El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-11-03
WAR zONE TOWNS
ARE DESCRIBED
Places Figuring in War
News Told of by National
Geographic Society.

Washington, D. c., Nov. 3.-The Ma
tional Geographical society has pre-
pared the following facts concerning
places that are figuring prominently
IN the news Of the military operations
IN the European war;
Montmedy-A fortified town OF the
second class in northern France, -
miles north Of Verdun and four miles
from the Belgian border, on the Chiers
river Part OF the town is On a steep
height, defended by advanced works Of
considerable extent, and part on a
plain, defended by a wall flanked with
FASHIONED towers. The houses are i'll
built and the streets are irregular.
Hosiery, nails. vinegar, leather. beer.
OIL, flour and lumber are manufactured
there, while large stone quarries are
IN the immediate neiEhbOrhood. in the
nearby abbey Of Orval, Louis XIV. and
ms family took refuge on their flight
from Paris The walls OF the town
were built in 1920 Montmedy was re-
peatedly taken by France from Spain
In the 18th and 18th centuries Ger
many captured il in 1915 and again
In 1870, after reducing il to a heap Of
ruins. This town has been on the de-
cline for half a century, the popula-
ton in that time having shrunk from
5000 to 200C-
ROsieres OId-FashiOned Town.
Rosieres-An oId-fashioned town OF
northern France. in a valley on the
Santerre, Is miles east Of north OF
Montdidier and Il miles east OF Amiens
on the road from Amiens to Laon- The
town IS one Of the hosiery manu1actur-
ing centers Of France and also has
large factories for the making OF
looms and weaving appliances Wool
and sugar mills are located there. In
the surrounding districts are veins Of
sulphuretted lead and beds OF lime
dewaersvelde-A hamlet in north
ern France seven miles northeast OF
Hazebrouck, at the foot of ridge "
ing between Hazebrouck and the Bel
gian border. IN the neighborhood is
a Trappist monastery and the cele-
brated castle Of Mt Cat It's pOpula-
ton slightly exceeds 500.
HautmonJ-A town OF northern
France, four miles southwest Of Maui
beuge, and six miles from the Belgian
border, near the Sambre river. Sew
eral iron boundaries and rifle factories
are located there. The place has a
population of about 1000.
Church Has Varied History.
St Hubert town Of southeastern
Belgium, in the province of LuNem-
burg. or an elevation near the HOmme,
a tributary Of the Lesse, SO miles
northeast Of Mezieres, France, and So
miles southeast Of Namur- The church
Of St Hubert, built from 1925 to 1876.
was one Of the largest and most mag
nificent in Belgium. The abbey was
founded in 69S and was pillaEed by the
Normans in $50 and by the Danes and
Hnus in 954- It was burned in 1927,
was rebuilt later and was set on fire
by the Calvinists in 1868 After being
restored the church was burned to the
ground by the revOlutonists in 1881 1t
was replaced by penitentiary- The
town of St Hubert was the birthplace
Of Pierre-J Oseph RedOute, regarded in
Europe as one OF the most remarkable
painters OF flowers who ever lived
The place has a population Of about
5000 and has several iron works and
tanneries.
Mariakerke- Sur-AIer - An unosten-
tatious bathing resort, one and three
quarter miles southwest Of Ostend. on
the North sea The place is one of
many similar towns along the Belgian
coast which wax fat during the sum
mer and have few II any activities dur
ing the cold seasons Of the year It has
a population Of about 1900 The old
walls OF Fort Wellington, built by the
French government, are stin standing
Sluis Former Seaport
Sluis-Not long ago this little Hol-
land town, just across the Belgian
border and three miles from the coast
line, was a fortress Of the first class;
today it is unimportant. Its connec-
ton by canal with the Zwyn, an arm
Of the sea which at one time extended
far inland but which has been filling
made the town a seaport The canal
also connects the place with Bruges, II
miles to the southwest. The place has
a curious hotel. with a belfrey OF the
14th century. Its population IS about