Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1879-10-30
THE DEAD CITY.
A COmmemOratiOn ut POmpeii-The 1SOOth
Anniversary of the Destruction.

thunder clouds were gathering over the
hills, and above Vesuvlus hung a de nse
mass OF smoke, spreading Tar away on
each side and sometimes hiding the crest |
of the mountain. At night masses of
bright flame burst forth from the crest |
from time to time, and everything seem. |
ed to indicate that the day chosen to COM |
memoratc the 1S00th anniversary OF the |
destruction of Pompeil would be one OF |
storm and tempest. But the sun rose ON |
a clear sky, this morning, and by Z |
o'clock people were hurrylng to the rail- |
way station, and Gro \ ded special trains
for the Pompeii Station followed each
other in rapid succession, while the road
by Portici and Tore del Greco was alive
with hundreds of vehicles of all kinds,
from the cOrrac0lO with Its m"rry load, to
che handsome equipages of the nobility.
1t might have been Neapolitan Derby
day. In front OF the roadside inn, dignl-
fed with the title of Hotel Diomede,
through which one enters Pompeii, the
road and all space around was crowded
with empty vehicles OF every descripti on
and such motley groups as can
only lie found in Neapolitan ter
ritory. Beggars, of course, abound
ed. There were men with dancing dogs
sellers of pulcinelle and rude toys, ven.
ders of grapes with their baskets heaped
| high with the luscious fruit, stalls with
wateImelOns, sold whole or in slices, va
ter-carricrs with their barrels on their
backs, and many others, forming a per-
feet Babel of never-ceasing voices. This
phase ended ut the gate, through which
adr,ittance was only by ticket; but 5000
or 1000 tickets had been issued, and the
streets OF this silent city of the past were
filled with as busily moving and as gay
crowd as circulated through them eight
cen centuries ago. We first hurried to
the great basilica. 1t was crowded as Of
yere, with tie difference that the tops Of
the ruined walls and columns were also
occupied. On the tribune the more dis
tinguishcd guests were assembled, and in
front stood Signor Michele Ruggiero,
chief director of the excavations, who
read an address, giving brief history
of all that had been done since the first
remains of Pompeii were laid open. On
a table IN front of HIM lay some tele-
grams just received. He spo in Italian,
duO was IOIlO"Cu L IO4. NSO1uIO
ciali and Prof. Antonio Mirabelll, who
each spoke in Latin hexameters 20 loud
repeated applause. On the tribune stood
Signor Fiorelli, who for 50 long directed
the excavations OF PompeiI with
such indispensable ability; Prot
Henzen, representing the German Ar
Genealogical Institute at Rome; Sen.
ator Faschlotti, project of Naples
Signor Bonshi, Ernest Renan, Count
) Cuello, Spanish Minister to the Quirnal;
the Portuguese Minister, and many Others
1t is strange that the only foreign scientl-
tic body represented was the Academy 81
Chrlst0phe Colomb Of Marseilles. In the
meantime the m my hundreds who couIu
not gain an entrance to the basillca had
been busy examining various parts of the
unearthed city. The opening ceremonial
ended, bell rang to summon the people
to the excavations. In different parts OF
the ninth region ten chambers were to
he opened and their contents revealed
: and there was an eager rush from ali
points. It Is impossible to describe the
intense expectation on every face as the
first picks struck the ground, or the
scene around each piece to be excavated
Crowds wer. pressing round every open
ing; people W re perched all along the
tops Of the broken walls to the emlnen,
peril of their limbs, and groups were
thick:y gathered along the higher unex
cavated level and on every other point Of
vantage. Each room to be eXcavateC
had been cleared of the upper falling in
leaving about four feet to be removed
The indications given by the preparatory
l. work In one of the larger rooms having
been particularly favorable, took my
q station there, and witnessed in the course
= of three hours, as the various objects
5 peeped forth from the scorie, one by ONT
= and were taken up, such a revelation as
shall never forget. For the first five
minutes there was breathless silence a:
!. the men worked, then, as the scorlG fel
away, part f a green object became visi
e BILE. In moment the workmen's hand
had cleared the space around it anC
amid tie cheers small bronze horse
nine inches In length was held aloft
$ Then large amphora appeared; then two
bronze vases, one with handles; then I
t large iron key, and as each in turf
J.. was lifted high for all to see, "Ben, ben"
n burst in a chorus of hearty satisfaction
d from the people. A list, with the brief
g est description of the things which thel
o followed in rapid succession, would fill I
3 column. There were at least dOZel
/ bronze vases of different shapes, sizes
and uses, with and witout handles, anC
in them a number of bronze coins oxy
died together, and many other coin
were found at intervals during the exca
vatlon. There are many handsome bronz
+ bracelets, number of rings many terra
It Gotta vases, taZZe, and amphOr@, and
u remarkable number Of little terra-cott'
|. water cups for bird cages, various kitchen
utensils, spit. forks ana knives OF iron
+, bronze bottle, number Of little bronz
: bells, dagger with ivory handle, a knit
n with ivory handle, bronze casserole, ant
d terra-cotta money-box. After thes
e and many moro objects, of which trayfu
l. after trayful was carried away, had beel
e takcD out, mass of black material APP
F. peared, which falling to pieces, proves
n on examination to be beans, then guam
d tity of millit and hemp seeds, with col
% siderable remains of the sacks which Ia,
e contained them, the Carbonized wood q
SIdIu-UluS anu vi d UdIICL Will hOu HOOpS
q and great masses Of the beans of the up
d per floor, sufficiently solid, hut entircl
D. carbonized like charcoal. Among thes
e remains a splendid bronze candelabrur
r. was come upon, but its tall, slender
r fluted stem was broken. In short, from
2 noon till 8 o'clock continued Succession
r of objects were revealed, almost mon
Is rapidly than / could note them dOwr
81 The mere names and briefest memorand
r. filled sixteen pages in a large Notebook