Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1912-10-16
MY TRIP TO EUROPE
AND ITS IMPRESSIONS
Restoration of the Buried City
of Pompeii.
The Ruins Are of Great Interest and
Curiosity-Located About 20
Miles From Naples.
By REV. A. CRAMER.

not forgetting the kings palace which
is occupied by the king in the spring
and fall of the year, and his royal
theater the internal beauty of which is
admirable. l might mention by the
way the fashionable world Of Naples,
but I do exactly express it when I say
the fashionable world of America is
the one of Italy. You see the one
and the pyramids and the upside
down ~dishpans tagged with plumes and
ribbons and covered with limitations of
Gods beautiful fora, carried about
by tie female sex, and their gorgeous
apparel revealed in the up-to-date
STYLES and the fashionable gait Of the
dear young maidens just as you
observe and admire them in your WI
country. Remember you are not en-.
tirely out of the world when you are
in Italy. Italy is the country for him
who likes macaroni, and he sees too
how it is prepared in this country.
right out on the open street, dust or
no dust that all helps to season it; it
is the Italian S national dish.
But we have to depart from this
old and yet new city and proceed
to other places of interest. And 1
suppose there is nobody that visits
Naples forgets to look at the ruins
of that lava-buried city of Pomeii,
excavated and revealed by archeolo-
gists since the middle of the previous
century. Pompeli was in the third
and fourth century before Christ
a prosperous city of about % thou
sand population; it soon after was
conquered by Romans and Romanized
it was destroyed by an earthquake
So A. D., but rebuilded again in
new Roman imperial style but not
quite completed when it waaover.
taken by the catastrophe of 20 A.
D., which covered the whole region
with a layer Of lava and ashes
Previous to the volcanic eruption
a slight earthquake occurred which
gave the people a warning and most Of
them had time to escape. but still a
large number of the people especially
those that did not take it so serious,
and the slaves that where shut up.
end the sick, and all kinds of
animals, found their tragic death in
the fire and as that came pouring
upon them. After the calamity the
survivors rescued from the loose ashes
as many ~valuables, and especially as
much marble rs they could, consigning
the town thenceforth to oblivion.
Later eruptions. increased the coat of
lava to a thickness of about 20 #.
POmpeii remained unknown through
the middle ages until in the &C.
cidentaI discoveries attracted atten-
ton, but only in 1860 systematic
excavations we're begun.
Now the main part of this ancient
city is excavated and rouse the
curiosity and wonder of men. The
scene is about from Is to 20 miles
from Naples and can be reached by
railroad. All along the road are
small towns old and dilapidated
rufus of ancient castles and other
structures are noticed. The Mount
V~esuvious is constantly to be seen in
fact we semi circle it 1t appears TO
be very close even at remote distances,
and looks bare and forsaken and at
times pcffs of smoke are emitted. the
path to the crater is very difficult and
expensive and very few people ascend
it, so I also satisfied myself with
vision from below.
Pompeii is right close to the rail
road and a fee Of two francs admits
YOU into its Enclosures. A winding,
rocky, narrow path leads n to the
heights of the marvellous scene. On
the way you pass the museum where
pottery and bodies of men and animals
are exhibited as found in their natural
positions, the belt around the waist
of slaves and a chain on a dogs neck
are plainly revealed.
Entering the ruins we are at Once
aware of an ancient city by its narrow
streets paved with blocks of lava and
bordered by narrow sidewalks; the
wagons have worn deep ruts in them,
indicative Of busy traffic, At the
corners of these streets are placed big
stepping stones for crossing from II
street to another, especially practical
and useful in times of rain and dirt.
Also public fountains are still
preserved.
My attention was particularly
fascinated upon the old forum and
the ruins of the temples with their
sbrines all in connection with the