The Fall Of The Column Vendome

FAfitS, May 10. There was a treMöndous scène at the 'all of the Column Vendóme ti. a noon. The fali wras uiinounccd lor two i'olock and all the balconiég in i ürd witb Ie lues de la Paix and Caetigliona were irowded. Three bands of : lived the workmen mire engaged in ■hopping thé baso of the ooíumn. M. Abaaic next arrived and ingpeoted the wimllii-s. .The exoitement was in fort next appeared and tlio people irowded around nim, giving him loud cheerg. Soon all arniiigrainils iompletod and the bugles soundod, as if i ■ ( olntnn, liloe tho wall of Joricho. to fallfrom ;i blust. The cable stretched van tightened, the column stood fina, and the windlaos bioie and the pulley flew lato the air and then descended, stiiking a sailor and woondiag faam. Aftcr thi accident M. Abadie declared that he nèeded two hoon in whiob t repair tho tackle. The cry roso that the oolumn would Tiot full. At qüarter past live o'olook word i gires out that the oolnmn would n. before seven o'olook. A geuoral c.s sion of disapprobation went through the crowd, and M. Abadie w 'l of oomplioity with the Venailles goTernmr nt and threatened with the guillo.tine. At twenty minutes past five tho cable tras ogaia stretohèd for the work of dcmolition, and greatly to tho surprise of the spectators the vast column moved and gwayud. It next swept magnifloently dqwn, bursting into fragments as it atruckthe earth. It feil lengthwise of tho Rue dt; la Paix, oxactly on tho cu prepared for it, splmtering with :i lnll, beavy, lumbering sound, -tt-hilc a thick oloud of dust and crushed and pow i masonry rose in tho air. The crowm, as soon as tlie column feil, pavo tremndous shouts of " Vive la Commuije" and the hands played tho Jlarseillaise hymn. When the dust clearcd away there lay tho glorious oolumn, shattered to piucos, the bronze and the masoary in two massos together in the middle, and th statue of tho Einperor Beveral feet from the end of the column with the hoad knocknd off. The oröwd ruslied forward to collect the fragmenta and relies and the guard were unable to r!sist tho rush. Next the orators commnnced theii1 speeches, índnlging in all sorts of extravagant langnag. The stetue of the Emperor himself. 'J'!ic National Guardsspat into his face and struok it with (luir rifles. After the ceremonies were oonoluded t!;c crowd disponed and tho soldiere moved (i' waving t.heir Hag and giving exprossion to tlieir joy by contitiual sliimting. Tho square in wfacb tho column Btood will henceforth bu known as the Place International.