Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-01
THE PRESENT CITY.


hold gods, baths, arches, fountains,
forums, shops of various trades, mus
ical instruments, weapons of war, Inn
plements OF labor, marble and bronze
statues, m0saics, frescOes and draw
ings, dining rooms, bed rooms and
kitchens, with their appropriate fur
niture food for the hungry and med
icine for the sick; glassware, vases
and pottery /; gems, medals and coins,
and fruits, flowers and shrubs are all
seen rs they were on the terrible night
when the city was doomed to sud
den destruction.
The streets are narrow, some not
being more than eight feet across, but
they are straight and regular. The
pavement is composed Of large fiat
stones or blocks of lava, and the deep
ruts cut in them by the Roman char
lots are clearly perceptible. At the
crossings are large stepping stones
for the use of pedestrians, 90 as to
keep their feet from the mud. Ev-
erything in the streets was silent and
deathlike. There were no human be.
ings in the houses, no promenaders
in the streets ; all were deserted. The
dwelling houses are generally small
and one-storied. They are built of
stone and brick, plastered ON the out
side with mortar. An open court is
in the center, and the different rooms
are arranged around in the Oriental
style. Most of the roofs are destroy
ed, having been crushed down by the
weight Of the ashes. In the dining
rooms the tables are of stone, and
many are covered with petrified food.
Beds and couches are in the sleeping
rooms.
ExHUMED WONDERS.
In one of the kitchens was found q
fowl put in the skillet, and . stew pan
containing . small pig for roasting,
all prepared eighteen hundred years
ago. Many beautiful mosaics were
found on the floors, and elegant fres-
Goes ON the walls, and they look as
bright and fresh 10 if they had only
been finished q few years. Tho fres-
Goes, pictures, mosaics and sculptures
and even jewelry discovered In some
of the houses show terrible deprav-
ity in morals. Many are so indecent
that the public are not allowed to
look at them. In tho "House of the
Vestals," upon the door sill, is the
word "Salve," welcome. A mosaic
with the representation of fierce
dog, with the inscription "Cave Ca
nem," beware of tho dog, 10 near the
threshold of the "House of the Tragic
Poet"
In the streets are many shops which
still have the signs over the door
ways. In ono there is some marblepart-
ly sculptured, with the artists tools
lying around +; in an other medicine
and surgical Instruments in third
marble counter with stone liquor
jars behind it, and the stains made by
the wet glasses prove that this was q
drinking saloon. Then there 10 IN
eating house., meats and delicacics
are on the counter; fireplaces to keep
the soups and messes warm are still
in the room. The same building CON.
tains grist mill and bakery. In
the bakers shop was found Q batch
of loayes which had been in the oven
since the oath Of August, A. d. 10
The mill was turned by horse power
TEMPLES AND FORUM. @
The various temples that have been
exhumed contain idols made Of mar.
BILE, silver and gold. The temple Of
Isis is "a feet long and Is broad. The
ashes of victims = ere found on its al
tars. The skeleton Of priest sitting
at q table ON which was spread mea
is here, while near the door was an
other priest holding in his hand I
hatchet, with which he had tried t
cut his way out of the temple. Thre,
hundred skeletons were found In th'
temple Of Juno, all crow ded togethel
and buried beneath the ashes. At tn,
very hour of their destruction th,
priestess was offering sacrifice to th'
Queen Of the gods. The forum oc
cupies the centraI portion Of the city
On each side are rows of column
, and long porticos, which show III
] outline OF this spot. Pedestals Of
, which formerly stood famous statue
) are dotted here and there. The pub
llic meetings were held In the foru1