Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-09-02
CRUSHED IN A DAY
A Proud City Reduced to Melting
Ruins.
THE DESTRUCTION OF POMpEII
An ottumwan Who Recently Viewed
What is Left of the Once ProuI City
Tells of the Sisht-ottumwa's Mimic
Destruction.


inc recent eruption of Mount Peleel
on the island of Martinique and the
TACT that 1t is again threatening the in
undatlon with molten rock and lava
the once flourishing town of st. Pierre
makes even more interesting than u.s.
ual the fact that Ottumwa people will,
on September and 6, be afforded ami
opportunity to see, from point OF
vantage and safety, the destruction of
mimic city of the ancient times,
caused by the eruption of mimicI
Mount Somnia. PAINS destruction of
Pompeii, which will be in Ottumwa on
September and 6, will exhibit at
Caldwell's park under the auspices of
Ottumwa lodge, No. 347, Benevolent
Protective Order of Elks, is one of the
most thrilling, life-lile, colossal shows
ever presented for the entertainment
of the American public. All that is
modern, up-to-date and first-class, is
used to initiate the destruction. by
volcanic forces, of that city, Pompeii,
which, when it fiourished, was among
the proudest parts of old Rome.
The Old CITY.
u7ha on, ,,;si+s ~, ,,,ins Of Pom.
neii and Herculaneum the sister cities
which were destroyed together, mem
cries of old Latin Grammars and Ro-
man histories jostle with each other in
the travellers mind. 1t is as if he had
been picked up by colossal hands and
lifted out of the present into an age of
centuries ago. He can recall, in mag
ination, how the Pompeiians comport-
ed themselves in their daily walks of
life, including business, society, etc.
He is surrounded on all sides by the
ruins of the once beautiful, proud
city, now covered with lava and the
other outpourings OF the volcano.
Such site alone is worth travelling
miles to see, but the great majority OF
people in Ottumwa have never viewed
these RUNS. Ihey nave an emporium
lty now. one whlch does not occur III
city the size CT "
tumwa otten, ana never mas
before. OF seeing splenaid lhita-
tlon OF the Guy, Delore' AFTER anu u'll-
ing the eruption OF tne Voicano pro
duced by the WIZARD henry j. ran
whose aci,ieVelnehls III me iiiemoi i,'
me nave !ohs since siven mn! lhe uii'
disputed TUE 10 kliis III this me.
One Who Was There.
An Ottumwan who has recently re-
turned from trip to Europe, in the
course of which he visited the ruins OF
/ Pompeii, tells of the former city in
! the following manner:
"The ruins of Pompeii lie fifteen miles
south of Naples. Italy, on the coast OF
the Mediterranean sea- and before its
destruction in A. D. 70 must have
ranked among the wealthiest and gay
est cities of that eastern country. 1t
is easily reached by railroad, the sta
ton of Pompeii being close to the gate
which gives entrance to the eXhumed
remains of that ancient city. Pompeii
was overwhelmed by an eruption OF
Mount Somnia The two peaks Of
Somnia and Vesuvius were in fact the
vents for the same system of slumber
ling fires Aftef the eruption of Somnia
that destroyed Herculaneum and Pom
pei, as if ashamed of it's conduct il
subsidized utterly and has not been in
an active state since. Vesuvius is
separated from Somnia by a deep cres
cent shaped valley, and lies to the
south Of Somnia near the sea. Ashes
pumice and fractured stone from The