The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-04-08
OLYMPIAN GAMES.
An Official Account of Their
Revival.
The Report of the United States Consul
at Athens.

A recent report from George Horton,
United States Consul at Athens, relative
to the Olympian games in which athletes
all over the world are now interested, Is
as follows.
The stadium may be described as an
immense open air amphitheater con-
structed in natural ravine, srtificially
filled In at the end. 1t is in the shape
OF an enlongated horseshoe. The spec
tators, seated upon the sloping sides of
the ravine, look down into the arena be-
low, which is little over 600 feet in
length and about 100 feet wide at the
widest part.
Athletic contests date back to the
mythical ages OF Greece, and were cele-
brated i'm Athens before the building of
the present existing stadium. Founda-
tions of this structure were laid by
Lrycurgus, the orator, who lived about
$50 Il. g. Ii was afterward rebuilt by
Herodes Atticus on a plane OF great
splendor and prodigality. The seating
capacity OF the Stadium is 60, ana
Herodes Atticus caused all the seats to be
made of pentelic marble.
The revival Of modern interest In the
stadium is due to the excavations con-
Quoted is 1873, under authority of the
King. These excavations laid bare the
amphltheater and the arena. In addition
to these, there were the ruins of two
high supporting walls at the entrance
near the Illisus river, and vaulted
underground passageway leading from
the closed end of the arena out beneath
the hill. This tunnel is supposed to have
been an entrance and exit for athletes
and judges. To this purpose it is to be
put in the rebuilt stadium. OF
the the vast ,nto quantity .t.Sin Of marble bs
Herodes Atticus, nothing was found
except a few dilapidated chairs. All
the rest had been fed to the limekiln
during the barbarous and ignorant gen.
erations.
The renewal OF the games was decided
upon at the meeting of an international
committee, who came Together in Paris
last year, with the distinguished Greek
author, Demetrios Bikelas, at its haed.
1t was,then resolved that series of quad
rennial international contests should be
held in the principal cities .of the world,
beginning with Athens. This tribute was
paid to Greece as the great origi OF
athletic exercises, where they were
anciently held in such esteem that time
was reckoned by the meetings at Olympia.
To this decision is due the rebuilding
of the Athenium stadium. A local COM
mittee was Immediately formed to take
the work in hand, with Crown Prince
Constantine as president and Timoleon
Philemon as general secretary. The
serious question of funds was greatly
simpified by the immediate donation to
the work of 600.0 900 drachmas by George
Aberoff, philanthropic Greek of Alex
andria Mr.. Aberoff has since made other
donations, and has promised more IL
necessary.
AcC ording TO the original Plans OF the
architect the repairs to the stadium were
TO cost $50, 900 drachmas, and the work
was commenced upon that basis. IL has
since been found that this estimate was
too low, and 250, 600 drachmas have been
ADDED thereto.
The stadium as rebuilt for the games
will consist of (1) the arena, bounded by
a marble curbing, surmouuted by an iron
railing adorned with Athenian owls; (2) a
walk between this cufbing and the first
row OF seats; (3) low retaining wall OF
marble. on which rests tie first row of
seats, the entire row being of mar Bile; (4)
the seats; (6) the underground tunnel
I'm addition to these features there will be
an imposing entrance, a surrounding wall
at the top OF the hill, and two supporting
walls at the entrance. AS far as possible
I'm the reconstruction NJ the stadium, the
portions will be used, where these are i'm
a sufficient stage OF preservation and an
effort viii be made to reproduce, as nearly
as practicable, the ancient structure. The
seats at present VIII not all he made OF
pentelic marble, as there IL neither time
nor money Tor such an undertaking. At
the closed end of the arena seventeen
rows will be made OF pentelic marble. as