
crossing slowly. We passed through
many portions that have been opened
since our last visit, and also examined
many curiosities that have been added
to the museum near the gate, including
several molds of the human form. It
has been found that the ashes and scroie
hardened before the bodies of the victims
decayed, and that the cavities or molds
containing the bones retained the human
form. By carefully pouring liquid plas-
ter into them, and allowing it time to
harden, number Of fine specimens have
been obtained. Among those recently
added is the form of young girl. most
perfect and symmetrical. She is lying
on her face, and the mold gives even
the twist of hair, while the features are
perfect after having lain for 1900 years.
The ruins are ali in an excellent state
of preservation. We were soon walking
through long, narrow streets, paved
with heavy blocks of stone, with curb
stones and sidewalks. The carriage
ways are not more than twelve feet
wide, just wide enough for two chariots
to pass each other, and the pavements
about two feet wide The carriage ways
are about fifteen inches below the side
walks, and stepping stones, like those
on some of the streets of Baltimore, en-
abled the Pompeians to cross when the
street was flooded with water, though
the pavements are so high above the
street that these crossing stones were
serviceable in all weathers. Deep ruts
are worn in the heavy blocks of stone
with which the streets are paved by the
chariot wheels, and some OF the streets
we're left in rather bad condition.
The dwelling houses, especially
those of the better class, are
all built nearly on the same plan,
and the rooms are exceedingly small
The largest room in the house, which
was in the rear, with the kitchen On
either side, was the dining room, and
this was generally the first decorated. The
paintings on the walls of some of the
chambers we're very exquisite, though
most of them were of lascivious char
acter. There was always small flower
garden and miniature fountain. There
was no outside yard to any of the
houses, each house covering the entire
lot. They were mostly two stories high,
the rooms of the second story opening
on the balcony. There are no traces of
chimneys in any of the houses. A species
of oven, with tubes to convey off the
gas and smoke, has been discovered in
the ruins. The houses, even those of
the rich proprietors, were encompassed
by shops, which they let. The smallest
shops, as we'll as the houses, are adorned
with mosaics and with pictures. Unfort-
unately, SUCH pictures as had preserved
all their freshness while buried faded
away when exposed to air and light. In
the walls of most of the shops and stores
there were blocks of marble or mosaics
set in, which gave the character of the
business and sometimes the names of
the proprietors. Pompeii was defended
by double wall, twenty to thirty feet
in height, which inclosed platform
large enough to be run over at certain
points by three chariots abreast. Most
of the gates have three entrances-one
to the right for ingress and to the left
for egress, while the large center gate
was for vehicles.
It is from the character and size of
the public buildings of Pompeii that
the Importance of the city can be
judged, rather than from what is left of
it's dwelling-houses. These were nearly
as large, and bear evidence of being al
most as grand as were those of Rome.
The ruins of the Basilica, the Amphi-
theater, the Temple of Venus, the Tenn
pie of Isis, the Temple of Mercury, of
Jove, Of Fortuna, of Hercules, the
Pantheon, the Courts or Hall of Consul,
the two Forums, the Bourse, the Stabian
Bath, the Tragedy Theater and the
Comedy Theater, are all vast in their
proportions. The Amphitheater was
capable of seating an audience of 20, 900,
and both the theaters were larger than
Ford's Opera House and the Academy
of Music combined. The two Forums
were very large, the Civil Forum and
it's adjuncts occupying as much space as
two squares at Eutaw place: while the
Bourse. or Stock Board, was twice as
large as the hall occupied by the Stock
Board of Baltimore. In fact, here are
all the evidences of a great and impor-
tant city OF unbounded wealth, and aim
ing to rival Rome. The Forum was Or
namented on three sides by broad
colonnade of Grecian- Doric architecture.
The Senate Chamber and Basilica was
220 feet long and 80 broad. In vault
under it's stairway used for prisoners
al l~~-o Il