The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1915-04-15
THE CITY OF sTRAs5URG.

Strasburg is a fortress of utmost
Importance. With Metz, it guards the
western frontier of the German EN-
pire, and the Germans have consider
ed no cost too great in their efforts
to make it impregnable. Still, the WIS.,
itor would never suspect Strasburg oil
being strategic ground, for it is one
of the Fatherland's beautiful cities
and has all the kindliness and ease OF
manner usual 10 South German
places. Moreover, beyond continu-
GUS streams of military upon the
streets, there is little other evidence
of a great fortress, either within the
city or upon it's outskirts.
Stra5burg is the capital of Alsace-
Lorraine. Unlike it's sister fortress,
Metz, it Is a peace city of Importance,
having maintained the prosperity won
in its days as a free imperial city
through all the VicissituGes of war,
sovereignty, and natural upheayels.
Strasburg has suffered f-cm fire,
siege and earthquake; and, like our
own San Francisco, it has replaced
whatever was lost with structures,
parks and avenues, more costly and
more beautiful. 1t has. however, re-
tanned many of its medieval charact-
eristics-narrow, tortuous, cobble-
stoned streets, and houses, rich with
the exterior wood-carVingS OF the
Middle Ages, whose mansard roofs
are so steep as to make one dizzy to
look up at them.
The cathedral is the architectural
pride of the city. II differs from 9TH
err German Gothic muensters in poss-
essing a greater width in proportion
to it's height. 1t stands in nearly the
center OF the city, on the site of a
church originally founded in 504, and
lit is one of the most harmonious Of
all the great Gothic masterpieces
which, scattered over Europe, go a
long way toward compelling us to
modify our opinions concerning the
texture of the darkness of the Dark
Ages. The present cathedral was be-
gun in 1176 and was completed in
1889. The exquisite facade, with it's
hewn embroideries and superb rose
window over 40 feet in diameter is
lyric thought in stone and glass. The
structure rs famous for its beauty
wherever there are art lovers.
There is a rich industrial and COM
mercial life in the Alsatian city, OF
sufficient importance to support in
comfort its 10000 inhabitants. Tan
ming, brewing. printing, the manu-
facture of musical instruments, paper,
soap, furniture, gloves, steel goods
and tobacco working are the chief in
dustries. Strasburg also has large
business in the agricultural products
Of Alsaee. II has won international
renown for its pates de foie gras, for
the preparation of which the poorer
classes in and around the city fatten
geese in great numbers.
Strasburg lies two miles west OF
the Rhine on a fruitful plain at the
junction of the II and the Breusch.
IL is so miles east OF the French from
tier and $40 miles southwest from
Berlin. II is about 80 miles north OF
Basel, Switzerland. and that part Of
the French frontier which Is opposite
Mulhausers. present objective OF
the French invading Alsace. The city
Is guarded by strong ring of de-
tached forts, sweeping In a fanlike
radius between four ami seven miles
from the city. In peace times. the
fortress-city has a garrison OF more
than 10000 men, composing all arms
OF the service. II houses hundreds OF
university students each year. as its
university Is fayorably known