Near a castle named Sithiu, Omer, bishop of Thérouanne, erected churches and the monks of Luxeuil established monasteries in the 7th century; and in the 9th century the village thus originated took the name of its founder St Omer. The Normans laid the place waste in 861 and 881, but ten years later found town and monastery surrounded by walls and safe from their attack. Situated on the borders of territories frequently disputed by French, Flemish, English, and Spaniards, St Omer long continued subject to siege and military disaster. In 1071 Philip I. put all to sword and flame. Burned in 1136, captured in 1198 by Richard and Baldwin IX., attacked in 1214 by Ferrand of Portugal, in 1302 and 1303 by the Flemish, in 1337 and 1339 by the English, and in 1477 by Louis XI., St Omer at last fell in 1487 into the hands of Charles VIII. Two years later it was recovered by the arch-duke Maximilian; and Charles V. strengthened its ramparts with bastions. The French made five futile attempts against it between 1551 and 1596, and had no better success in 1638 (under Richelieu) or in 1647. But on 26th April 1677, after seventeen days’ siege, Louis XIV. forced the town to capitulate; and the peace of Nimeguen permanently confirmed the conquest. From time to time the people of St Omer (Audomarois) still celebrate the entrance into the town of William Cliton, count of Flanders, from whom in 1127 they obtained a communal charter granting them numerous privileges. St Omer ceased to be a bishopric in 1790.
SAINTONGE (Santonia, Santonensis tractus), an old province of France, of which Saintes (q.v.) was the capital, was bounded on the N.W. by Aunis, on the N.E. by Poitou, on the E. by Angoumois, on the S. by Guienne, and on the W. by Guienne and the Atlantic. It now forms a small portion of the department of Charente and the greater part of that of Charente Inférieure.
ST OUEN, an industrial district in the outskirts of Paris, on the right bank of the Seine, 1 mile above St Denis. It had 17,718 inhabitants in 1881. The docks (6 acres in area), where the boats from the lower Seine discharge, are connected by rail with the Northern and Eastern lines at Paris and with the circular railway near Batignolles. The importance of St Ouen is mainly due to its industrial establishments, foundries and forges, steam-engine factories, dyeworks, waxcloth works, potteries, &c.; it has also the steam-pumps for supplying the upper quarters of Paris with water from the river, a racecourse, and a fine castle, occupying the site of the building in which Louis XVIII. signed (2d May 1814) the declaration by which he promised a charter to France.
ST PAUL, a city of the United States, second city of Minnesota, a port of entry and the capital of the State and of Ramsey county, is situated in 44° 52′ 46″ N. lat. and 93° 5′ W. long., on the Mississippi river, 2150 miles from its mouth, 10 below the falls of St Anthony, the natural head of navigation, and 360 north-west of Chicago. The ground on which the city is built rises from the river in a series of terraces, the ascent being in many places precipitous and not easily adapted to urban uses. The city is mainly confined to the second and third terraces, but is gradually spreading over the elevated plateau beyond. The difficulties of the situation have much increased the cost of erecting large business structures, circumscribed the business quarter, and impeded the railway companies in securing convenient and adequate facilities. The city site is underlaid with a thick stratum of bluish limestone, which comes near the surface, and which, while it renders excavation expensive, furnishes unlimited supplies of building material of a fair quality. The streets of the older portions are uncomfortably narrow, but the newer streets are better laid out.
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Plan of St Paul. | ||
6. Chamber of Commerce. | ||
7. Rice Park. | ||
8. Smith Park. | ||
