The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-03-04

| titled The Most Remarkable Events
| in the History of Magdeburg.' IA few
extracts from which WILL | believe, in
| rerest your readers and, at the same
time. partially explain the indeScribab HE
something already referred to which
gives individuality TO town whose de-
yeloplnent has been going on for ages
under ever-varying conditions--an indi-
viduality which. rs ! have already init
mated. the American visitor ut once rc-
cognizes. although he may know abSo-
lutely nothing OF the history OF the place.
How he comes to recognize this individ-
uality so readily it would he difficult;
! TO explain. Some attribute it to poetic
fancy. Imagination knocking at the
door of mystery or undiscovered truth.
Others claim that it comes to the
stranger through the organs of his
senses. his eyes. his ears. or his nose.
| have visited towns whose antiquity
beyond all doubt appealed to me chiefly
through the last mentioned channel. bu;
Magdcburg is not one of this class.
Its air is heavy with history. and it was
no doubt the ghosts of lilly and the
other heroes and devils of the thirty
years war which elbowed me and made
me shiver as | moved with the throng
this morning through these ancient
streets.
But let us return to my book and see
how this German town oyercamc aPp;t-
rently ihsuperable obstacles in order t"
become what it is. Here are . few OF
the most picturesque incidents in the
history of Magdeburg.
In the sixth century MagdebVrg was Il
small fishing village. The EmQer y OF
to the Great and Queen Edith greatly
improved the town. hut in SOC it was
1lundered and destroyed by The Huns.
Subsequently, in 9;3}. the Magdehurgnrs
defeated the Huns in two battles. In
800 Queen Edith commenced the aHild-
ing of the city wall.
In 962 an archbishop was established.
and presents of marble, gold. precious
stones and relics We're gathered for Ike
cathedral which it had been dl'nled TO
build. The summer of 974 was very
dry, and on May 10. 973. there VA, II
heavy fall of snow. In 9S1 there We're
dreadful floods and destructive sto!ms.
and from July 10Th to August 18th.
$685. the heat was so excessive thHt the
crops of the fields were literally haEed
The crops failed in 9S7, 9SS, $50, $50,
g94 and 800 and there was ,onSe luenttH
much suffering. In 1920 many of the
inhabitants of the town Were frozen to
death There was also an earthquake
followed hv floods. Houses. churches anc
whole villages were washed away with
great loss OF life In 1047 for the 'ir>r
time priests were forbidden to mary.
IN 1875 Emperor Lothaer held Il par
lament at Magdeburg. at WHEN Dan
ish. Slovenian. Hungarian AMI Gree X
ambassadors were present. In 1l'l
there were terrible thunder Storms ann
floods thick. dark and sinking fo&s,
followed by the plague" IN lt52 came
famine. In 1856 fruit trees were IN
blossom in January. the apples were :
large as walnuts in February and reps
were harvested in May. In llSS there
was q great conhagration when reduced
a large portion of the town % ashes. in
1884 Magdehurg had its first mayor. In
1908 wo'k on the cathedral was hc@tlr,
but 1l5 years passed before this gram
ternlp was ready for conservation. IN
1915 the first register OF mortgages was
commenced In 1924 there WAS again
famine in the city. In 1861 thee WAS a