The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-07-27
THE STORY OF POMPE|rS DESTRUCTION

What is meant by the Last Days of
Pompeii?" This question becomes per-
tinent on the eve of the coming seen
ic spectacle presented by the Pain
Fireworks company under the auspices
of the Commercial club. 1t is to be an
historical pageant, a realistic exhibit
ton of some startling drama of the
past.
In 70 A. D., Pompeii was a Roman
city of 10000 people, nesting at the
base of the great volcano, Vesuvius,
famous in ancient and modern times.
A mile away was the Bay of Naples,
on which is situated not only that
large city, but a succession of towns
and villages. Pompeii was a town of
wealth and luxury, resort for Roman
mobiles and men of eminence, among
whom was the orator Cicero. She had
her shops, her temples, her ampithea-
tiers. Around her on the mountain
slopes, made fertile by volcanic dust,
were vineyards, orchards and gardens.
Towering above this scene of human
activity stood Vesuvius. from whose
apex since Pompeii's day a column of
smoke has forever assembled. AS far
back as human records run, subter-
ranean fires had lurked within its
mighty base, thirty miles in circum-
ference, and occasionally rumblings
and quakings bore testimony to their
persistence and activity. Sixteen
years before, there had been a serious
earthquake that caused severe damage
upon the town, but a volcanic eruption
was a horror that the people of Pom
peii had no apprehension of. Centur-
les had passed to lull the suspicion of
the colossal bulk which overshadowed
them, and the very crater was itself
in part a lake, and in part wild
vastness to which fed the rebel glad
iator, Spartacus, and his band of des-
perate outlaws.
The twentyfourth of August, 70,
dawned without a warning in it's clear
sunrise and refreshing breeze. The
citizens betook themselves to the bust
ness and amusements of the day. But
soon the summit of Vesuvius, stretch
ing 1000 feet into the sky, was begin
ming to smoke, and gradually the
settled over the doomed town. Then,
at last, CONSERVATION and dread be-
gan to shake the gay. and sport-loving
Pompeiians. People poured forth in
to the streets and cries and lamenta-
lions added to the horror of the dark
ness. Ashes began to fall, at first
lightly, but ever showering down fast
er and heavier. They became hot and
to contain pumice and small stones
that bruised and burned the flesh and
set fire to everything inflammable.
Snatching up what valuables they
could, most of the people began a
wild flight to the sea, while others
sought refuge in the temples and I'M
derground chambers. The torturing
fall of fiery rain became more intense.
Rivers of liquids, boiling muds rushed
in torrents down the mountain slopes,
Transforming in an instant a blooming
landscape into dark desolation and
carrying death in it's, crest to every
living thing. Sulphurous fumes from
the crater descended in suffocating
waves, menacing life far beyond the
bounds of Pempeii. Within the Bay
of Naples lay moored feet of I'M
perial Rome, whose commander in his
efforts at rescue, was suffocated while
still aboard his ship. The volcanoe
flung its curtain of smoke until the
greater part of southern Italy was
shrouded in terrifying darkness.
Nearer the volcanoes great shafts of
lightning rent the blackness of the
gloomy pail and thunder pealed and
crashed.
Pompeii was doomed and buried in