Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-04
CANNOT LOSE KANSAS AGENT
His Bill Poster is Close on Heels Of Emperor
Williams Messenger.
SELLS LOTS WHERE GUNS ONCE TRAINED
Kaiser rders Historic POseH FOrtih.
cations Destroyed and the Man
from the sunnower state Adj
vertises the Ground.

PosEN, Prussian Poland, Sept. s,-The
emperor and empress reviewed the troops
today, following the presentation Of the new
colors to the regiment by the emperor.
The police we're somewhat stringent in their
efforts TO keep the grounds clear.
The great Notifications that made Posen
a generation ago one OF the most imprsg-
nable s~trongholds in Europe and second
only to Metz in Germany and which have
been ordered by the emperor to be demol-
ished, as his majesty announced TO the bur-
gomaster yesterday. in reply to that ON
clal's address, consist OF twelve miles Of
huge earthworks and masonry rampar,s.
They were begun in 1890 and we're never
really finished, because they were contin-
ually modified as the art of defense and Of
Tense developed. About $50, 900, 900 has been
spent on these Notifications, first and last,
and yet a gun was never fred at them. for
the place was never beleaguered.
Field Marshal Won Moltke. while visiting
Posen early in the sos said to the COM
handing general: But they are only earth"
What did you think they were?" asked
the general in surprise.
why" replied the field marshal, II sup
posed they we're of gold from what has
been spent on them"
Now. with three lines in the Gazette, the
emperor abandons them. But the mere
work Of demolition will cost several more
millions. Of which the municipality will
gladly pay its share. Although the popula-
tton Of the city, about lis, 900. will spread
a mile or two In every direction beyond
the wall, no brick or stone buildings can be
permitted within a half mile zone. so that
no enemy may be able to find cover. The
natural growth Of the city is thus suf-
located. The inhabitants of Posen petit
TONED Emperor William to cancel the mill
tary decree establishing the Notifications
and he chose the time of his visit to do 80.
VIII Substitute Forts.
The old Notifications will be replaced by
a ring OF thirty-one forts well beyond the
city limits. This. ~strateglcally. is the great
fortress looking oward Russia, and 1t will
not by any means be weakened. The de-
lenses will simply be m~odernized. A real
estate agent who had lived twelve years in
Kansas is already advertising town lots for
sale in the old fire zone.
Later Emperor William reviewed another
Of those scenic corps parades that take
place In various parts of Germany every
September. About 10000 troops were on
the square mile Of lawn composing the
maneuver field. The governor of Warsaw
and eighteen Russian officers rode In the
suite OF the emperor and empress.
Returning from this parade Emperor Will
liam and the empress passed between lines
OF children three miles long, the boys on
one side and the girls on the other. There
were 1000 Of them, all shouting frantically,
AS he rode down the lines the emperor
dropped his severe expression. sometimes
called his "~regimental face" and looked
kindly and almost tenderly on the childish
ranks. He glanced to the right and to tbs
left and saluted continuously with his FIELD
marshal's baton. Many OF the children pres.
emit were those Of German settlers in Prus.
sian Poland. 1000 OF whom with their fam.
lilies had been brought into Posen from tho
country by special trains.