Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-10-02

walled up With stone. Bridges of
most costly and finest structure span It
in many places, often 2 or at single
town Monuments &c art and com
memoration are numerous and beautiful
Here at Bingen twhere my fathers
sword and mine are hanging on the
walls Of Bingen, dear Bingen on the
Rhine" is situated National Denk-
maar' (monument) to commemorate
the victory over the French in 1870.
1t is one of the finest and nest colossal
pieces of art to be found in any land.
tbs built Of stone and stands on the
opposite side Of the river to Bingen.
1t consists of base, pedestal and long
column, crowned with magnificent,
monstrous sized bronze statute of
Germania She holds in one out
stretched arm, crown and in the
other drawn sword. Interpreted as
it may it means that an indispensable
accompaniment Of a crown is sword,
like liberty its price is eternal vigilance.
Again, dozens Of old ruined castles
and some yet well preserved lie all
all along its banks These curious
remains of thick walls and circular
towers would add to the fame of any
river. The age of the castles vary
from 500 years old to the present time
They are generally built on the highest
points of hills, or steep rocky declivi-
ties. Some cover several acres. The
walls of some are 20 feet thick. Some
of them many hundred years old are
in good condition and families live in
them and church and other meetings
are held in their large halls. I visited
one built in 1888 and found the old
inscriptions saying that certain man
in 1888 started to build the castle but
dieing his widow finished it. It is in
good condition yet. Church service is
held in it. The Bible is covered with
white, tanned pig skin. The covers
are about an inch thick. This Bible
was translated by DIR. Luther and
would weigh, probably, 80 pounds.
1t has picture gallery where the
pictures were painted on the plaster of
the wall and yet in good condition.
The pictures are Of the Savior and
his deciples. The one showing the
young Scribes asking whether Caesar
should be paid tribute or not is real
good. One castle is situated in the
center of the river on an island 1t is
we'll preserved and | believe row used
for an ice house. Their architecture
is Grecian, heavy and quaint, and
their size is prodigions The banks of
the Rhine are also enhanced in beauty
by the NEST famous vineyards in the
world. Scarcely anything is grown
but grapes. 10O0's and 10OO's of
acres lie along its banks. The vine
yards are cultivated on the hillsides
so steep that horse could not walk.
A man who is acquainted with the
German people and sees these square
miles of vineyards needs not be a
prophet to predict that Germany will
not soon adopt prohibition.
Still another reason is due to the
existing tendency of European nations
the Germans as we'll, to sxaggeration.
To the magnifying beyond reality their
possessions and attributes. It is hero
worship. The Germans are not par
ticularly sentimental but are emotional
and that is a certain element of exag-
Iotn on1
added to this the idea of magnitude
and attraction. The stories and
legends of the Rhine would fill vol
umes. A man would say the Rhine is
beautiful without knowing its history
but the American quickly detects the
over due praise given to it who has
seen the Hudson with its natural
beauty. This summer the drought
was long and the weather the hottest
for many years and the Rhine and
Neckar were very low. History tells
US that in 1882 the Rhine dried up.
In 1903 the heat was so great and
long that the Rhine and Danube be-
come SO low as to be crossed on foot.
In 1715 there was not single rain
storm from March to October and the
Rhine again dried up. The Rhine at
Cologne is about the size of Wis. river
Also floods have often devastated it's
valley. That Of 1888 almost DESTROY
ed Heidelberg and many other towns.
War has also devasted and marred it's
beauty The French and Norwegians
were the nations concerened in the
wars, bat the French were unwantan-
ly destructive. In 1859 under the
French General Melac all the Rhine
valley was laid waste. The castles were
torn down or blown up with powder.
That was when Melac blew up Heidel-
berg castle. Again, the French
General Tilling just 100 years after,
in 1889, in the 80 years war destroyed
and laid waste this valley.
After much talk and volumes written
about the river Rhine man will say
as Queen Sheba to Seloman "ths half
81