Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-08-11
THE HOLLAND DlXEs.
Night AiRrm-Au the Town Impressed
To Repair the Break.

town III a southern province OF Holland
Whch md been fortress. and parts OF its
in4e eartheu ramparts are still standing.
II Is situated at about one meter below the
lcNol OF The sea on the banks Of a mighty
uvcr, which Is formed by the Rhine and
the Mouse, and whose waters. broad and
oeep. flow at q distance Of few hundred
YARDS from The city gate. On either side OF
hcrivcr large dikespro the land against
inuudatOus. TO any one vino has seen
them thc story # a school-5Oy preventing
an lnundatl0n By stopping a hole IN q dixie
with his hngcr sud holding 10 there until
he got assistance appears ridiculous. These
bikes are So broad and massive tina. they
are used for highways Ia fact, ia Holland
oil The railways and many of the streets
are built Oh dlkes, because the land IS low
and m many places so marshy that il can
not bear heavy burdens without being
strengthened. The town | was ia j. 5olov
that The tops of the houses are but littlo
hgn'f thtn the protecting dixie, and o. q
person sailing ou tine river hardly anything
but the chlnuefs and stcepie. IS visible.
10 had been busy day for me aud q tire
some one. When night came II did not
take me long 10 fall asleep and adrcaming
] thought ! was returning % America auC
fancicd myself ia The very last hour Of the
voyage standing upou Che deck Of tho
ocean steamship. among number Of fcl
lpW-paeeeugrrs who were as eager Us ! Il
set foot ashore Of the beloved home. ",
were entering the dock sailors ran 20 and
fro. "a shower of commands fell from ths
captains bridge. though hardly audible
through the noise If the engine and thc cries
of passengers aud officers. 1hcrc-boom
What's that: A canuon-shot? / awok'
surprised. n was the same old-fasb.Onct
b bedroom, but the noise had heard IN my
greluf was mot furrrol THO "a hole ftntf
was IN AN uproar. In the hotel, too.
heard the people running up and down
talking and crying. There must be a fire
somewhere D" ] Jumped ont of bed anC
began dressing, but had hardly done SO
when the church bells began ringing
Then, again, a cannon-shot another, one
two, three. I rushed ont Of tho room. dow
the stairs. Meeting Il waiter. asked min
what had happened. Why. bir, don
You bear the guns> The dixie j.
+ broken and away he ran. Comin1
down stairs Saw the street crowd
cd with people. Policemen ran up au'
down bcatIug little alarm-gOngs. Tho
bells We're still ringing. while IN the sol
+ dlers barracks they wore beating The
drums Officers were busllY dividing The
people i'm groups of 100 each, and providing
F them with spades. slodgc- hammers, wheel
Burrows. ropes. and chains. Each grOul
when counted and armed was marched Of
90 the river. ! bad hardly arrived III the
street when an officer put spade IN my
hand. and before / knew II placed me II
one Of the groups. / felt uncomfortable
for 1 was lightly dressed and die
not know whether there was any dan
ger ahead. But. then, the people arouu,
me appeared To- have no fear. few, witt
true Dutch Calmncss. were quietly smoking
their pipes and many women, and ever
bows and Girls were there carrying spade
or axe as well rs any. Everything was done
orderly and with as little nGse as possible
Soon 0uf group was ready. A squad o.
soldiers took the lead and Of We went. Or
/ the way learned that u rise of the watel
I had weakened portion of the dixie, thei
in repair IL had sunk little by little
giving way o. the constant pressure Of the
water, and at last portion OF more thaI
fifty yards had Crumbled down.
Though there were women and children
among as we kept up fast pace. Soon We
reached the ramparts where the watel
stood already over foot high. They had
in the nick If time, built q temporary wal
across the city gate: IL was but loosel,
made Of earth and a few cross-heams, ant
/ the water which already covered the lane
/ between the ramparts and the dyke, Wa
/ pressing hard against II. The OH
GERS gave us no time to rest
presently we stood on the broker
part of the dyke. filling the gap with cartl
and stones. Happily the water was calm
though steady breeze rather increased
the possibility of "A large breakdown. We
were in the water to our very hips, and 8
queer sight IL was Squads OF soldiers
nothing but their blue jackets sticking on
of the water, were working IN matter-ot
fact way. Groups of laborers were dg
/ zinc AS quietly rs IL they were working OF
a dr, farm instead of on the banks of al
OVERLOOKING river. Close TO me young
dandy. whom the alarm bells seemed
10 have called away from danclnl
party, stood with a pick-aNe IN IN.
hand. while the tails of his dres.
suit were floating behind him. giving hin
the appearance of riding on the surface OF
the water. suddenly load of stones Wal
thrown off the dixie. Down they came Will
a crash, making big wave, which Amos
lifted me on my feet. When the water wa
quiet again nothing more was visible OF TN
dandy but his silk hat Every. now an'
then n relief party was ordered INTO tn
water, while others climbed to the top o
the dixie, cold and weary.
About an hour passed, when a cry wa
raised: 1.-THE students. The yacht club!
I'm an incredibly short time they ha,
jumped into the water, repaired the gaps
aud dug little canals to let the water How
of the land before the ramparts. AT day
break the civilians returned home, and sooI
al had resumed their daily labors. Sucl
episodes are of frequent occurrence, and II
Holland eternal vigilance ~ the prlce 81
labitable home. Reversing the order
nature, which ordains that the level O
water shall bc below that of the land, en-
tails perpetual warfare against The ocean b,
the sturdy HOllanders.