Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-11-12
Conflicts on Balkan Penin-
sula Stir European Ma
tions in a Manner That
Portends Outbreak.
FORTS .SILENCED
BY THE BULGARS
Correspondent Of Matin,
Describes the Battles in ::
la,Iduo o,r,s Dulgarians. Took
e,uls rs.

London. Nov. 11.--Europe Is facinA
one of the most critical weeks in her
history. 1t may end in a war in which
the whole continent will be involved
or 1t may be remembered as a week
In which diplomacy succeeded in solv-
ing problems that appeared incolvable
to many.
On one side of the Balkan peninsula
there is an acute conflict between the
armies of Austro-Hungary and Servia
which, If 1t Is not arranged might
start q general European outbreak.
On the other side. King Ferdinand's
Bulgarian army is ON the point Of en-
tering Constantinople and that will be
resented by Russia. The existing /.
jealousies are SO intense that it will
take much pressure, to induce either
Austria or Servia to recede from It's
demands.
Servia's friend Russia also is pre-
pairing for eventualities.
Graphic Description Of Plight.
| Paris, Nov. 11.---A graphic descrip
tion of the storming by the BuixsftanS
OF the two Turkish forts at Kartaltepe
and Papaztepe, In the, outer line Of
Notifications around Adrianople, II
forwarded by correspondent of the
Matin. He declares that their capture
seals the doom of the Turkish strong
hold. 1g9
The operations began at daybreak
on Thursday Following their usual
successful tactics the Bulgarian In
fantry advanced in the direction of the
forts under cover OF murderous fire
of shrapnel. The Turkish troops sal
lied out from the forts to draw =
counter attack. 1t was then the turn OF
the Bulgarian siege artillery, which
from every point on the surrounding
hills rained a terrific hail or pro-.
| jectiles on the lines of the Turkish
troops.
| Every moment saw fresh comDanies
Of Turks marching out from the city
and the forts toward the Bulgarians
who continued imperturbable to draw
their lines closer around the forts.
Silence Fort.
The accurate fire of the Bulgarians'
big guns began to tell at 10 o'clock in
| the morning when the guns in the fort
on Mount Karel began to slacken In
| their reply. The fort had been swept
! by a heavy storm OF shells for several
hours, the great projectiles bursting
right over the works.
The silent Turkish infantry had
meanwhile resisted stubbOrnly the
| Bulgarian advance, but their lines
gradually began to waver.
| Suddenly the command fix baY0rl-
cts" rang out from the Bulgarian off
GERS and then, cheering wildly. the
Bulgarian infantry dashed forward
and the Turks broke and ran toward
the city
| At about noon the Bulgarians' colors
fluttered up over the fort Of KARI
taltepe, but Papaztepe held out.
| Used searchIights.
i The Bulgarian troops were divided
into three columns which made very
slow progress and for long time the
fortunes of the day seemed uncertain.
NigLtfall found the Bulgarians still
fighting. Suddenly in the dense dark
ness long, dazzling ray OF light shot
across the sky from one OF the crests
Fheld by the Bulgarians, bringing the
fort Of Papaztepe clearly into view.
l IQ0n IrOul luo IOTL llbcil dAOtucT UIIls
liant ray shot out. The cannon and
rifle fire which had been slackening
at once became more brisk while
above the combatants the searchlights
flashed and whirled their immense
rays around, in which little balls Of
white smoke caused by the bursting Of
shrapnel floated like flies in a sun
beam, making even deeper the sur
rounding blackness, which was
punctuated here and there by flashes
from the muzzles of cannon.
The roar Of the siege and field guns
dominated the rafting of the rifle vol
leys and the screeching Of shells AZ
they hurled through the air.
Az had occurred at Kartaltepe
earlier In the day, the fire from the
Papaztepe began gradually to slacken.
There also the Bulgarian siege guns
had caused enormous ravages. Abrupt
lily the searchlights were extinguished
at about II o'clock at night and The
Bulgarian infantry began to storm the
i fort at the point OF the bayonet. Short
Il ly before midnight they had become
4 masters of the position and the Turks
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