Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-09-04
OLD MONUMENTS OF EUROPE
AND AFRICA CRUMBLING
Will the Sphinx or the Parthenon
Follow the Cam
panile7
New York Mail and Express.

There seems to be an epidemic these
DAYS among ancient landmarks, monu-
nents and public buildings of that dis
ease which used to be called the railing
sickness" From various widely separated
regions of earth comes news every now
and then of some historic structure CIV
ing evidence that the burden of the CEN
turtles is weighing too heavily upon 1t long
er to be borne. Tower and monument and
cathedrars shrine which the long ages
have rolled over and left still standing
amid the mighty shadows of dead empires
give indications that the time has come
when they desire to lie down and die.
In Venice the Campanile of st. Marks
has fallen and dissolved in broken frag-
ments, after a life of over a thousand
years The bell tower of San Stefano Is
threatening TO fall after having stood for
more than 500 years, and a portion of the
front of the Church Of Saints John and
Paul has tumbled bodily outward, with
its stored window, through which the
light used to stream in softened splendor
on the sculptured tombs Of the long ar
ray of dead doges.s
From Egypt comes the news that the
Sphinx whose sightless eyes for three
thousand years have gazed from the bor-
ders of the Libyan desert is at last show
ing signs of old age. She is beginning to
crumble and disintegrate, and to show
her riddle to the sands of the desert and
the swarms of 'trippers" who visit her
daily by trolley from Cairo. The neigh
boring pyramids seem to be al present in
fairly good health. but there is no telling
how soon they will contract the failing
sickness" 1t would be too bad If the
Sphinx, which has seen so many empires
rise, flourish and decay should now van
ish away to the accompaniment of the
iaugIing of q trolley car bell
From Rome IT is reported that the rich
wooden ceiling of the Church of st. John
Lateran is in danger of falling. 1t is crack
ed in several places and a commission has
reported that something must be done
quickly or the carved and gilded roof will
tumble down upon the heads of the wor-
shippers who frequent the church. This
mother and head of all the churches" as
St Johns Lateran has been called, has
had a career of many disasters, anyway,
but the calamities which have befallen
it before have been due to fire. earthquake
and war. Now it seems simply to feel
that it is getting old and is ready to
drop.
1t is doubtful If any of the original
church built by Constantine in 500 remains,
with the exception Of the baptistry, as the
structure has thrice been rebuilt, the last
time in 1850 The fiat. wooden roof, which
now threatens to fall, is richly ornament
known as 'coffered," and it's fall would
be a loss to the world, both on account
of its antiquity and its beauty. II is es-
timated that it will cost $4,000 to make the
roof safe, and the pope has ordered a sub
scription to be started to raise the re-
quired sum.
In Belgium the celebrated ''Belfry of
Bruges' is reported to be crumbling to de-
cay This great cathedral tower has stood
for nearly 500 years without having shown
signs of weakness until it recently began
to get shaky. Its present condition is
source of anxiety to the inhabitants of
Bruges, for the cathedral tower is the
great show piece of the town and attracts
pilgrims from all over the world. In II
hangs a celebrated chime of bells, of
which poets have sung for centuries. One
of the most beautiful of the short poems
of our own LOngfellow tells of his stand
ing on the tower which now threatens to
fall, while below him
Like a shield embossed with silver, round
and vast the landscape lay.