Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-09-25
THE FALLEN CAMPANilE.

Nothing Done Yet Toward Rebuild
Ing venfce's Great Tower.
The party intrigues which have been
vigorously carried on ever since the
campanilc fell by the supporters of
those who then We're turned out of
office have once more succeeded. First
Commentators Bonl, discouraged by
the difficulties thrown in his path, re-
tired to carry on his more congenial
work among the excavations OF the
forum, and now Commentators Bel
trami has followed his example.
Against Signor Bonfs advice the au-
thorities left the great base of the
tower standing instead OF unbuilding
II all down to the level of the pile
heads, and they insisted that Sigpor
BeItrami should build the new cam
panile upon this old base. As every
stone and block of this base is round
ed and slippery and damaged with age,
there is absolutely nothing for the
pew building to hold grip Of. and 1t
would be impossible to bind this ma
terial. 1t would only keep I'm place
by its own weight, and, having moth
ing to rivet Il down to the foundations,
1t would topple over at the first shake
OF earthquake. Besides this, the very
consistence OF the old plaster Is such
as to prevent the new part from unit
ing with 1t. Plaster In early Venetian
times was simply a mixture OF lime
and sand, and the continued oozing ND
into the foundations of water with the
rise and fall of the tides has IN the
course OF so many centuries washed all
away. both lime and sand, and the
stones only stood In place because
there was nowhere for them TO 60.
as all was held In place by the sur
rounding mud and earth.
II is true that no defect In the
foundations caused the fall, but to
build up q new tower on them as they
are would be q very serious mistake,
and IT was this which Signor Beltrami,
when he came TO full knowledge Of the
condition OF things below ground, re-
fused TO do and which caused him first
to go to the country "for his health
ond now finally to resign altogether.
The intriguing parts has cleared the
ground, but 1t is remarkable that no
one appears ready to undertake the
work now that the condition OF things
ia visible TO all. We Were down In the
great trench round the base the other
day, and from the excavation dug into
its mass was issuing a flowing stream
OF water. All work has been stopped
and everything in the matter is, as an
official said TO me, confusion worse
confounded"
Meantime in the digging round the
spot many things OF interest have come
to light. All along the side of the
thick wall OF foundation stones has
been laid bare. which, from their posi-
ton and from historical records, turn
out TO be those of an ospizio, or hespi
tai, built by the sanity old Doge Or
scolo about oI6. The level OF these
foundations is considerably higher thar
those OF the campauile, showing thar
these were OF much earlier date and
that In Doge Orseolo's time the sol
had already risen. This also goes Il
prove the truth OF the idea that the
campanile had existed as watch
tower long before II was used as tn,
oNH sVWNh VI 81 Oue Oh DORt
Orseolo's stones now rests In our hall.
Another interesting discovery, ut the
northwest corner of the excavation. n,
n still greater depth, were stakes and
waffle work which had once lined q
canal bank I'm the time OF the first Ia
COON Inhabitants, before the invasion
or the Huns sent the jewellers on tho
mainland TO seek safety among tbess
watery wastes. Their waffle work was
the original from which 30 many beau
tfui designs were taken for decora
lions OF vases and for carving In mar
bic In the eighth and ninth centuries
and which indeed are found. / believe
IN all parts Of the globe. This waffle
work, together with other interesting
objects found. Is being carefully pre-.
served In the d0osl palace.-I.ondou
Globe