The Oskaloosa herald., 1914-10-29
VERDUNIS SHEL.LED;
FALL OF TOWN IS
NEAR, SAYSBERLIN
Huge Siege Guns Are Bombard'
ing French City.
GERMAN ADVANCE IS CHECKED
Allied Armies Halt Germans After
! They Cross Yser-kaiser's Forces
! Are Smelling Nleuport and 49,
Losses Are Enormous.

that Verdun Is doomed and It's rail- Is
expected by the German besiegers,
This follows the report of last week
that some of the outer fortresses had
been reduced by the Germans guns
and that the defenders of these out
posts had withdrawn to the main
stronghold.
The Germans have had considerable
difficulty in bringing up their heaviest
siege guns to bear on the French
fortress because of the frequent sal
lies OF the defenders and the main
French army supporting them on one
side. ". ... -
The announcement that capture OF
the fortress Is imminent is believed
here to mean that the great guns are
now playing on the main defenses and
that verdun is to meet the fate OF
Liege. Namur, Maubeuge and Ant.
werp.
Both Sides Claim Gains.
, Paris. Oct. 27.--The Germans are
bombarding Newport. After forcing
a crossing of the User In great force
between Dixmuder and Newport, the
main body pressing back the main Bel
CLAN line about six miles south of the
latter city, the invaders advance was
halted when the bending allied line
stiffened, held and met the attack with
a furious commensurate.
But the Germans were able to bring
up their heavy siege guns, and about
noon a violent fusillade was directed
from the German batteries on the Bel.
gian positions on the outskirts of
Newport. Scores of shells burst over
and In the seaport city, and the din,
which rose even above the roar of the
general battle being fought along the
User, was frightful. ~.
Frightful destruction of life was re.
corded In the history making battle OF
Flanders, In which the most deadly en-.
gines of war are engaged Night al.
tacks of great ferocity have been de,
liyered along the entire front between
La Bassee and the Somme by the Ger.
mans, but the allies have been able to
hold the invaders to their positions.
While the Germans have driven for
ward at one point in Belgium, the al.
lies have forced an advance at an
other, until the once jagged line now
shows great bends and sharp angles.
A decision In this conflict is as far dis.
tant as when the Germans occupied
Ostend ten days ago. g.
For time at least Dunkirk and
Calais, the detectives OF the Germans,
appear to be safe.
Germans to Shell Fleet.
London, Oct 27.-That the Germans
are now preparing to give deadly bat,
tie to the British and French ships
of Admiral Hoods flotilla, which have
lent. such valiant assistance to the al,
He'd land forces between Newport and
Ostend, was indicated by the report
that two of the .42-centimeter III.
fnch) Howitzers and ten .28-centimeter
(10"inch) siege guns had arrived at
Bruges and had been posted on pre-.
viously prepared bases between Zee
brugge and Heyst, seaside resort
nine miles north of Bruges.
From here the long-range guns will
be able to reach, the British warships,
which. according to report, are bonn.
harding the German batteries located
In the sand dunes near Ostend. ~
German Wounded FIN Towns.
Bruges, Client and Roulers already
are full of German wounded and more
trains and road vehicles, both horse
and motor, are blocking the ways be.
tween these towns and the battle
front with their cargoes of invalids.
The villages of Moorslede, Poelca-
pelle, Westroosebeke and Staden, all
lying along the railway from Ostend
to Ypres, within a stretch of ten
miles between Dixmude and Roulers,
have been laid waste by 5hells and
FIRE. Cortemarck and Langemarck,
section points at either end of the
railway division upon which these
stations are located. have been severe.
ly damaged in the lighting.
In this section, counterbalancing
the advance Of nine miles made by
the Germans near the coast, the allies
bent the German line back at Roulers
and Menin by sharp wedge move,
ment. but the allies we're unable to
hold Roulers because OF the fury OF
the German artillery fire and were
forced out--the fourth evacuation OF
the city in the lighting OF the past
week.
IA Grand duke Albrecht OF Wurtem.
burg is commanding the German
forces In Belgium. which now have
been REINFORCED by strong bodies OF
the best troops at the command OF
/ the kaiser.
The rush OF these determined forces
and the accuracy or the fre OF the
Belgian rapid-fire guns and the Brit
fish and French ships has literally
beaped the northwest Of Flanders
with dead