The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-10-29
THE DEAD CITY.
A CONSERVATION 1t Pompeii-The l800tl
Anniversary Of tho Destruction.
9oocial "a the I ondon TYnana


PoxPEI1, Sept. 25.-The heat yester-
day in Naples was excessive; the atmos-
phere was heavy and suRocating, massive
thunder-clouds were gathering over the
hills, and above Yesuglus hung dense
mass OF smoke, spreading far away on
each side and sometimes hiding the crest
Of tho mountain. At night masses of
bright flame burst forth from the crest
from time to time, and everything seem.
cd to indicate that the day chosen to COM
memOrato the 1800th anniversary OF the
destruction of Pompeil would he one OF
storm and tempest. Blu, the sun rose On
clear sky, this morning, and by 7
o'clock people were hurrylng to the rail-
way station, and Gro Aded special trains
FIR the POmpeii station followed each
other in rapid SUCCESSION, while tho road
by Portici and Tore del Greco was alive
from the corracOlo with its m rry load, to
the handsome equipages of the nobility
1t might have been Neapolitan Derby
day. In front Of the roadside inn, dignl-
fled with the tito OF Hotel Diomede,
through which one enters Pompeii, the
road and all space around vas crowded
with empty vehicles Of every descripti on
and such motley groups as can
only ue 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
watermelons, 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 at the gate, through which
abundance 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 a
crowd as circulated through them eight
cen centuries ago. We first hurried to
the great basilica. 1t was crowded as of
yore, with the difference that the tops Of
the ruined walls and columns were also
occupied. On the tribune the more dis
tinguishcd gueess 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 tho first
remains of Pompeii were laid open. On
a table IN front of him lay some tele-
grams just received. He spoxe in Italian,
and was folloA ed by Prof. Quinto Guam
ciali and Prof. Antonio Mirabelll, who
each spoke in Latin hexametcrs 70 loud
repeated applause. On the tribune stood
SlSnor Fiorelli, who for 50 long directed
the excavations OF Pompeil 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
Coello, Spanish Minister to the Quirnal;
the Portuguese Minister, and many others
1t is strange that the only foreign scientl-
tic bouy represented was the Academy Of
! Chrlstophe Colomb Of Marseilles. In the
meantime the m any hundreds who could
not gain an entrance to the basillca had
been busy examining various parts of the
unearlhed city. The opening ceremonial
ended, bell lang to summon the people
| to the excavations. In different parts uf
| the ninth region ten chambers were to
he opened and their contents revealed,
and there was an eager rush from all
| points. 1t Is impossible to describe the
intense expectation on every face as the
inst 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 eminent
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 excavated
had been cleared of the upper falling in,
leaving about four feet to lie removed.
The indications given by the preparatory
work IN one of the larger rooms having
| been particularly favorable, I took my
station there, and witnessed in the course
of three hours, as the various objects
peeped forth from the scorie, one by one
and were taken up, such revelation as 1
shall never forget. For the first five
minutes there was q breathless silence az
tho men worked, then, as the scorl@ fell
away, part f a green obj -ct became visi-
BILE. In moment the workmen's hands
had cleared the space around it and
| amid the cheers small bronze horse,
"Au0 AASAco AZ AouS&u "dS Aoiu oAVlN'
Then large amphora appeared; then TWO
bronze vases, one with handles; then 4
large iron key, and IS each in turn
was lifted high for all to see, ''Ben, ben!
burst in chorus Of hearty satisfaction
from tho people. A list, with the brief
est description of the things which then
followed in rapid succession, would fill a
column. There were at least dozen
bronze vases of different shapes, sizes,
and uses, with and witout handles, and
in them number of bronze coins oxy-
died together, and many other coins
we're found at intervals during the exca-
walton. There IRE many handsome bronz,
bracelets, number of rings many terra
Gotta vases, tazze, and amphorse, and a
remarkable number Of little terra-cotta
water cups for bird cages, various kitchen
utensils, a spit, forks ana knives Of iron
bronze bottle, a number of little bronze
bells, a dagger with ivory handle, knife
with ivory handle, q bronze casserole, and
u terra-cotta money-box. After these
and many more objects, Of which trayful
after trayful was carried away, had been
taken out, mass of black material APP
peared, which falling to pieces, proved
/ -. Ia, haou. <ho,,i o,,on