The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-09-04

I
was the only wheeled vehicle known
to old Pompeii, for only one or two
streets are wide enough for carriage,
and there are deep ruts worn in the
pavements of these, where the wheels
have followed the same track.
In the museum at Naples are whole
rooms full of the things found in the
ruins. Merely to give a catalogue
would require several columns. But
I recall row, as some of the most re-
markable, number of beautiful mar
BILE statues, of the best Grecian school,
some splendid bronzes, wine jars and
all sorts of household utensils, pills of
medicine found in an apothecary shop
loaves Of bread, large balls of color
found in q dye shop, dentists tools,
delicate little drills, scrapers, files etc.,
exactly like those used by all dentists
to-day, the peculiar bitless bride that
Naples drivers use now, canoes and
all sorts of gold and silver jewelry
All going to show that in many of the
arts the old Pompeiians were well
skilled, and that the rich at least liv-
ed in as much luxury as the rich of
Naples do now.
At a rough guess should say that
about 100 acres of the old town has
now been excavated. There still re-
mains about twice as large an area to
be uncovered before the whole city
will be shown. These excavations
require enormous labor, for from the
old pavement to the present surface OF
the ground is 20 feet. Fewer than 100
human skeletons have been found
thus far, showing that most of the in
habitants escaped.
Pompeii lay on the long southern
slope of Vesuvius, perhaps five miles
from the crater, while Herculaneum
lay on the northern slope. When the
great eruption took place the volcanic
mud and molten lava flowed north
ward engulfing and utterly destroy
ing Herculaneum, while the ashes and
cinders drifted southwark and fell on
Pompeii. The statement of this fact
makes it clear why it is impracticable
as well as useless to attempt the ex-
cavation of the former, while excava-
tons of the latter are made with COM
parative ease and with most interest
ing results. The lava destroyed; the
ashes covered and preserved.
Pictures of Vesuvius are so common
that detailed description of it is not
necessary. Its summit is now about
1000 feet above sea level. In share it
is perfect cone, the last thousand
feet being very steep and black. The
long lower slopes are cultivated and
thickly populated, there being many
fine residences quite high up the side
of the mountain. The volcano is in
continuous action, emitting great vol
umes of smoke, like an immense fac
tory chimney. Sometimes the smoke
is light and vapory, and sometimes it
is black and dense-as If the fire were
being renewed. The mouth of the era
ter i about 100 yards in diameter, and
when approached near enough the
sound as of all immense caldron boil
ing may be heard, and red hot stones
and streams of liquid lava may be seen
shooting up from below and falling
back again. The ascent to the crater
is comparatively easy; first by car
riage, then by railway, then on foot.
But I didn't make it. I think /
might, under certain circumstances,
ride into "the jaws of death" with
considerable equanimity; but I have
no anxiety to look Unto the mouth of
he'll, until 1 have to. Less than
three weeks ago Belgian tourist ven-
tured too near the crater and was lo.t.
The guide who accompanied him was
pointed out to me, and 1 looked for
some expression about his face that
would suggest the terrible scene he
had witnessed, but all saw was a
dirty italian, at that moment engag-
ed in angrily beating poor horse that
was tied to a tree. One of our party
asked the entirely unnecessary ques-
ton whether the remains of the young
Belgian were recovered. The answer
was peculiar smile and a shrug of
the shoulders. A human body in that
seethiug furnace would burn like a
piece of paper. Vesuvius has been
active the past week or two
and our guide said that an eruption
similar to the one which overwhelmed |
the ancient cities was by no means inn
possible. IF it is to come I wish it
would come while L am here, for it |
would certainly be the most gorgeous
pyrotechnic display that one is ever
likely to see on this little earth.
-
Naples has a population of half a
and is the largest. wealthiest,
most progressive and in some features
the most attractive city in Italy. 1t
is splendidly situated, Using in cres-
cent shape about the head of the beau
tiful bay, up the long slope of the
1t has horse and dummy
street car lines, and its principle bus
mess street, the Via Roma, is long and
straight and wide-for Italy-with
solid rows of six and seven story
buildings, comparing not unfavorably