Semi-weekly herald., 1909-08-02
country shall have It's full share OF
influence In the development OF China
and in the operations of International
finance
The GREAT COLOGNE CATHEDRAL
IN DANGER OF TUMeLiNo
DOWN.

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nent peril of disintegrstion.
Begun In the middle ages and not
completed till within little more than
a score of years ago. the superb build
ing which is the pride of the city
whose name 1t bears may crumble and
collapse at any moment
The danger OF catastrophe is point
ed out In report made by the Ca.
thedral Renovation society, an organi.
zation formed to collect funds for the
periodical repair OF the building.
becoming alarmed at the appear
ance of cracks throughout Its superb
surface and the doleful prediction OF
experts that 1t was in peril. the SO.
ciety engaged experts and ordered a
most careful investigation.
The report just made public has
greatly alarmed the state and local
authorities. and the steps to make In
slant repairs have been put under
way.
According to the report. there IA a
portion OF the structure where the
need for repairs has become so i'm.
minent that millions OF marks Will
De necessary to carry them out.
Moreover 1t will require not lesa
han ten years and possibly twenty
before the cathedral can be made safe.
According to the noted government
architect, Hartel, who had charge OF
'he Investigations. stone after stone
mas peeled away from its place. rot.
ing with time and unsettled by the
traffic and hustle which have resulted
tfom the constantly Increasing traffic
which Ia the result of Cologne.s in.
creasing Importance from CONNER.
clal standpoint
When the cathedral was built its
inceptors had no idea of city such
as has now developed. and the founda
lions are said to he not of such a
character as to Withstand the the
constant rumbling and shaking. Re-
pairs can be made. for the structure
itself Is most solidly built. but in or
der 10 get the results 1t will he neees-
sary TO start work at once.
Any accident happening to the ca,
thedral. similar to that. for instance,
which resulted In the loss OF the Cam.
panile. would excite the Indignation
OF the entire world, TOR there IL no
inef specimen OF Gothic architecture
Ia existence.
In all the many superb cathedrals
OF Europe none Is classed with Co
logne as a sample of a pure style of
architectural beauty. and the man who
would dare suggest that any other edi
fice. ancient or modern. bears com
parison with II would have very
nard time In making his case good
The mind turns almost dizzy In con
templating the remarkable antiquity
OF the cathedral.
Way back in the middle of the thir-
teenth century 1t had It's origin. Then
II was that humble building erected
by the Archbishop Hildebold was burn
cd to the ground
Even at that early age. this building
represented the survival OF a struc.
lure that was already some four cen
turtles old. II had been started By
the good Hlldeboid In the ninth cen.
inry. and served as place OF worship
before many OF the nations that now
control the destInies OF Europe were
even dreamed Of
The devout knelt In the church OF
The sainted Hildebold for many year,
and when 1t fell In conflagratiou.
details OF which can still be found In
carly history. there was a willing re-
aponse to an effort to raise funds for
il new church.
This new church was the beginning
OF the cathedral which Ii now TO be
saved by the prompt action of it's
custodians.
II took seventyfour years to com
plete the choir. which was the 6rst
part dedicated. for the work WAS done
In the days when the science of build
ing had not progressed to its present
advance. and men did NOT have the
devices which now aid SO materially
In the quick uprising of the wonder
ful buildings of today.
All of those who had had any part
In the original plan were dead be-
fore the time came for dedicating
the choir in 1892, but the work was
carried heartily ON and never knew
a stop until the coming OF the era OF
the reformation.
Naturally church designed for the
worship which ran directly counter 10
the spirit of the reformation was not
| allowed to go forward In the country
where the reformation had It's great
est strength. and the building came to
dead stop, aud for many years. In
a condition of only partial completion
was allowed to remain AS It was.
II took the nineteenth century Ia
discover what unriyaled beauties were
being allowed TO 90 to waste while the
cathedral remained uncompleted.
The Emperor Napoleon when he Wis
tied the city declared 1t to have this
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