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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 30, 1914)
Tim OMAHA SUNDAY BEE: AUGUST 30. 1914. 7--A PARIS DEFENSES ARE YERY STRONG Half Million Hen Required to In vest French Capital, So Formid able Its Fortification!. THREE HUGE CIRCLES STTRROUSD Military Ezprrta ar it WoiM Be Vastly Mora Dlfflealt te Cap tare Place Now Than la lflTO. Omaha Woman Bribes Guards and Runs by French Sentries to Get Free of War Zone WASHINGTON. Auir. M.-The fortifica tion of Pari and their ability to resist a siege I receiving tha "loss attention of military observers, now that Paris la the announced objective point of the Ger man forces, and ttie French ministry of sr haa adopted urgent mean of ktrenrthenlng- the city's defense to the utmost. While the city's detailed defense, are surrounded with secrecy by French mili tary authorities, yet their general char acter and formidable strength are known to military experts, who recognise them as among the strongest fortifications of , the world. These fortifications consist of three dis tinct circles sweeping around the city first, the solid wall of masonry, eighteen feet high, extending for twenty-two miles around the old sections of Paris; second, the system of seventeen detached forts arranged at Intervals, two miles beyond the wall, and making a circuit of the city thirty-four miles long; and third, an outer girdle of forts seventy-five miles long on the height commanding the valley of the Seine. Each Circle Complete. Each of these circles of masonry and steel Is a complete defense In itself, the torts being linked together with redoubts, bastion and glacis, which permit a cross fire against approach from any direction. The magnitude of the system Is shown by Its area which exceeds 400 square miles. The wall around Farls smd the seven teen detached forts two miles beyond the wall were built by Louis Philippe. They sustained the German Siege of 1S70-71. and the outer forts ' have since been greatly strengthened. The third line of forts on the hills of the St Oerm'alne, Oomellles and Villlens, are of modern construction with the latest types of batteries and heavy guns. The Inner wall about Paris surrounds the best known and most Important sec tions of the city Including the business sections along the Grand boulevard, the residence sections of the north and west of the city and the Latin quarter and other section on the left bank of tha .Seine. Circle of Pabarbs. On the outside of the wall Is a circle of suburbs extending for many miles. In cluding NeuUly, Argenteull. Versailles, Vlnrennes and many others. The forts of the second and third llnea of defenses are dotted among these suburbs protect ing them and the'approaches to the capi tal. The wall contain ninety-three bas tions and sixty-seven gates. .. Some of these have been abandoned owing to the (pressure of modern construction and trade. But recent advices received her front Paris. state that all the gates still existing are, now closed at' S p. rru, with rigid regulation against movetnehta from within or without. The senohd line' of forts lnelndes the famous fortress of Mont Valerian, whlch was the center of attack In the German siege of 170. It Is strengthened by, two groups of works Hautes Bruyeres and the Chatlllon fort and batteries. South of the city la the row of forts at Ivry. Bictre, Mont Rogue, Vanves and Iaay. North and east of the city are three great forts around St. Denis and two others at Fort. Aubervlller and Fort Charenton. commanding the approaches from the great wood of Bondy. Would Take Half Mtllloa. The outer circle of forts, which are of the most modern type, have from twenty-, four to sixty heavy guns and 600 to 1.300 men each. In all the thro lines of de fenses it require 170,000 men to operate Ihem, not counting troops assembled within the city. According to military exports. It would require a. force of (00,000 men to invest these defenses. General Von Moltke. field marshal of the German forces at the time of the aiege of Paris In 1870, states. In s report on that siege that the French artillery armament consisted of more than 2,027 pieces, Including 200 of the largest caliber of naval ordnances. There were 600 rounds for each gun and a reserve of fj.OOO.OCO kilograms of powder. Von Mottke points out that the bombardment of a fortified place In the heart of any enemy' country is difficult If not Impossible un til e invader is master of the railway or waterway "by which siege artillery can be brought up in full quantity. He explains the failure to bombard . Paris at the outset of the former siege by saying it would have required 300 heavy guns with 600 rounds for each gun. The movement forward of these .heavy guns would have required 4,600 four wheeled wagons and 10,000 horses, which were not available. At a later stage the Germans brought up their big siege gun, attacking tha sn clente and ports and dropping 800 to 400 fifteen centimetre ehells dally Into the heart of the city. 