THE 8EMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE. NEBRASKA.
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SLAUGHTER AT CHARLEROI
IS GREATEST IN HISTORY
"By FRANKLIN P. MERRICK.
International News Service.
Paris. Burned villages and heaps of
(bodies lying on Belgian soil around
Charlerol show the ferocity with which
the allied French and Britten troops
'Opposed tho wave of German troops
that tolled them over and drove them
Iback to France.
For ton hours the tide of battle
ebbed and flowed at Charlerol, tho
vtqwn being taken and retaken flvo
limes before the allies withdrew.
Part of tho city was wrecked, ac
'Cording to reportB received by tho war
office. Tho villages of Marchlennes,
Monceau, Chatelet and Landellea wero
Bjurned.
Citizens Killed.
Though tho inhabitants of the peace
ful little villages had been warned J
that tho conflict was coming, scores
remained in theft homes and porishod
In tho flames or wero killed under tho
rain of shot and shell thnt swept the
streets when they wero driven from
tho shattered structures.
Fierce hand to hand fighting took
place In Charlerol. Tho French wore
the first to occupy tho town, but they
-were driven out by a bombardment
from tho German artillery. The Ger
mans then entered by the left bank
of tho river Sambro, but within a
short tlmo mpro of tho allies' troopB
arrived and tho conflict was renewed.
The Germans sought cover in tho
liouses In tho lower part of tho town
nd to dislodge them tho French
-wero forced to Bweep that section with
their artillery.
Wounded Fill Town.
Tho lower part of the town was soon
In flames and the Germans wore
forced Into the streets. Back and forth
through these surged tho contesting
soldiers, fighting desperately for vic
tory. The dead lay thick when the
French .were finally forced to with
draw. For three days wounded soldiers
liavo been pouring Into Maubeugo.
The monastery and nunnery there aro
tilled. The Inhabitants have given
up their homes to tho war's victims.
On Sunday tho Germans drove tho
French troops through tho town of
Charlerol. back to tho. second de
fensive position on tho lino defined by
the towns of Avesnes, Rocrol and Me
zleres. Recaptured by French.
The French artillery from the
heights now turned a furious cannon
ading on Charlerol, which had been
l)ombarded previously by the Germans
from the other side. The German po
sition was so weakened by the deadly
accuracy of the French gunnery that a
counter attack by tho allies was or
dered and nt daylight on Monday tho
ntlro line advanced, charged tho Ger
man position and recaptured Charlerol.
The conflict probably was unequaled
1n history In severity and casualties.
The Germans must have succeeded in
bringing up reserves, for early on
Tuesday they made a successful coun
ter attack along the whole battle lino
ind retook Charlerol, driving the
Trench back to an intrenched position,
which thoy held until tho morning of
tho second day.
Retreat In Good Order.
The retreat was made In good or
der, tho main forces of tho French re
maining Intact.
Both armies suffered terrific losses.
Tho battle has not yot finished.
Tho German catapult Is hammering
sit the French and British allies' again,
trying to batter Its relentless way to
"Paris. There Is desperate fighting
along tho Belgian frontier at several
points, and French victories are re
ported nt two places, Charlerol and
Courtral, though nothing official has
Ijeon given out
Turcos Charge Battery.
At the beginning of tho combat, the
French made a sortlo in a medieval
manner, with the object of surprising
the enemy. The latter were found in
number far exceeding the French ex
pectations, and the attempt to rout
them failed.
Then tho Turcos, in the face of a
withering flre, charged a German bat
tery at tho point of tho bayonet. Five
"hundred of these bravo French sol
diers from North Africa left on the
charge. Only 100 returned.
Their sortlo had no effect against
tho Bteady German advance, which
contlnped to creep stop by step
through tho outskirts of Charlerol.
Before the railway station tho Ger
mans fought for two hours In an effort
to enpture tho bridge. Their losses
wero enormous, but tho bridge .was
captured.
French Beaten Rapidly.
After the Teutonic adranco over
whelmed the bridge, the Germans
.gained ground rapidly, taking in suc
cession tho vIllngeB of Marchlennes,
"Landells and Montlgnles and the coun
try as far as Walcourt.
