The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-20
HOTEL LOBBY GLEANINGS
CHARLTON ANDREWS'S EECOLLEC-
TIONS OF THE CAMPANILE.
lie Has Visited the Tower and Knows
Something OF Its Interpretations
at the Hotels.

Charlton Andrews. author OF "A Parht
GentiI Knight. and who has Travelled ex-
tensively in Europe. is al the DenisOn for
q fe~~ DAYS. In conversation with a Jour
nal reporter he expressed satisfaction with
the news that the Campanile at Venice.
which recently collapsed without warning.
is 10 be Immediately reconstructed. THE
CampaniIe." said Mr.. Andrews. was a
beautiful tower Of brick and marble. es-
pecially noted for its simplicity. which sug-
gested the great shaft at Washington. The
entire city OF Venice is a great monument.
replete with artistic and historical interest.
If IL be true that the subsoiI there is de-
eoriOrating much. the world is in danger OF
sssing one OF its grandest treasures. The
campanile stood just before the splendid
Doges' Palace and the Cathedral of St.
Marks. both OF which buildings would
naturally follow II 10 destruction.
when the Campanile was begun" con-
tinued Mr. Andrews. in the year SIS. the
constructors made every effort to place the
great structure on a foundation that should
be everlasting. The soil Of Venice IS com
posed Of alternate layers Of clay. peat and
gravel; the drillers Of artesian wells have
found that this condition continues to a
4tPln OK Lou rect Inc IDullQdLloH d the
Campanile rests upon white poplar piles
driven into the clay about sixteen feet be-
low the surface; these piles almost touched
each other. on top Of them was laid a
platform OF oak trees roughly hewn. and
above this platform were placed several
layers Of traCnyte granite blocks. The sur
face OF Venice was then about two feet
lower than IL is at present. In 1855 this
foundation was carefully examined. and
was found 10 have suffered little from the
passage OF ten centuries. The foundation
upon which are built the Ducal Palace and
St. Marks is the same except that no piling
upholdS the platform Of oak Next 10 Rome.
1t seems 10 me. Venice possesses more in
terest TO the square foot than any other
city OF Europe. II Is 10 be fcrVently hoped
that no further destruction will be wrought
there, and those travellers who have al
ready enjoyed a visit 10 the Campanlle
should plume themselves on the fact. Ven
Ice Is mainly superb from the gorgeous
cOloring that has its place i'm its architec-
ture. The most beautiful cOlOred marbles
and pOrphry have been used in the con-
structiOn of public and other buildings.
Venice was for centuries the s%tOrehOuse of
the most beautiful building marbles IN the
world. The abundance of Mosaics in the
mural decoration marks the cathedral eS-
pecialIy. and the lavish use of the costly
blue has had much TO do with
the general splendOr Of the Venetian build
ings."
Andrews speaks in high praise Of that
section of Indiana in which he was born
and raised and IN which he now resides.
1.-The counties of Franklin and Fayette.' -
he said. together with their adjacent dis
tricts. have much of which they may well
boast. Not only is this section of the State
one OF the most prosperous and wealthy,
but II includes a locality that for pictur-
esqueness is hardly 10 be surpassed in the
world. The annual congregation OF Indiana
painters in the vicinity of BrOOkville
speaks elOquently for the beauty Of the
country surrounding the east and west
forks Of the Whitewater river. The seem
cry Is particularly magnificent there at this
time of the year, and already many repro
auctions of IL in oil and water color have
gone out over the world 20 add 10 the fame
the residents of this part of Indiana rarely
miss an opportunity TO inform the stranger
of the number of famous Americans born
there. If this be a II is amply
eXcusable when one looks over the list of
names. Gen. Lew Wallace and Maurice
Thompson were born in Franklin county,
and another famous literary man from that
section is Joaquin Miller, whose first home
was near Liberty. To the long list OF emf
nently successful professional men and
the name OF the Hon. Harry l. Gordon,
who, after a residence In Ohio Of but five
years. has just been appointed lieutenant
governor OF that State.
The city of COnnerSville which enjoys
one of the finest locations in the valley,
takes its name from John Conner. who
was the proprietor of one of the first -four
mills in Indiana. In days gone by Indi-
anians from almost every part of the State
drove there over the rough corduroy roads
10 have their grist ground. The general
culture which obtains in the district of the
Whitewater is directly traceable to the
moral and physical sOlidity of the early
pioneers. whose descendants still maintain
the high degree of ambition and energy
their forefathers displayed"