The Oskaloosa herald., 1904-12-22
DESOLATE Scene
IN PORT ARTHUR
AN ESCAPED RUSSIAN OFFICE
TELLS SAD STORY.
HORRORS ARE DESCRIBED

Same Official Gives Graphic Descrip-
ton of the Remarkable Struggle
Which Ended in Capture
of High Hill.
Chefoo, Dec. 19.-Commander Mizzen-
eoff, who was executive officer OF the
Russian battleship Poltava until that
vessel was disarmed, and who on De-
cember Is headed the party Of seven
Russians who left Port Arthur in a sail
boat and arrived here Friday with dis
patches, said in an interview that Port
Arthur is a desolate and, excepting for
the firing of guns, a silent place.
The Russians" said he, "are hus-
banding their artillery ammunition, fir
ing only when the effect will be certain.
There are 16 5000 men in the line Of forts,
and their periods of rest are few. The
generals, except Gen. Stoessel, live in
the forts. Every building in the whole
town is more or less injured. Gen.
Stoessel has put the entire population
on regular rations sufficient to last three
months. The ammunition is sufficient
to last much longer. l believe the Jap
anese will never take the fortress under
present conditions. Port Arthur never
looked more sepulchral than on the night
of December 9, when the japanese shells
repeatedly hit a hospital, killing seven
Of the patients. The hospitals contain
5000 patients. The s~evastopol is the
only warship that has not been dis
armed"
Torpedoes Ruin Ship.
Toxic, Dec. 19.-The battleship Sc
vastopol has been successfully torpedoed
ten times. Advices from Port Arthur
say that she is aground and is evidently
completely disabled.
B~ombardment Resumed.
Toxic, Dec. ia heavy lombard
ment of Port Arthur was begun Friday,
the great guns being aimed particularly
at the new town. The arsenal was
struck many times and several shells
hit the magazine. That no explosion fol-
lowed.i is believed to be due to shortage
Of ammunition there.
Togo Tells of Fight.
lOhlO, DSCs lJs-ktuulll oil lOSO "
day made the following report regard
ing the Japanese attacks against the
Russian battleship Sevastopol outside
of Port Arthur, Dec. IA:
"The attack was made at midnight.
One shell struck Commander Mitamu-
ra's torpedo boat, and four shots hit
| Commander Nakamuta's boat, wound
ing three sailors. The fotillas ad-
vanced and attacked separately.
While ~retreating one torpedo boat re-
ceived several shots, her commander,
Lieut.. Nakahori, and five of her crew
being killed. Lieut.. Nakahara's boat
came to the rescue. He had one man
killed but rescued the crew and aban-
doned the boat to its rate. Command
er Kawse's boat was struck by a
shell, killing one of the crew and
wounding Lieut.. Takahashi and two
sailors. Lieut.. Shono's boat was hit,
one Of the crew being killed and five
wounded. The boat was temporarily
disabled. All other boats succeeded
in delivering the attack without re-
CSlNtuS udIudS6. Inc TGSulL VI Lu0 az
tack is not definitely known, although
it is evident numerous t~orpedoes took
effect"
Japs Get New Guns.
st. Petersburg, Dec. ia tele-
gram from Mukden states that Gen.
Oyama has received a number or
heavy calibre siege guns from Dalny
Of the newest type. Thirty Of them
are posted opposite Gen. Kuropatkins
right flank.
To Witness Fall of Port Arthur.
Toxic, Dec. 19.-Major Kuhn, U. S.
A, who was military attache with the
Japanese second army, has been re-
assigned to witness the fall of Port
Arthur. Major Kuhn departed for
Shinbashi today.
Battleships Are Abandoned.
Toxic Dec. 19.-Ohcial reports state
that the Russians at Port Arthur have
abandoned the ~battleships Peresveit,
Poltava, Pobeida and Retvizan and
the cruisers Pallada and Bayan.
Japs Take Another Fort.
Toxic, Dec. 19.-The report that
the Japanese stormed and captured
North Fort on the east Keewan noun
tain at Port Arthur, after exploding a
mine under fTnn Qualifications io o0D-