'Notwithstanding the fury of the German attack Part with stood tha siege for 132 days. Since then the entirely new and outer third line of defense ha been erected and military experts soy the fortifications a a whole art, far more formidable than those which resisted the former siege. Mrs. Frank Crawford of this city re lates thrilling experiences she had In escaping from the war tone after the dec laration of war. With Mis Alice l How of Wposter, Mass., she had to run the gauntlet of French sentries, bribe guards and suffered untold miser lee. They were the only Americana to hav escaped from Lyons, Franc. They went to Europe from New Tork on the Olympic, sailing July It. It was their Intention to stay part of the time In France and the rest of the time In Eng land and not to return until September. "Within ten day after we arrived, or on August 4, war was declared," said Mrs. Crawford. "The order for the mobilisa tion of the French army was given Au gust 6, when w were In Avignon, France. Rumor of war had been In the air for days so we had changed our money or ders nad travelers' checks to gold and sliver. That alone saved u from staying In Europe for many week. "As soon a the order was issued we determined to start for home, but w found It a more difficult task than w had Imagined. tart fop Paris. "August 5 we started from' Avignon for Paris. The tain proceeded at a slow rat and at every station soldiers and officers, with weeping wives, sweethearts and chil dren crowded the platform. The patriot ism was Intense. Flag were flying every- wnere ana the Marseillaise w-as sung fre quently. We got to Lyons and then were Politely but firmly informed that we could proceed no further and that w must stay In that city for twenty-one days or until the mobilization of th French troops had been completed. "That was at i o'clock In the morning. We were sent from the train, and were obliged to carry our heavy luggage through the streets to the Hotel Angle terre. We lost all our trunks at the sta tion. At the A'ngleterre there were few rooms, but we succeeded In getting ac commodations. Most star la Lyons. "The next day we went to the station, but were told, that we could contlnuo to Pari only after the twenty-one days hod elapsed. The station was completely sur rounded by troops. "We remembered that there Is a hotel In Lyons, called the Terminus, which en ters on the station at one pblnt. We went there, escorted by a small boy with our luggage, and after waiting until the sentry was not looking, dashed across a platform and Into a private compartment of an express to Paris. We were forced to give the guard a gold sovereign before he would let us In. Enter Troop Train. "Then we found that we were in a troop train. The compartment In which we were was partly filled with French offi cers, who showed ua every consideration. "The train stopped at the Gare de Lyon, and there were no taxleabs. -Finally we found an old cochler with hi cab, and he took us to th Hotel Bellevue, Avenue of the Opera. "In Paris we found .many friends, and for a time our troubles were minor ones. We went to th-American -consulate and RUSSIANS' LOSSES ARE NOTGIYEN OUT Arrival of Wounded in Moscow and St. Petersburg Indicate Heavy Toll in the Fighting. FEARFUL COST OF GALLANTRY Withheld! of Mats of Dead Dome with Prefoaad Kanwledae af the I'syrholoay of Ike, Resslaa Character. shte In lat rial,; m.i:iths. They are at .11 ro'Clvli'S froli Thim: supplies. The Nhan-Tunii tiHlns irt srrhltig nml lepnrt!ns. MAO ClltiW, riihm. Auk. Ifc-il-luol. (-Herman rrpi rv Ixt.i from illetant ! arlH vf t'liivn ere r t ill entering Tslng Tnu. Mnm o' thrm. kahkl clad, ar slung tl" liver t-twcn Wei Ilsln, prov-ln.- of lian-Tn:n. srvl Tslng-Tau. Th flrt ( terms n ni: -vista or at a village twelve nillrn fnm Tflim-Tsu. It Is ther ! that the l.rliine ha ln-en broken. got passports, and to th chief of police to get-permis de soujourn, which were necessary to escape arrest . "Fear of a siege in Paris drove us every day to the American Express office, and we stood in line for hours trying to get steamship accommodations. After days of waiting we got second-class tickets on the steamship Chicago of th French line, sailing from Havre. Charters am A eta. "Then the main difficulty was to get to Havre. We heard only cattle trains were running, so we chartered an auto from the Packard company at a cost of $160, and made a wild cross-country flight to the port At every town snd city, and often between, we were halted by French soldiers who, after looking at our pass ports, allowed us to pass on. "It took us seven hours to get to Havre. Then we were told that In all probability neither the Chicago nor the France would sail for some weeks, as It was feared that German cruisers were patrollng the water off the coast. "Admiral Dame of th English navy was at th port disembarking 150,000 Eng lish soldiers and we met his aide-decamp, Captain Chester Peele. who proved to be an English friend. He got ua first class accommodations on the France, which were much better than the second cabins we had on the Chicago. Escorted by Cralsers. "In a few day we' learned that we were to -proceed under-esoort of several British cruiser. W left Havre without regret', and made an eventless trip