Rensselaer Union, Volume 12, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 October 1879 — The Destruction of Pompeii Commemorated. [ARTICLE]

The Destruction of Pompeii Commemorated.

New York, September 28. A cable dispatch to the Herald from Pompeii says: The destruction of Pompeii eighteen centuries ago was yesterday commemorated in the presence of an immense concourse of spectators, mainly from Italy, and of scientific men from every conntiw in the worid. The weather was beautiful, and the guests had a delightful day to wander among the ruins, and examine the relics winch have been removed from the ancient city. From a pavilion erected in the ancient Basilica, Professor Rnggieri, the director of the excavations, delivered an address, explaining the newest mode of prosecuting discoveries, and giving an account of some of the more important discoveries that have been made since the excavations were oommenced. He attempted to describe to the guests assembled the city as it must have appeared 1,800 years ago, and referred to the account of the destruction of the city and Herculaneum, as recounted by the younger Pliny in his famous letter to Tacitus giving an account of the death of hu uncle, the elder Pliny. Count Guancili and Mgr. Mirabelli then declaimed Latin verses commemorative of the event.

After a visit to the rains, excavations were began under Signor Raggieri’s superintendence. The spectators eagerly watched the progress as stratum after stratum was removed. In the first larger vases were discovered. In the second a mass of cinders, which gradually revealed several bronze vases of various sizes, two of them having perfectly exquisite »ilver handles, and also many bracelets, brooches, rings, coins, kitchen utensils and earthern vases. Under them were found wooden beams and backs of partially calcined coin. The objects that were discovered will enrich the museums of Naples and Pompeii. A spacious refreshment tent was erected on an eminence commanding a lovely panorama. Capital music was furnished by orchestras from various Italian cities. Vesuvius looked more threatening than usual, and all day long vomited a continuous stream of lava and smoke. —ln sailing up the Penobscot river in Maine, recently, the Captain of a schooner heard cries of distress coming from the shore near Hampden. He anchored and went on shore, and in a field he found a fanner pinned to the earth by a large rock that had fallen upon him white engaged in an effort to sink it. The man's teg was broken, and he was in great agony. The Captain procured the assistance of five men and removed the rock, which was a large one. In returning to his vessel the Captain broke bis own ankle in jumping over a fence. A New York chemist has a sponge eight feet in circumference. If it only had a cane rod a stand-up coHar it would beat its way out West in no time. —Detroit Free Press.