Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-02-27
TELLS OF MOVING TREASURE
Dalimier Gives Exact Amount of
Transfer from Paris to South
ern France.
VENUS DE MILO GIVES TROUBLE

NGNUO III MlIO ulNEao lhUUbLE
Correspondence OF the Associated Press.)
PARIS. Nov. 6-Many conflicting re-
ports have been published Of the cir
cumstances under which the art treasures
Of Paris were placed I'm safety while
the Germans we're approaching the cspl-
tai. Albert Dalmier. under secretary for
fine arts. now gives the exact details in
an interview published here:
LAS early as August" Mr.. Dalimier
says, Il had considered with my col
leagues the measures to be taken TO save
our art treasures from the eventuslity Of
the German invasion. We did not want
20 alarm the public by taking such steps
before they became absolutely tmpera-
time II was only when Won Kluck ap-
preached Paris with remarkable rapidly
that we decided TO act. and we were
Obliged to act quickly. They gave me
forty-eight hours to pack up the rarest
objects of our collection and send them
out OF Paris by railroad. to be sheltered
in an important city of the south of
France. The task was arduous and deli
cate. The most Insignificant incident
might compromise the operation hope
lessly and the rapidly with which we
necessarily acted inevitably developed
come nervousness. In very short time
we established a list of 40 canvases
that we considered Il necessary to put
into a place of safety. Only go pictures
we're moved from the museums In $50
during the siege OF Paris; comparatively
our task was far greater. Some experts
declared that 1t was impossible in view
Of the mobilization of the greater part
of the personnel OF the museums but
we were determined to make the maxi
mum effort. All the furniture-moving
houses In Paris we're called upon by
telephone to send every available moving
van Immediately and the removal OF the
pictures and statuary began at once The
Venus de Milo, which weighs three TONS
| gave us the greatest trouble, after when
| the most delicate operations were the
packing and removal of the precious OBJ
iects and furniture of tho Gallery OF
Apollo at the Louvre.
Crown Diamonds I'm sRtchel'
AS for the crown diamonds. their re-
movaI was a delicate task that Henri
Marcel. director of the national museum,
and myself. decided that we could not
delegate to anyone. Procuring an ordi-
nary leather satchel, we placed the dia-
monds in IL and left for the railroad
station at nightfall. The situation was
disquieting for a number Of reasons.
The station was crowded, the streets full
OF people hurrying out of Paris before
the approaching army.
I'VE dlned at the buffet Of the railroad
station-very poorly, because the respon-
sbility OF the safety of those jewels
spoiled our appetites. It seemed to both
OF us that the eyes of every person in
the restaurant were fixed upon that
leather bag. and It occurred to US what
a simple matter It would be for an ILL
designing, audaclous person to make a
considerable haul that evening In the
confusion of the exodus. We succeeded
In getting places in the train. crowded
to OVERLOOKING with panicky passengers.
| When we arrived at our journeys emo
| We were not near the end OF our troubles
with those famous Jewels 1t was al
most impossible to find safe in which
to put them. We had been preceded. 1t
seemed, by every owner of a pearl neck
lace in Paris. and all the boxes OF the
only safety deposit place In the city were
already filled. We finally found an
empty drawer in the safe OF a branch OF
a Partisan bank. and 1t IL there the
jewels OF the crown have been In safe
Keeping ever since. always under the
watchful eye of men of the Fine Arts
men detailed by the bank. and all OF
them supervised by private detectives.
The watch over the paintings and 90
jeets Of art is an even more important
affair. They filled scores OF moving van,
assembled In a large court yard, where
there were formerly shoe shops, lock,
smiths and small trades people of al
sorts, who gave up their establishment,
In order to contribute to the safety OF
the national art treasures. All the door,
leading TO the court were sealed I'D, bar,
placed on all windows. fire fighting ap
paratus installed. and constantly. da,
and night. the entire block around thi,
court was patroled by territorials with
fixed bayonets.
IN addition to the art treasures OF
the Louvre and other Paris museums
such as the Luxembourg and Cluny. III,
ehauteaux of Fontainebleau and Com
piegne were stripped OF everything tina,
was movable and the greater part Of tn,
art treasures of Arras have also beer
saved"