The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-03-23
One Of the Richest Streams OF
the World inLegend and
Folklore.

WASHINGTON. Mar 2ssThe
Rhine in history and commerce
forms the subject of a statement Just
issued BY the National Geographic
Society. which is as follows:
First among the, comm ercial riv-
eTs Of civilization, the most impor-
tant geographical feature or Central
Europe, hotly contested boundary
for more than two thousand years.
one OF the richest among the streams
/ Of the world in legend and folklore.
fand incompatible for the beauties Of
! It's course. when one calls to mind
/ the Rhine Of Germany, he thinks up-
on one Of the most important ele-
ments OF the culture and history OF
his race. whether he be of its Latin
or its Teutonic branch The Rhine
and the Germans came on the stage
I Of history together, and their fates
| have been indissolubly bound togeth-
'zer ever since. Hfs kindred with this
mighty river, Father Rhine, is one
of the more conscious elements OF
teach Germans life. and to this his
folklore. his literature, his war-songs,
have testified. No geographical fea-
lures have affected the conscious life
OF 4 race SO deeply as has the Ger
man Rhine.
Rises III Alps.
Rising in the highest Alps in Cen
Itral Europe, the Rhine reaches the
North Sea after a journey of $50
miles, and the last part of it's course
! is through a slowland whose surface
| is below. the tides crest. Tie riv-
Ter gathers its water at the base of
melting glaciers. p1unges over great
rock masses toward its lower levels
cut through the widest mountain val
! 1eys, traverses Wonderful high,
broad plain. and. then, entering It's
famous gorge, wanders through ex-
quisite panoramas.s through lane
ieyerwhere mantled with ruins of his
ttoric castles. abbeys. churches, and
every foot of its way celebrated by.
legend or history. After emerging
from it's gorge lit flows through "a
/ plain where powerful steel, textile
and chemical industries center.
Through Germany and Holland, the
| r hine forms the principal water ave-
tnue OF central and western Europe
Iand an enormous commerce Is han
| lidled through it's ports. @
| The Rhine IS international. 1t
lis divided between switzerland Ger
many and Holland That part Of the
river which lies in Germany. a so
miles in length. has been most dis
Enllted The French have laid claim
Ito it's left bank on the grounds that
the Rhine formed the boundary line
OF Roman Gaul. Though the Roman
empire reached out beyond TIL ke broad
Rhine. the river Formed, nevertheless.
istts effective barrier against the
i5nortlf barbarians. However. N when
/ the realm Of Gharlemagne was ii-
tRvided and the boundaries OF Verdun
isesta blished. the Rhine became wholly
1.-THE property Of Germany and France
early began its .centuries-l long policy
lsof winning the stream back again.
Com plete success crowned this policy
under the Napoleonic empire. ths
I4Rs-ne became once more the houn-
Diary OF Gaul. The Germans reas-
sumed sovereignty OF their beloved
Father Rhine after 1871 and in the
present war the possession OF the
t}historic river is one OF the most crit
Iical questions. AZ 81 ~ 85! .s
Like . Mighty Tree.
The Rhine. like q mi ghty tree in
form receives its waters from count
t5less tributaries, and gives til EN- up
Ito the sea through innnmerAble Off
shoots. Its principal source issues
from glacial ice z. IA feet above the
sea, within the confines Of the most.
canton In Switzerland.
,3On its way. the Rhine is fed directly:
land Indirectly. by IL 100 0s8 obituaries.
and II darins more than 1900 @
tsquara miles. Where the rhine en-
tiers Germany at Basle. lit fis about
500 Feet broad !. and u for the small
Test river boats. navigate begins
here. There is ~ project to make the
Rhine naEi bleS II tfrum Basle to its
Ss5