Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-09-22
FAMOUS eDlFtcE IN RUINS As
RESULT or DAYS OF BON.
eARDMENT.
PROTEST TO WORLD AGAINST
ACT OF "oDIous VANDALISM
City Hall and Other Historic Buildings
at Rheims Destroyed or Greatly
Dana ,ed-ca cathedral Dates Back to
12,.-Maid Of Orleans Saw Therein
Coronation Of Charles VIII.

Bordeaux. Sept. 22.-The minister of
the interior. Louis j Malvy. announced
Sunday that the famous cathedral OF
Rheims had been destroyed and all the
other historic and public buildings
either laid in ruins or seriously dam
aged during the bombarlment OF
Rheims by the German artillery.
Coupled with this announ cement was
a statement that the government had
decided to address to air the powers
a note of indignant protest against
this act of odious vandalism"
City Hall Also Destroyed.
The structures which the minister
said had been destroyed or ruined m
cuded in addition to the cathedral, the
twelfth century Church of St Jacques,
the fifteenth century archbishop's pal
ace and the city hall. dating from the
seventeenth century.
NJ. Malvy said that official reports
revealed that the cathedral was in
flames. the burning having begun as
result of the ceaseless bomhardment.
1t was officially stated that the de-
struction of these historic buildings
was accepted as indicating that the
Germans considered their situation
desperate.
Rheims Center Of Attack.
At the western end Of the battle line
Rheims has been the object of the
greatest attention from The Germans.
who time after time have unsuccess-
fuzzy attempted 70 break thru the allies
lines after subjecting the town to an
intense bombardment.
The Germans are determined to cap
ture Rheims which is al important
railroad junction. the possession oil
which would give them command OF
another rosd to the north
Edifiee Dates From 1e15.
The Rheims cathedral. ne third In
succession on the site Of pasan tenn
ple. dates from 1215. "af.er Frankish
architects had gained experience and
new ideas" as observed Hunnewel the
American architectural critic. while
Violet le-Duc said of II irat to form
a conception of what completed ca
thedral OF the thirteenth century
should be. that of Rheims must be
taken as type. None could fail to be
struc,S with its magnihcence OF exter-
mai decoration honeycombed as the
vast structure was with tracery and
figures of which there Were upward OF
200. many being Of colossal proper
tons.
The front :la nked at each end with
ponderous Yet airily constructed
towers. and with large central rose
window more than forty feet across.
Ferguson declared, was perhaps the
most beautiful production turnout the
middle ges. and perhaps no other sur
passed it4in' beauty OF proportions and
of details
Old Structure Burned.
OF the preceding structures the
original Roman temple dedicated to
christian worship about the year 400.
wa. superseded in the ninth century
by a more ornate construction, which.
being destroyed by fire in 1e1l. a new
building on a fair larger scale. in
tended to have seven towers, was COM
menced: part OF this. when approach
ing completion. more than two cen
turtles after it's foundation, was burned
down in the great confiagraticn of 1881,
due TO the negligence of two workmen.
who thus caused the irreparable loss
Of the central tower. over go feet high
resumed and continued king and peo-
pie contributing, while even the French
government has devoted err annual
subsidy OF 100, 900 francs tc absolute
/ ~ necessary repairs.
! DAYS could be passed In. so to speak,
discovering aever-varied fantastic cap
itals. humorous faces and quaint gar
goyles. and only last year the work OF
-.
doorway Of the building. d Romaie
carved and painted arch ascribed to
the tenth century.
lie Loup Made 600 Figures.
The chiselings of the le.p west en-
trance porehes We're the productions OF
one Jean Leloup. who during twelve
years labor gave life to the 600 figures
hich illustrated the history Of the
/ Reaecmei and of His mother. AmonR
them were large statues IF prophets
kings. virgins, ma rtyrs and quaint bas-
reliefs of our first parents, of agricul-
tural implements, and of tools used in
the various arts and crafts of the day
all tremendously introduced and
blended together.
I The north porch. of older date thar
the west in vigorous carving. told thu
legend of the two apostles of thu
Fra nks Nicaise and Remigius. TIL
former, Gecapitated by the VandaJs il
the year i07, was portrayed III the cen
ter figure of the three on The left of TIN
porch. with his head in his hands. ate
the manner Of st. Denis. '"he statue
thanking it represented his sister. Eu
terpe, and his guardian angel. The fig
ures to the right of the porch We're ST
Remi. or Remigius. with on either sid
King Clovis and an angel: he centra
figure between the entrances was ST
Sixtus, first archbishop Of Rheims. TIL
four tierssjof bas-reliefs in the tym
panum over the doorway illustrate