Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1891-11-14
PRAGUE'S GREAT BRIDGE
A SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF
KARLSBRUcKE.
A Celebrated Old bohemian Structure
Giving Way Under Pressure of
the Waters-The Priest
aud the Stars.

Some time ago the papers stated
that the famous Karlsbrucke, or
Charles Bridge, across the Moldau at
Prague was doomed to destruction by
the great floods which have been
creating such havoc in Central Europe,
says the Phila. Telegraph. The para
graph was brief one and probably
attracted little attention, but no one
who knew the pride with which for
hundreds of years the Bohemians have
regarded this bridge could read the
few lines without thrill OF sympathy.
To write a history of the Karls-
brucke would be TO write the history
OF Prague during the past five centur-
les. This. indeed, were well worth
the doing. for though the Old World
is rich in historic cities, few are more
interesting than this wonderful old
town with its stately buildings. it's
quaint old houses and beautiful
| gardens, and in its memories of illus-
trious men and women-of Huss and
Wallenstein, Of Maria Theresa. and
her implacable enemy, Frederick the
Great. How many times these and
Others scarcely less famous have pass
ed TO and fro over the Karlsbrucke
Prague was the fayorite city OF that
| splendid monarch, Charles w., 'the
stepfather of the Empire. but the
father OF Bohemia" He established
her celebrated university and beauti-
fed the town in many ways besides
laying the foundation OF the Karls-
brucke in 1857. For $50 years the
work went on, and when finally COM
/ pleted, in 1907. it was justly regarded
as triumph Of the engineering skill
of the age.
Eyen to-day few bridges are worthy
OF more admiration than the old Karls-
brucke with its grand old Gothic tower
and its sixteen noble arches spanning
the beautiful Moldau. AS time went
on statues and groups of figures were
placed on the buttresses Of the bridge.
The oldest OF these, a large stone cru
cifix with images Of the Virgin and St
John, was built with money wrung
from the Jews. Short services were
occasionally held before the crucifix.
Another curious group, showing the
suffering souls in purgatory. comment
GRATED the dreadful visitation of the
plague. But the most interesting OF
the statues is that of St.'John OF Nepo-
muk. the patron Of bridges and the
saint whom all Prague delights 70
honor. St John, so the legend tells
US. was the confessor OF the lovely
Queen of Bohemia, and refused to re-
veal the secrets OF the confessional to
her jealous husband. The cruel Wen
eel commanded him to be tortured, and
afterward he was thrown from the
Karlsbrucke at night into the rushing
Moldau. Whereupon the body OF the
good priest instead OF sinking, coutin-
ued TO float until taken from the
} water while five brilliant stars lowered
over it. The statue represents an as
celtic figure holding a crucifix. and
around the head are arranged the five
miraculous stars.
One fingers longest near the fine old
tower at the entrance to the bridge.
II by some spell like that used in the
Arss5ian tale we could unseal the lips
OF the sculptured figures who look
down from their lofty station, what
tragic tales they could tell of the
many times the tide OF battle has
surged across this bridge. During
the stormy days OF the Thirty Years
war it was the scene Of many conflicts
and for ten years the heads of twelve
Of Bohemia's Protestant mobiles swung
in iron cages from the tower. Later,
the citizens of Prague rallied to its de-
} Tense against the Swedes aud held il
! for three long months, till the peace OF
Westphalia ended the war. When
Frederick the Great invaded Bohemia
il was the scene of a bloody struggle,
and as lately as the revolution of 1S4S
a famous barricade was built there by
the students.
But the days Of the Karlsbrucke are
numbered. During last September
three OF Its arches were carried away
by the swollen river. and the collapse
Of fourth, little later renders its
destruction inevitable. Begun as the
night of the Middle Ages was begin
ming to roll away, and finished in the
dawning light of the Reformation, the
old bridge falls just as the twentieth
century opens before the world.