Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-10-14
81 INDEPENDENCE, IOWA, FRIDAY, OCTOBER IA, 1870 I

and by hundreds in a single street,
and as soon as fire was lighted up
projectiles were poured like hail
upon the spot, no doubt for the pur-
pose of preventing the workers from
getting the flames under. The
whole city is heaped up with wreck,
and the roofs, chimneys and facades
of the houses are damaged on all
sides.
| NIGHT OF SUFFERING AND TERROR.
Even this description is insigniti-
cant in comparison with the reality.
During that night the citizens fled
into their cellars, and many into the
very sewers Of the city, in order to
save themselves, from wreck and
shell. Thousands, however, had no
such place of refuge; they ran about
the streets in state Of semi-insani-
ty, hardly knowing where to 60 for
safety. In the poor quarter awful
scenes-were enacted. Even the sim
pie peasants wept in telling what
they saw. The, firing ofismall guns
was. also heard during the night,
caused by the garrison making a
sally, which was repulsed by the
Germans with great loss to the
French. The sutlerings and terrors
Of the night may be best judged by
the fact that OH the next morning the
commandant of the city sent par
lamcntaire to request lint and ban
dagc for the wounded, since he had
none, and from five to six hundred
citizens had been wounded by cx-
ploding shells and falling houses,
and many had been killed or buried
beneath ruins, where they must lay.
Many persons were killed and
wounded in their beds. Berthold
Auerbach saysthe sacking of Mag
dcburg could not have been more
terrible. And yet on the following
morning the commandant would not
listen to capitulation; but demanded
to be allowed to leave the fortress
with all military honors. The citi-
zens sent their burgomastcr to the
citadel to plead with the command
ant for the city, but I-lrich treated
him roughly, it is said, and threat
cncd to shoot any citizen who at
tempted to resist his authority. The
firing continued on the night of the
25th, the city being again fired in
various places.
FAMINE IMMINENT.
Further on Mr.. King writes:
\ woman with whom spoke told
me that she had left StraSbourg two
days before, and that at certain
times of the day the gates of the eli
ty were opened and women and
children allowed to 90 out. Some
took advantage of this opportunity,
but there are thousands who do not
know where to 90 when they leave
the city, and prefer shells at home
to starvation abroad. She told me
that potatoes were sold ut twenty
four francs per one hundred aud ten
pounds; peas at fourteen cents per
pound; butter was not to be had, and
the only meat left was horsetlesh,
which is sold ut over dollar Il
pound. Vegetables are not to be
had. Up to about Il week ago the
fortress held direct subterranean
telegraphic communication with
Paris, but this was accidentally cut
off by the miners in one OF the Ger
man trenches. This probably ac-
counts. for the courage with which
the fortress was hitherto sustained.
Since the destruction of tclegraphic
communication Ulrich's wife is said
to have carried dispatches to Paris,
and to have managed to gain the
fortress again.
THE FINAL CATASTROPHE AWAITED.
We are now waiting for the final
catastrophe, which is expected at
any day. The Germans expect to
find immense military stores, among
which two hundred pontoons, 20o,-
900 new chassepots, and Il great
number Of Arab horses and mules
though the first named of the two
latter are doubtless ere this consum-
ed. The Germans have now sue
cccdcd in opening up their third
line of trenches, and are within a
very short distance of the fortitica-
tons. The male inhabitants of the
surrounding villages are called in
to aid the soldiers. On the night of
the Goth of August 1000 men work
ed in the third parallel, being re-
lievcd at midnight by 1000 more.
The work is extremely dangerous.
The storming is expected daily,
though as we said before, it would
be delayed as long as possible, in
order to give the commandant time
for reflection. The latter parsonage
has been severely ccnsurcd by the
German press for holding out so
pertinaciously, and on the other
hand it is clear that Prussia could
have afforded to have dealt more
lcnicntly with city whose sympa-
thics they wish to gain hereafter.
The feeling Of the Alsatian popula-
ton and of the Strasbourgers is nat
urally of great bitterness, and years
will not ctface from their memory
the rccolIcctions of the recent sad
davs. On whom the sin must final
" rest will be revealed hereafter.
The importance Of the possession OF
Strasbourg and its railroads are
great enough to require that Ger
many should 90 energetically to
work to get them. This is a militia
~ necessity, caused in the first place
by the French themselves. Clrich
has preferred to keep his reputation
as a soldier of France to listening to
the obligations of humanity, and we
can have no sympathy for any man
who will, in the face Of impossibili-
ties, sacrifice whole city and its
inhabitants to an inordinatc love OF
gloire. Ulrich has fought well; he
has defended the fortress given III
his charge long enough to satisfy
all parties as to his bravery. lie
has gained the respect of the Ger
mans and the alteration Of its own
| noonlo. hut hn has too the cOnIpm-