San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-04-10

leading to the various ports OF the
peninsula, the one that attracts
the most attention Is the Via APP
pia, or Appian Way.
In the year 3l2 B. c., this road
was begun by Appius Claudius,
and was built to Capua, distance
OF 142 miles. Caesar extended it
2S3 miles farther, its southern ter
minus being Brundisium. Small
valleys were filled in, large ones
were spanned by great arches
the kind only a Roman could build
mountains were cut down, huge
retaining walls were constructed.
There was no obstacle too great
to keep the road at an easy grade {;
everything was thoroughly done; ;
no jobs, no stuffed psy-rolls-the
people themselves were the con-
tractors and the laborers.
Every particle OF loose soil was
removed; the bed was pounded
down hard, then small stones, were
placed in an even layer, then a
stratum Of cement, then more
stones, then more cement, and,
finally, In the top layer Of soft CO.
ment, huge hexagonal blocks Of
some stone were laid, being fitted
together with the utmost exact
ness. The result was a pavement,
portions Of which today, 400 years
after, arc in better condition than
some Of our Medina granite, fire.
brick, or asphalt boulevards, and
over which our fin de steele tires
would roll with less jar than on
the latter. Now, imagine $4,000
years OF use of our modern pave
ments, without any repairs, and
where are we in comparison?
The only thing the old Romans
lacked was the modern wheel.
How pleasant 1t would have been
for Horace or Virgil to have gath
cred his toga about his shapely
form and, astride OF a wheel, to
have rolled out under the Arch Of
Drusus along the Appian Way to
his favorite reimbursement small
frame 15x20 saloon, but a magnifi-
cent stone palace, Of which hun
dreds lined that famous boulevard,
and on which today
Two thousand years of ivy grow.
Intramural burials were prohib-
tied, hence some professions other
than the military-and those for
mere pleasure parsdes-wended
their ways out OF the Eternal City.
Gorgeous tombs were built facing
the Appisn Way; these extended
long distances from the city, into
the Campania.
In 1850 the pope ordered con-
siderable portion OF the road re-
opened, and by hard work it was
accomplished. The railroad to
Naples crosses this portion about
eleven miles from Rome, and 1t is
called the Via Appia Nova, or the
New Applan Way. After the soil
was removed, the pavement was
found in almost as good condition
as when first built, or as the great
dramatist said, "Not much the
worse for wear"
Italy at one time contained A..
600 miles OF roads similar to this
one. Why can not we have them
today? Why not make Chicago
the hub of a set OF spokes paved
with brick or stone? Echo an
swers: Why not?
What historic tales the Appian
Way might unfold. Think Of the
Roman legions that went over 1t
to defeat or victory. On 1t Pom
pey went to defeat and death; over
it young Northumberland the
great Observation-Disclosures to
Rome when called by Julius;
over the northern portion, 1900
years ago, passed one who was
proud to be able to say:
"Cives Romanus Sum-" even
though in chains. PauPs journey
was the last one that was made
while Rome was Rome. From al
most that very day the downward
course began. Rome fell; the
Caesars fell; the Capitol fell; the
Coliseum is in ruins; What re-
mains? The seven hills, the Tiber,
and the Appian Way.-Bearings.