Later the French artillery opened
'fire on Charlerol and the French in-
. tfantry advanced under this cover. The
tide of battle appeared to favor tho
trl-color. but not for long.
French Infantrymen declared tho
roofs became so jammed with dead
'that the victims of battle remained
standing where thoy wero shot, and
wore used by tho living as breast
works from behind which to flro on
the enemy,
Tho last etand of tho French was
along the line between Thuiu and Met
tet. At nightfall the fighting ended, both
sides tired beyond endurance. Mon-
- day morning the French returned to
'the attack, entering tho town In tho
face of a withering flro from machlno
gutis mounted In tho steeples, nnd
driving tho Gorman defenders In con
fuslon'across the river Sambru.
Many Houses In Flames.
They found many houses smoldering
or in flames. Tho inhabitants, terror
stricken, were In tho collnrs. Gorman
ofllcers and soldiers wero found dead
In tho streets, sldo by sldo with
Frenchmen who had fallen boforo or
afterward.
Ono German officer was shot whllo
ho was washing his face; and his head
was bowed over a basin, whllo his
face was covered with soap.
Another had been lifting a cup of
coffee to his lips when a French bullet-brought
death. Ho was found ly
ing faco downward across a tabic, tho
broken cup besldo him on tho floor.
German Losses Enormous.
An idea of tho enormous losses of
tho Germans in tho great battlo in
southwestern Belgium and of tho brav
ery of the kalscr'B soldiers Is given In
the story of a returned travelor who
witnessed part of tho fighting along
the Sambro river, southwest of Charler
rol. "I was near Fereux, In a region
covered with dense woods, while tho
fighting was taking place," said he. "I
could hear tho sound of cannon awny
to tho east and knew that a big battlo
was raging. From my placo In tho
forest I suddenly saw tho advanco
guard of a German army approach
ing along a roadway which skirted tho
trees.
"There seemed to be nn endless pro
cession of soldiers, all dressed In a
uniform of gray: Hank after rank
passed by and I thought that tho end
would never come.
"There was no hesitation.. Tho men
swung forward with quick stops nnd
I saw ofllcers galloping along tho lines
urging them forward.
French Open Fire.
"Suddenly there was a fresh sound
of battle, this time In front of mo and
I know thnt tho French artillery had
opened upon tho advance guard of
tho Germans. I moved cnutlously for
ward to a point where I could get a
view of the battle scene. It was a
view which seared Itself Into my mem
ory r"The French guns wero hurling n
hurricane of steel antl flame Into tho
German ranks, but tho soldiers pushed
forward with their battlo shouts on
their lips. Straight Into that pit of
destruction rushed the advancing
troops. Men fell, on every hand. It
seemed that wholo platoons molted
away.
"Over the bodies of the dead and
wounded pushed tho rear ranks of
tho Invading army, rushing with fixed
bayonets upon the smoking muzzles
of tho French artillery. It was a su
perb picture of gallantry.
Aeroplane Is Smashed.
"Neaf Erquelinnes I saw a German
aeroplane brought down. Tho mili
tary aviator was flying high in tho
air, taking a leconnoissance of the al
lies' positions. The specially construct
ed guns, designed to attack air craft,
wero turned upon tho aoroplano, but
tho aviator continued his work. Sud
denly I saw tho machine lurch, splin
ters flew, and then tho shattered ma
chine began to drop. It had been
smashed by a projectile."
GERMANS DRAG GUNS
OVER THEIR OWN DEAD
London. The correspondent of tho
Daily Mall describes a visit among tho
French who wero wounded in tho bat
tles of tho Vosges and have been
brought to Vichy, where tho hotels
havo been transformed into, hospitals.
A wounded artilleryman contributed
tho following experience:
"I witnessed ono horrible sceno. Tho
Germans wero shooting from tho deep
trenches among which our artillery
was doing terrlblo work. But as fast
as a German dropped a fresh man
took IiIb place until bodies of tho Ger
mans wero on a level with tho surfaco
of the earthworks.