across the Atlantic. ,yii Ul.on the bost warn Mr. Annie Wilson Howe, a sister of President Wilson. During the trip K.OnO was raised among the passengers for the American Red Cross society. It was the largest sum ever raised for such a pur pose on sn ocean steamship. There was no attempt made to disguise the ship, as It was felt that the convoy waa sufficient protection. "We left many friends In Purls. They were much worried over their predica ment. Only our courage, money and knowledge, of the. French language en abled us to get out of the country. If It hadn't been for those things we would be ther yet. I believe." Mr. Crawford, who Is now In Omaha, said that he was at no time worried about Mr. Crawford; that he received two ca bles from her that she was safe and had gold, and he knew she was fully cnpaMo of taking care of herself. He added that If he had been with his wife and In com mand they would probably have been the last one out of France. "I am mighty sorry, he said, that I was not there to see at first hand these great movements, which we have all known were bound to take place. I certainly would not have rushed for home, but would have gone to Madrid or some neu tral place and learned something any way." said Mr. Crawford. Mrs. Crawford left In Pari Miss Nancy Battln of Omaha and Miss Helen Epler, professor In Vassar college, with whom Mrs. Crawford had several times lived abroad. They may hare to stand a lge. A fellow passenger on the Franc wero Mr. and Mrs. Alex Flck of Omsha, (Copyright. 1914. y Press Publishing Cu.l PT. PF.TKKSHriin. Aug. ?!. ( peolsl Cablegram to the New York World and Omaha Bee.l-Posslbly I may liavo con veyed th Idea In mv previous dlsmtehet that the Russians had a fairly eitsy task In et Trussla. as well as against the Austrian. This la far from being the case, but the absence of details of the fighting makes It difficult to realise ex actly what has hapened. j "o far as the Russian public V.nows from official sources the losses have been entirely on the side of the enemy, but th arrivals of wounded at hospitals In Mos cow and ft. Petersburg indicate defl Mtely that every step of the advance In east Prussia was won by hard fighting. I'p to the last few days, when Russian strategy demoralised the German armies and their retirement became a rout, there was no dsta to assist In forming any es timate of the Russlsn losses, dead or wounded. The gallant charge of the liore guards and their capture of many batteries of Ucriusn field artillery was effected at fearful cost and many of the highest families here ore proudly mourning their dead. The charges recsir Balaclava and tha charge of the Unlit nrlgade. Th wis dom of abstaining from any of tha ac counts of the losses Is based upon a sound knowledge of Russian psychology, tha Russians being mora than most na tions Inclined to slacken their efforts when matters are going well. They fail s often as not. from not following up an advantage gained. At the moment any signs begin to show In Russia of this characteristic. It will be time to launch upon the nation the fearfuk account of casualties, which will move another tidal wave of warlike energy. Through Russia one fact Is patent. Russia's losses have been solely in the direction which she Is richest of men. Neither guns, munition. nor supplies have anywhere been lost. Every barrack yard is filling again with a constant flow of new life of a quality as rich as ess be found nowhere today but in an agricul ture, country like Russia. Special Offer for Tills Week il ft ri"3 fT Buy four Choice of Fifteen V J) I f 1 1 1 II Hole Player Pianos. Zir Just as T" STATE DEPENDS ON BABIES Wife of Iowa Gorernor Sayi More Heed Should Be Paid Them. WOMEN'S BUILDING DEDICATED New Elgbty-Thoasand-Dollar Strac tare at Dm Moines Fair Ground Opened to Pablle for the First Tlnse. and also that th added eharge for snl mals of high value with a declared higher value shall not be a much as at present The limit In the ordinary stock shipping contract Is: For horse 1100, steer $60, cow H0. calf, 110, hog $10, hep t3. These limits wer placed In ths contract fifty year or more ago and have been con tinued despite th very great variation In value of the animals shipped and are de clsred now to bear no relation to the actual value. Th most desirable furnished rooms are advertised in The Bee. Get a nice cool room for the summer. Guns of Tsing-Tau Open on Scouting Cruisers of Japan TSINO TAl', China. Aug. 2.