Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-08-15
LIN BURG
Noted For Its Cheese And Long
Siege.

DuSSh Aiiiooi 81 those poi isANh Va
ancient Limburg which Belgium seeks
to have Holland restore to her because
it will enable her to fortify her from
tiers more strongly, is described in the
following bulletin from the Washington
headquarters of the National Gaogra-
phic Society:
That portion of Limburg now ruled
by Holland lies east Of the Meuse, is
smaller than Rhode Island in area,
aid has a population slightly less than
that of Detroit, Michigan.
'Limburg's cheese is famous, though
it's significant history is almost for
gotten. Its name, applying to q con-
siderable area, dates back to the 11th
century and was derived from q castle
built along the Vesdre river on the
site Of the present town Of Limburg.
For two centuries thereafter the
history of Limburg was one Of tedious
disputes until it suddenly was IL
Illuminated by the exploits Of JOHN of
Brabant whose brilliant battles
against superior forces resulted in the
union of Limburg and Brabant. Thus
Limburg became the beneficiary of
that Magma Carta Of the continent,
known as the Joyous Entry granted
by John III. Duke of Brabant. The
document established a min ature
league of nations among the feudal
states. pledging the rules Of Brabant
to respect territorial integrity and to
a referendum Of taxes, wars and
treaties to their subjects.
For a time Limburg was annexed
to France; portions of it then fell to
Luxembourg and thus passed into the
German confederation. That section
of the original Limburg now in con-
troversy was incorporated in Holland
10y the london conference at TIE clio Ie
Of our .ivii War After the Belgian
revolution, nearly 80 years earlier, its
chief city and present capital, Mas
tricht, adhered to Holland. The rest
Of Limburg, including the area which
now is a province of Belgium, sent it's
legislators to the Brussels assembly
throughout the period of nearly dec
ade when Holland refused to recog-
nize the independence of Belgium.
"Maastricht's most conspicuous eX-
plot was it's four months resistance
of the siege of the terrible Duke of
Parma. With a small garrison as a
nucleus. citizens and peasants from
the vicinity resisted a veteran army
of about equal numbers. Parma had
miners tunnel under the walls. A
woman's regiment from the city
scalded hundreds to death with SHOW
ers Of boiling water. Meanwhile men
employed bellows from church organs
to blow burning brush into the sub
terranean trenches. Then the women,
nicknamed mine mistresses,' hurled
blazing torches Of pitch upon the en-
emy at the city's gates,
when, after a terrific siege the
defense crumbled the citizens threw
up inner fortiflcations. They held out
until, attacked as they slept from e1-
haustion one night. a concerted attack
by overwhelming numbers invaded
their last stronghold. Red hot sand
and boiling water deluged them from
their own roof tops. Even the aged
women and the children were butcher
ed. About 5000 perished, and the city
was plundered."
Concerning the cheese that made
Limburg famous, the bulletin quotes a
communication from William Wisner
Chaplin as follows:
"Limburg is sometimes called the
Garden Of Holland. OF the celebrated
relish known as Limburger cheese il
has long been a query how an article
Of food made from delicious material
and considered such a delicacy car
possess SO obnoxious an odor and still
retain its self-respect. This peculiar
ity has made Limburger cheese re-
sponsible for many amusing incidents
"A Dutch-American rural citizen
once went to town to make some pur-
chases, among which was some Of this
odoriferous commodity. For convent
ence he placed it in long box in the
wagon behind the seat. Happening
to stop on the road, an inquisitive ac'
quaintance approached and asked
what the box contained.
I'm answer he raised the lid and re-
piled, I have my grandmother
"Well,' rejoined the inquirer. az he
caught a Whit of the contents, She's
not in trance.