"At this moment a German battery
was ordered to advance. Tho heavy
wheels sank In the trench, but the.
drivers furiously lashed their horses
and finally dragged tho guns across
tho human bridge."
WHAT PRISONERS4
OF WAR WILL EAT
The following scale of dally rations
for prisoners of war has been ap
proved by the military authorities:
One pound of bread, three-quarters
of a pound of biscuit, one pound of
preserved meat, three ounces of
cheese, five-eighths of an ounce of
tea, one-quarter of a pound of jam,
threo ounces of sugar, one-half of an
ounce of salt, one-twentieth of an
ounce of mustard, one-thlrty-slxth of
nn ounce of pepper,' one-half of a
pound of fresh vegetables.
Two ounces of tobacco will bo fur
nished each week for smokers.
Gunners Made Stone Deaf.
London. A medical corresixmdont.
or me limes wno uas jusi returnee
from Belgium says It Is morally cer
tain that all the artillerymen of the
forts at Llego are now stone deaf.
"Tho nerves of hearing must fall un
der the strain of dwelling upwards ol
a fortnight In a world of mighty- ex
plosions," ho says. "For these men the
guns thunder now only In a silence
which may never bo broken."
PLEASED WITH RE8ULT8.
Food Commissioners Plan for Testing
Cream Satisfactory.
Tho state food commissioner, tho
cream producers and the oporntors of
creameries aro all pleased with tho
results of ono month's trial of tho
now system of grading cream. Com
missioner Harman estimates that tho
new method will moan a gain of
$1,000,000 a year to tho cream produc
ers. Tho now method has been tried
without a change of pries for cream.
But beginning about tho mlddlo of
September It will bo enforced with ft
chango In prices, Under Instructions
from tho food commissioner, nnd with
tho consent of tho creamery opera
tors, cream was graded No. 1 nnd No.
2. Tho third grndo was condemned
nnd not sold for butter making pur
poses. Mr. Harmnn figures that un
dor tho old method cf selling cream
tho prodncer who took sanitary care
of his dairy nnd hl3 product was get
ting no moro for his produco than tho
man who was not bo conslderato for
tho consumers. All grades woro
mixed togethor and bo the creameries
could not make a best grado butter.
Ono of the largest croamorles in
tho state reports that butter mndo
from cream No. 1 grado scored two
points moro than tho crcamory b out
"put had over, boforo scored on tho
market.
Tho leglslatlvo referenco bureau la
sending out queslonnalres to the
clerks of all tho cities and townB of
tho stato asking for detailed Infor
mation on tho municipal affairs of
tho town. Somo of tho Information
has been secured and published In
tabulated form in tho referenco book
on Nebraska municipalities. Tho
bureau Is seeking to keep this tabula
tion up to dato and also to Bocuro ad
ditional Information. Somo of tho new
questions asked In tho blank aro:
"What is tho income from tho occupa
tion tax, the rate nnd tho amount? Is
question of liquor license an lssuo In
your city? Do you havo municipal milk
Inspection? What method Is used in
handling garbage? What interest
docs your town take in rural condi
tions? How many miles of paving
and of what material?" Tho book on
Nebraska municipalities, recently pub
lished, is now being sent out to tho
clerks of tho various towns and vil
lages. Tho Nebraska farmers' co-oporatlvo
grain and live stock stato association,
throuyh its secretary, J. V. Shorthill,
of Hampton, has filed a complaint with
tho stato railway commission against
all of the railroads in Nebraska on ac
count of aleged unreasonableness of
freight rates on grain. Tho com
plaint alleges tho grain rates aro de
ceptive and tho excosslvencsB ho com
plains of Is, in many instances, care
fully concealed, that rates aro made
In such a way as to be small for a
small shipment and high for a larger
shipment, that carload rates on dif
ferent railroad lines aro not uniform
for like distances, that they aro not
logically made and aro discriminatory.
In a letter tho secretary of tho asso
ciation does not poso as the best au
thority of rates, but that It Is ready to
defend its allegations. Owing to the
vast amount involved ho expresses tho
hope that the' commission will grant
an early hearing.
