Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 July 1896 — A Strange Lead-Lined Cellar. [ARTICLE]

A Strange Lead-Lined Cellar.

One of the curiosities of Bremen, Germany, is the Blelkeller (lead cellar or vault), often passed by the hurrying tourist. Aside from its historical Interest, lie Ing located In the old cathedral built on the site of Charlemagne’s wooden church, erected in the twelfth century, the cellar Is famous scientifically for having the property of preserving dead bodies, human and animal, from decomi>oKitlon. Many theories have been advanced by doctors and scientists as to the cause of this mummifying process, but no satisfactory explanation has been given, other than that the moist atmosphere In the cellar is impregnated with a lead salt which prevents decomposition of flesh matter, as long as a Ixxly Is kept In the even temperature and chemically changed atmosphere of Gils peculiar tomb. The coffins contain the bodies of priests who had been dead for centuries. The coriMes have all the appearances of an Egyptian mummy, being better preserved, without the wrinkled appearance of flesh on face and body as seen in a corpse from the pyramids. Another curious fact Is that chickens, crows, dogs and rabbits are well preserved In like manner when left hanging In the embalming atmosphere of this remarkable old-world refrlgeratoi cellar. The church derives quite a revenue from the great number of tourist visitors who winter and summer pay the stipulated fifty pfennig (twelve and one-half cents), liesldes a tip to the attendant, to look upon the strange results of this underground phenomenon