The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-09-24

Famous Cathedral Where Clovis
Was Crowned And Joan of
Arc Triumphed Badly
Shattered.

Bordeaux. Sept. 21.-A detailed ac-
count of the German lombard
ment Of Rheims relates that the
~cannonading ha lasted for a fort
night. The Germans are said to
have used petroleum shells, and the
city was set on fire in many places
and whole blocks of houses reduced
to smoking ruins. The part of the
population which was unable or
unwilling to leave the city was
without food for several days. The
people took shelter in cellars. Some
were injured. but little or no loss
OF life has been reported.
Rheims, the first capital of the
ancient RENT or Frank foundation of
the French race; the seat of the corona
ton of Clovis. first king of France, and
Joan of Arcs triumph and the home
OF the most admired cathedral in all
Europe, is today under fire of the
Germans.
Crumhling walls is all hat remains
or the once magnificent cathedral. dis
patches from the front say. In addition
the great public buildings of the city
are in flames. However, despite the
terrible havoc hat has been wrought.
the Germans have been Unable to re-
take Rheims, though one of the chief
AIMS Of the armies on the western end
- Nv D"IS4C III has Detu 10 IlDlO IlG
city, which they desire so as to COM
mand the railroads leading to Charlie
vile, Verdun. and Chalons. The allies.
1T is reported have ~repulsed the Ger
man attacks and made several impetus
Gus counter movements regardless of
the terrible hail of shrapnel.
The Germans have made an especial
mark of the ancient cathedral Of
Rheims. say the allies, as though hop
ing to break h spirit of the French,
who have a deep and abiding love for
the ancient example of early Gothic
architecture, which has been a center
OF things French since the origin of the
nation.
An official statement just issued at
Berlin says: =" Rheims was in the Dat
tie line of the French, and the Ger
mans were obliged to lombard it. We
regret the necessity, but the fire of
the French came from that direction.
orders have been issued to save the
cathedral.
Rheims is n of the leading manu-
featuring and commercial cities of the
north OF France, beside being a mecca
Tor art lovers n tourists the year
around. 1t has a population of 100. $50,
ana IS an export center for champagne.
WOODEN mills form q chief means OF
~sustenance for h Inhabitants.
The cathedral has been the place of
coronation for most of the greatest
N'AEo' Va - SiilS. IL is d tn2gnllEBnt
structure. The west front has twin tow
cfs, a great cathedral rose and three
magnificent canopied portals, covered
with 18th century statues and reIiefs,
81 such excellence that they can defy
comparison with the classics.
1t has also been the seat of an arch-
oishopric and the meeting place of
many church councils. Joan of Are
War Old To Rheims.
Many times has the city been sacked.
IN I4sV six lofty spires were de-
stroyed by fire. Capetian and Ro,1rhon
monarchs from Phillip II to Charles x
nave been crowned in the cathedral.
crowned Charles VII at Rheims in 1929.
NAPOLEON defeated the Russians a
Enelms in 1914. It was the headquar-
lers OF William of Prussia in Septem-
Der, 1870.
h French foreign office has for
warded to neutral governments a pro-
test against the German bombardmen