Three moro amendments to tho con
stitution of the stat aro almost a
certainty as a result of tho primary
election. Both tho major parties,
and undoubtedly all tho minor par
ties have endorsed all three, and
straight party votes will bo counted
this fall for tho three changes In tho
state's fundamental law. Without
such endorsement by parties tho
amondmonts would fail owing to tho
provision requiring a majority of all
votes cast at tho election to bo for
any amendment to put It through.
The Stato University has been given
tho use of tho old horticultural hall
at tho Stato Fair grounds during tho
week of tho State Fair. Ono wing of
tho building will bo In charge of the
department of homo economics, which
will provide nn exhibit and a sanitary
rest room. This room will bo for tho
use of Nebraska women any (Ime bo
twen thfc hours of 0 a. m. and' 6 p. in.
The railway commission has re
fused to grant a rehoarlng to tho
Union Pacific In tho Gandy dopot case.
The commission ordered a depot built
and the suprmo court affirmed the
order and then tho company asked tho
commission for a rehearing on tho
ground that conditions had changed
since tho case was instituted.
As a result of tho equalization of
land values in nine countlos the state
board of assessment has slightly In
creased tho total assessed valuation
of the state. Tho total this year Is
$472,263,035, an Increase of $1,572,621
over last yoar. The stato levy Is tho
same as last year, 7.80 mills on the
dollar valuation.
If a house Is blown down by a tor
nado and then burns up can flro In
Burance be collected? Tho district
court of Douglas county has answered
in tho nfllnnatlvo and tho Glrard Flro
and Marino Insurance company of
Philadelphia Pa., has appealed to tho
supremo court. Tli lower court gave
a Judgment for $538.28 In favor of
Martin Wilg against tho company, Tho
judgment Is for tho full amount of a
policy on a houso that was blown over
by a tornado that struck' Omaha last
year.
BURIAL OF
l H j tf iytt8iLLLBiwHPiMiwLw Sltf tJLP2BILsTWftTl BBBh JwB?y fTsLPWPiryiiBirifcTLlLLLLlr hhv Jirff wv
English sailors firing a saluto over tho gravos of four English nnd four German Bailors who perished when tho
British cruiser Amphlon and tho German steamer Kocnlgen LuIbo woro destroyed In tho North sen.
BARRICADE ON THE SWISS -GERMAN FRONTIER
This photograph Bhowa somo of tho barricades which havo boon erected
Switzerland into Germany along tho international frontier. Tho Swiss and
apart all along the border.
GERMAN PRISONERS IN ENGLAND
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Two hundred German reservists
Folkstone by English troops. Thoy
leave for tho continent.
vwr ,"w j - MctfkA " wb'w w.f ,4 vro LLLVLbLLBHioLLLW.
FRENCH SKIRMISHERS
French, skirmishers advunclng to
fighting in Lorraine. Inset is Gen.
troops in that vicinity.
SOME OF WAR'S FIRST
S MMMk WIWtJi'HW fir :Tiv.
ci. '-iirS
bolng marchod through tho streets of
woro captured as thoy woro about to
-
IN FLANK ATTACK
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take tho enemy In tho Hank during the
Paul Pau, commander of tho French
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'NferaHBft2K! HW"'. g$JBfc
j..:...m.-v.',,w.,ssj- imw i iv '" mill iUB "i
VICTIMS
across all tho roads leading from
Gorman troops are only a few paces
WAR'S PATHETIC SIDE
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Member of tho British royal naval
rosorvo volunteers fondly carrying his
infant child as ho makes his way to
tho mobilization point.
'Chief of tho Austro-Hungarlan min
istry of war.
One Bullet In 5,000 Fatal,
A regular urmy officer is authority
for saying that during a battlo only
one bullet out of ovcry C,p00 fired kills
nn enemy. Two urmles each of 50,
000 mon might go into action with 100
rounds of ammunition. Those armies
could dlschargo at each other 10,000,
000 bullet). If only one shot In 1,000
took effoct, 5,000 men on each sldo
would bo killed or wpundod. That
would bo a heavy cnsuulty, but, aa
tho army officer says, tho artillery flro
Is more destructive than rltlo flro.
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GEN. VON KROBATKIN
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