The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-07-22
VISION.
ANCIENT Day !
Ruins of Great City, Recovered \; q
iron, Ashes, Excite Admir- 35is
alton 81 Tourists. 88s u
MANY EvlDEA CEs OF LUXURY U / Y
People Enjoyed Comforts EE,'qa tai
to Any 81 Modern Times.
~ Visit to tile R,tii1s. "
8Ii3llEl
NV EpMlN aW.8 eoWEN!...I

f$B ss,3 $4,000 y x
4 BY e WIN Nv BOWEN.
FAN ONE. ii ITALY, July "a visit tc
" Pompeii viii cause ono to open ones
"a eyes, and will MI ono witt, establishment
4 and admiration. For there you will set
RI unearthed and brought to the light Of
IN tho 8 eruption Of Vcsuvi,,s sycll-nlel
We two II thousand years * alyo. a III; III
\ Viii lie amazed at the advanced clviliza.
q t!on Of the ancient Ponpciialis. Tho dis.
coveries made there show that those mn
oient people enjoyed not d few Of the con.
H venieiices, comforts md luxulies Of life
4 which wo are disposed to 4flnttcr ours
d selves ARE tho exclusive product Of our
Il modern civilizntion. It Is evident that
a the houses OF the Ponpciinns were com
pleto In every appointment and would
II piila Go. ina lcntions OF nflluence and re-
~ flned wealth abound IN numerous private
/, houses throughout tho entire city.
si Not more than two-flftl,s OF n Pon1pci!
N have been excnvate ed MS yot. The excava-
< lions were first begun under Charles ILL.,,
h after several farmers Ind discovered
some valuable objects Of nrt while splow-
8lng their fields. The amphitheatro and
II a. Few houses were the first things lnid
81 bare and then tho explorations cea s :,
N After this the work Of cxcavating the
VI r,ii,1s wa - carried on In d dilatory man
IN 1er till tMurnt snwnkene considera hle ~
II tercst and manifested communicable zeal
I'm bringing to light the forum, tho walls
u al the city. several streets and many pr1-
4 vate houses. Since 1868, however, the
II vork has been carried on In a systematic
N way, and the labors OF the explorers have
4 been rewarded by the discovery OF many nal y
q valuable works OF art and other objects
of.finterest, which are preserved IN the
& peii. g ~ rs Is s3
If Sentinel at Post.
When Pompei was buried BY the erlp-3
Stion tof Vesuvus 1t was conple tely COW
cred over. by a heavy shower Of pumice
q stone and ashes and clnd II, rms cir cir
n cumstance has greatly facilitated the
\ work OF excavation If Pompeii had been
overwhelmed by a flood Of molten lava,
Y a was Herculnneum, the work of the 8ex-i
Splorers would have been multiplied many
N fold 81 and they would have had to deal
X with a much harder problem. n Tho strata,
n 81 stone. cinders and ashes such as cover
I&up Pompeii, are much IN easier to NJ dig
8 through and remove than the rock-ltke
lava that covers up Herculaneun1 81 and
u that Is SO hard to penetrate. This Is or one le'
reason oWlly
been unearthed. VII }4 .g$ 8455, n
Ancient Pon1peii had eight gates Of
fording communication through Its ems
$$circling walls with the outside world.
u These IA ties took their names, nccordlng;
Ito Y the ancient custom. from the places
Ito which the outgoing ronds led. For
II Example, the gate Of the road leading to
4 IIerculaneum was called the Herculaneum
gate. This gate. by the way, was ron
r1rr1,1 In
Y cry there OF the Roman sentinel, who
stood at his post of duty guarding the,
] gate, till he was overwhelmed by the
q shower Of ashes md persisted. His skele-,
ii ION. with his, sword by his side, was found
IL there when the cato with the adjacent
n city wall was unenrthed. ss y.
tsgi This, OF course, Is the gate most FREE
quently sought out by visitors, because
& OF this historic incident, The gate con-,
\ slsts OF three arches in the city wall, the
central and larger arch spanning the road
& for vehicles and the two smaller arches
on the sides, the pavement for pedes-
TRANS. Immediately outside tho gate on
~ the left is a small guard -house, built
y OF stone, and jutting into the wall. It
u was at this spot that tho faithful Roman
\ sentinel persisted, and here his skeleton
Il was found over eighteen hundred years
\ after when tho Hcrculaneum cato was
VI laid bare. 3f " !; AZ
Street ct the Tornbs.
THE pavement 81 the street edding
through this gate shows here and there
G5deep root worn In the rocks by blIe pass
Il lug wheels OF vehicles. Tho impression
z ii some places where the Wheels wore Into
the rocky pavement Is three inches deep.
h showing how much used the road must
D have been. This much-used street was
called the "street OF the Tornbs." be-
Il cause Just outside the gate this way was
4 lined on either side with fine tombs,
< where the wealthy OF the ancient city
4 used to bury their dead, Many ruins Of
" handsome and elaborate marble naonu-
ments MS large as small houses may still
4 be seen along this street. 1t was the
IA custom Of the ancient Romans to bury
along the magnificent highways lending
~ out OF tho city, and those roads became
y the most fashionable drivewnys for the
nristocracy, This explains the existing
4 wheel-ruts In the pavement along the
;@"Street OF the Tombs' In Pompeii. i
The writer cherishes n pleasant men,
DRY In connection with his visit to Pom
peil, growing out Of n little incident that
occurred at the Hcrculaneum gate.
e While Ills party was visiting this quarter
5 OF the city they were all forced BY a
passing shower to take refuge under the
the pattering rain that came down upon
{ them. The entire party crowded into the
sentry-house. where tho faithful Roman
J soldier had bravely persisted at his post
OF duty so many centuries ago.
5} Tho streets OF ancient Pompeii wcro
ID straight end narrow, with stepping stones
at the crossings for the comfort of the
pedestrians In time Of heavy rains, OF
II course tho streets were all paved; not
with brick, however. but With a kind OF
y fing-stone. which made n rather uneven
pavement. Very much the same kind Of
pavement Is sti used In the italian cities
Appearance of Houses,
The houses OF Pompcii were usually OF
light construction. iield-stone or brick
The plan OF the house Is, In tho main
as follows: A small passage, called The
yestibule, leads to the yard or court
In which Is built the impluyium, an opei
4 c,stern for rain water, Around the court
(. Chilled the atrium, are situated the sleep
Ing rooms, which are generally small, an{
Z lying-room. which Is quite spacious
At .<.s H.. 4, To-, ,Stt