-Two small Japanese cruisers yesterday drew the 'first shots from the Tslng Tau fortifications. Hcveral shots dropped around one ef the cruisers whereupon the vessel- fired on shot In reply and withdrew. ' It is re ported that on German shell found Its mark. The Japanese vessiels appeared evidently with the purpose of reconnolterlng. They were within seven mllea and plainly visi ble. Be vera I shots from the fort dropped around thn leading cruiser, raising col umns of water, whereupon th vessel veered east and departed at full speed, after having fired on shot It Is estimated that th forts will I Belgian Soldiers Tell of Fall of Namur FOLKESTONE, Aug. 29. (Via London. i:K a. m.) A number of Belgian wounded from Namur hav arrived here, but It is difficult to get any connected account of the fight there. They say th Germans bombarded continually from Friday till Sunday and they believe It was th superiority, in long range, of the German guns which gave them the victory. On Saturday a German shell exploded in Marchouvejett fort and put the larg rst gun and on six-Inch gun out of ac tion. Two hundred Belgian soldiers, whit trying to escape, were practically an nihilated by German shrapnel and ma chine guns. On Sunday ammunition ran short In some of the fort and more was sent for, but the town fell at midday Hunday be- lor It arrived. The Belgian soldiers made a splendid retirement, which was covered by the French troops. Tke Best I'ala Killer. Bucklen's Arnica Salve when applied to a cut. bruise, burn, scald, etc. Removes the pain. Get a box- Sc. All drusrtt. a a verlUcment (From a Staff Correspondent.) DBS MOINS, la., Aug. 29. (Special Telegram.) Formal opening and dedica tion of th new (30,000 building for women and children was a feature of the first day of the state fair. The wife of Gov ernor Clark presided and opened th ceremonies. "When Iowa pay a much attention to th proper raising of babies as It does to raising corn." she said, "we will hav the greatest state in the union." Ther was an extended program after' which th specialists commenced scoring th 300 babies entered In th baby health contest. Tail as; Phone Lines. Th tts executive council Is prepsr Ing to go Into court to compel th county officials of Benton county to tax tha farmers telephone line in that county. Under the state law all the telephone lines In th state, no matter what kind of llnea they are, roust be reported to the state and the state council fixes a valuation on them. This Is oertlfled back to th counties with an order that tn assessment be placed against the lines and tha value be distributed according to th location of th wirea It ha been found that for year Benton county has neglected to do this. Ths county boara merely decided that th farmers line ars a part or tne larms ana marasa them all exempt from taxation. Now the state will ask the court to order th spreading of the vaJ on the books for five years back an-1 collection of tli taxes In accordance with law. So far as known this la the only county that has permitted the line to escape taxation. Uader Ceart Sarvey. The city ordinances of Fort Madison relating to the conduct of the stat prison will be passed on by Judge Hamil ton of th Lc county court very soon. Attorneys argued to Judge Hamilton at length th validity of th ordinance, which forbid permitting any convict from the stat prison being found on the city streets and are Intended to prevent the warden letting convict work In th city. The tat took th position that these ordinances are against publlo policy and relate to a matter wholly within tne province of the legislature, that of the regulation of the prison and handling of the convicts. The ordinances are due to pressure from th union labor ergenlsa tlons desiring to prevent any competition In cheap labor in the city. But the warden continues to make use of 160 t K convicts outside prison walls, practi cally all the time. Lire Stoek Catrats. Judge Henderson, commerce counsel, forwarded today to the Interstate Com merce commission th brief and argu ment In the case brought by western stock shippers to compel a material change In the form of th stock shipping contracts. The demand la that the value limitation be entirely removed from these contracts so that In case of loss the company will b responsible for the actual loss and not an arbitrary smaller sum; or In case this Is not don that the limitation . be raised, YOU "CAN GET A PACKARD IN.SEPTEMBER The season's production of Packard "2 '3 8" six'cylinder cars was sold out in April and fell more than 500 short of market requirements. We thank our patrons for this endorsement. For the past month we have been accepting orders for the next model deliveries to be made in the early fall. ( ' Vi'm a The Packard "3 '38" contains all the essential ' features of the previous model, and in addition those refinements which would naturally accrue at this advanced stage of Packard development. Twenty styles of open and enclosed bodies, seating from two to seven passengers, give a range of choice suited to every use and satisfy ing the individual taste. ' There will be no advance in price. ORR MOTOR SALES COMPANY 2416 Farnum Street, Omaha, Nebraska Packard M3'38M Standard Touring Car, Seven Passengers ( viy e y f rr : sEK?' j. 1 1 v wi a. ' 1 .j . r tr s FREE BENCH-FREE S.ARF--FBEE MUSIC Onlnining Bwst Known Player Action. Fully Gnnrnnteod. Small Pavilion', Down Halnnee Monthly. Full Value Allowed ior Used Pianos in Part Tayirieiit. Our line of Aeolian Pianola Player Piauos includes the Steinway, Weber, Steck, Wheelook, Stuyvesant, Stroud and Teehnola, also several used Plavers at $235, $200 and $325. 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DH-, 1344 Itouglaa Street rfcon Iougla 8040. OouacU Blurts OU AUK lLUi. lBUa South &lxth Street; Phone 3423. -