Johnstown High School - Spectator Yearbook (Johnstown, PA)

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2 THE SPECTATOR One of the interesting places was, as you might expect, the Rathskeller. This famous cellar contains wine from the year 1620, and much more wine of later times. As customary, the visitor takes a glass, be he thirsty or not, simply to say he has drunk there. After wandering about the place for a short time we started to see more of the town. On our walk we saw the Rolands Monu- ment, erected in remembrance of the faithful friend of Charlemagne, and which dates back 300 years. The thing, however, which appealed most to me was the Dom or cathedral. This building was began in 1105 but was not completed until several centuries after. ln it is one of the most remarkable rooms in existence, the Bleikeller or lead cellar, which I visited. Four hundred and eighty years ago, while working on the roof, a carpenter fell to the ground and was killed, and soon after buried in a cellar near by. Ten years later, workmen, while digging over his grave, brought his body to light and it was noticed that he had simply dried out, his skin being like leather. The cathe- dral was at that time being extended over this spot, and it was decided that a room should be built here. Other bodies were placed here, and the same results were noticed, and at present we Hnd about eight bodies in this room. A cat and several birds in like condition are also here, but notwithstanding this we rind no obnoxious odors. After we had examined the cellar we walked about the church and then returned to the hotel. That afternoon we started for Hanover, and arrived there about six o'clock. I was at the time laid up with a cold, and did not go out that evening. The next morn- ing we rode about the city for an hour, and then returned to the hotel. The city has few beautiful features except its location, but near it we find Hameln on the Weser, famed for the story so marvelously told by Browning, and, to make it appear truer than fiction, we here find the Rat- catcher's l-louse. At 2 o'clock we started for Biedenkopf and, after chang- ing cars twice and a four-hours' ride, arrived at our destin- ation. Biedenkopf is but a village, and one would not ex- pect t0 See many Hne buildings 3 but in the surrounding for-

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be 'ilfligb School Spectator. Uzrcs acquifit rzmdo. VOL. VII. HIGH SCHOOL, JOHNSTOWN, PA. NO. I. Bremen and Cologne tln the May number of the Spectator was begun Il series of articles by the author of the following on a tour through Germany. These articles will be continued in the Spectator throughout the yenr.- Edj N Monday, July 13, 1903, we arrived at Bremerhafen after having been on the water for eleven days. When we entered the harbor the tide was out and this left the water too shallow for the steamer to come up to the dock. A tender soon came, and to this the mail, passengers, and baggage were transferred. The weather was very damp and disagreeable, and, to make things worse, it began to rain. The people, with a few excep- tions, myself one of them, soon went below in the cabin and stayed there until we drew near the pier. The boat was moored, the gang-plank thrown out, and then came the rush to set foot on solid land. After landing we went into the custom house and there had the ,suit-case examined. This took but a few minutes, as the in- spector simply put his hand among the clothes and then placed his trade-mark on the side. One must truly blush for shame at our own methods of inspection when he compares them with those of European nations. I recall one instance in particular when we went to Innsbruck, where the Austrian officer placed his lable of inspection upon my case before he had seen what was in it. But I must continue my journey. After the inspection had been completed we went to the waiting room and had a light lunch. At 11:30 the train left, and after two hours riding we reached the city of Bremen. The scenery thoughout the journey was interestingg on both sides we saw Holstein cattle grazing, the gardens were flourishing and peat beds were being worked. Upon our arrival we at once started for a hotel and had dinner. ln the afternoon we took a cab, and, after riding around for two hours, saw many of the places of interest and marked the location of others which we wished to examine more carefully.

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THE SPECTATOR 3 ests we Hnd many beautiful shady and moss-covered walks. Throughout these forests, the dead twigs and branches are gathered by the peasants, and thus a walk through them is a real pleasure, for we hnd no underbrush in which to entangle ourselves. Pine cones, which vary in length from four to six inches, are used to make Hre, and thus every part of the tree is used. The object of our visit to this village was chiefly to see friends and rest ourselves for what was to come. This place, however, is of interest to some of us, as it is the birthplace of many of the early citizens of Johns- town. After remaining here a week we started for Cologne. On our trip to that city we passed through fourteen tunnels and also saw how the German forests were planted. On one hill we saw young trees, or rather bushes, about two feet high 5 on the next hill, the trees were about five or six feet in height. As I passed the various hills I noted the growth until I came to the tree in its natural state. Finally, after a ride of about six hours, we arrived at Cologne and, after leaving our luggage at a hotel, went out to see part of the town. Of all the cities on the Rhine, Cologne is the wealthiest and most renowned. lt has played quite a role even in Ro- man history. Here Trajan received the summons to assume the imperial purple. Here Vitellus and Silvanus were proclaimed emperors, and here the latter was murdered by one of his cohorts. Here also, in the camp of Germanicus, was born Agripplna, the mother of Nero, and she, retaining an affection for her birthplace, sent here in after years a colony of Roman veterans, and gave it her name, Colonia Agrippina, whence comes the modern name, Cologne. Having but a short time to see the place, we at once engaged a cab and viewed the principal buildings and thor- oughfares. The city contains many old and unique build- ings, two of which I noticed dated from 1557 and 1601. Another house, however, was of greater interest to me, for two stone horse heads appeared at the upper windows. Long ago, as the legend goes, the wife of a young nobleman became ill and fell into a trance which resembled death. She was buried, and on the night of her interment a monk went to her tomb to secure a precious ring which she wore,