The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1912-10-22
Correspondent GIVES A GRAPHIC
DESCRIPTION OF FALL Of ANTWERP

damaged. A shell struck the hor.I
occupied by an American named HIM.
and the Dutch consul and blew All
entire second floor into smithereeDs
"A Zeppelin lowered over the c,l
during Thursday mornings bonbs,t
ment, dropping occasional bombs
Though the German shrappel c,.I
ated enough havoc, II was child's nj, !
compared to the damage done bv M
siege guns. When a 42-centime,ol
shell struck a house 1t not moroll
blew a hole In 1t, 1t simply denial
ished 1t, the whole house collapsInl
into ruin as If shaken to pieces nv A., y
earthquake"
Almost as much damage was caused
by fires resulting from the bomb,,dI
ment as from the shells themeelvs,
The entire west side of the Marcbenl
Souliers from the head of the PAL
de Meir to the Place Verte, inclpdInl
the Hotel de Europe, the Cafe Rov,lJ
and a line Of fashionable shops onnoI
site the Hotel st. Antoine, yas AL
stroyed. A quarter OF a mile OF bpudI
ings in the Rue van Bree, includInJ
the handsomest apartments in Al
city, are nothing but charred wall,
The handsome block in the Rue de l,|
Justice Is completely burned. In AL
dition several hundred dwellings scatI
tered through the city have bee5|
burned to the ground.
Dynamite Saves Cathedral,
AS the city is without water. s,I
cept such as car be pumped from tbAI
river, the firemen were powerless hi
check the flames. That every buildln,
on the Place Verte and very probably
the cathedral itself, was not burned h
due to an American resident, Charles
Whithoff, who. realizing the extreusI
gravity OF the situation, suggested to
the German military authorities that
they dynamite the surrounding build,
ings.
At ten o'clock at night word was
sent to Brussels and at four O'Clock IA
the morning six automobiles with d.
Mantle arrived and the walls were
blown up, the German soldiers stand.
ing on the roofs Of neighboring build.
ings and throwing dynamite bombs
ut was a lively night for every one
concerned" says the writer.
Il was just sitting down to my fnt
meal in 80 hours when the police burst
In with the news the city was burn.
ing" he goes on. 81 found an entire
block opposite the hotel in flames,
and as there vas no water the fremel
were powerless to check them. When
| discovered the block Immediately
behind the hotel was also ablaze, Il
struck me 1t was time to change ny
quarters.
After wandering through pitch
black streets for three hours, slipping
on broken glass and stumbling over
fallen masonry, and occasionally cha'
lenged by German sentries, | saw &
light In a building In the Boulevard
Leopold. ! rang the bell and was
taken in by a poor little Consumptie
bookkeeper.
Takes Over Consulate,
Upon calling at the consulate IN
the morning | found that Consul Cen
eral Diederich and Vice-COnsul Sher
man had left two days before for parts
unknown. AS there was a large NUN
Der Of frightened people clanoFils
for reinsurance and protection, and as
there was no n else to look ate'
them, | opened the consulate and o.
sumed charge.
"The proceeding was wholly iFTesl
lar and unauthorized, OF course, and
will probably s~candalize department
of state officials in Washington, Ou' "
was no time for red tape.
81 Immediately wrote a letter 10 ue
German commander, informing nn
that in the absence of the consul gen
eral | had assumed charge oil NV
American and British Interests u
Antwerp and expected the fullest pv
lection. ! received a courteous repV
Immediately, saying that every pv
lection would be afforded Foreigners