The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-19
From Our Regular Correspondent. ]

From Our Regular Correspondent
Since l last wrote have seen the cata-
combs Of Paris, where the bones of three
millions OF skeletons are arranged, and |
have also seen the great illumination In
honor of Peace and industry, which it is
estimated was witnessed by no less than
two-anda half milliens of persons.
hardly know which most to admire the
catacombs or the fete. AS the old rhetor-
ican said in his parallel of Virgil and
Homer, the first was more correct, the
latter, more impressive. The catacombs
are the accumulation of the last hundred
years from the ancient cemeteries of Paris,
and they consist of literal thousands of
human bones, arranged on each side Of
subterranean galleries, extending for miles
in various directions under the city. Our
party, and both sexes, of about 200, rep
reselting many tongues, each with can
die, descended a shaft of l02 steps below
the surface of the earth, and then
walked without stopping for forty
minutes before we reached the point OF
ascent. We had however explored but
small portion of this populous city of the
dead, for there are as many as sixty
different places OF entrance to the cata
combs, and we passed numerous galleries
leading off from the one through which
we were conducted. In the arrangement
of the bones) / must say bones for did
not see an entire Individual skeleton among
theml am again compelled to admire the
French talent for ornameutatiou. In the
hrst place their regularity is perfect. On
the tioor and back to the wall. ahour .
yard in depth are arranged leg and arr,
pohes, on top OF these a layer of skulls
Iheu another series Of limb bones divarsi-
ed with skulls ON top. TO rei;eya H.
monotony OF these long CHASTITY gallerias
the skui's are at intervals for n fap "a,
arranged IN graceful curves, which nrasaT,t
to the spectator as pleasing an apneranca
as, considering the material used conId
be expected. Then again the facade IL
diversified by artistic presentations of
death heads and cross bones. used 5y druy-
glsts TO label poisous, but made of the
genuine material. We observed passing
that many of the skulls had bullet holes.
some more than one, in the forehpad.
others had the appearance of having h.en
crushed by sabre stroke. There haS haer
no effort made 20 keep the bones of
different individuals seperate. ONLY Of
late years have the bones disintered from
different cemeteries been arranged in dis
unct galleries. and prince aud peasant. mon
archlst aud revolutionist, relieiopist and
ln1deI, friend and enemy. male and fe-
male been made to exchange and mix
limbs IN most grotesque ana moraIesque
manner. Haste thee to my lady's cham
DER aud tell her though she paiut an inch
thick to this favor must she come at last +"
observed that many OF the skulls were
tooth'ess, and from the way In which an
American dentist, The said he was den
tlstl pulled at the teeth as we passed I
thought had a hint of how thew became
tootllless. What ridiculous mania for
relics some people have.
Everything favored the great ;llnr;no
ton III honor OF peace and industrv that
mas tor days been the talk of Paris The
weather was clear and pleasantly cool
ne eoulevards were lined on each side
with gas pipes with jets of light about
Iour inches apart, The trees in the parks