Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-09-08
PASSED THROUGH
WARNING LANDS
Miss Mary Boelens of This City
Has Exciting Elk
periences.
I'M PARIS AT THE OUTBREAK
Saw War Preparations in That CouI-
try, Belgium, England and
in Canada.
IN PARIS AT THE OUTBREAK

Miss Mary E. Boelens, 500 Thir-
teenth avenue, has returned home after
an Interesting experience in the Euro
pean war zone. She sailed from elias
gov on the steamer scandinavian OF
the Allen line, Aug. %, and reached
Montreal Aug. 81, and after several
days spent in Detroit and Chicago,
came on TO her home here.
Miss Boelens left Rock Island June
Il, going TO Antwerp, from which city
she made many trips to points of in
terest in Switzerland, Belgium, France,
etc. spending a summer of pleasure
until the declaration of war towards
The end of her visit On the continent.
Miss Boelens talks Interestingly of
her experiences, which were many and
varied, travelling as she was, an Amer
lean girl, alone in a strange country.
She arrived in Paris on the afternoon
of the day that war was declared. and
was advised by the American consul
10 leave the city at once in order to
avoid being sewed mp in the city. She
hurried to the station to claim her
baggage. which she found heaped
among great piles in the baggage
room and Overlooking into the other
rooms. great numbers of travellers, like
Miss Boelens, rushing to leave the city.
While she was waiting to claim her
baggage. officers appeared and in
French told her to leave the room.
She did not understand their orders,
but tried TO tell them that she would
not leave until she had gotten what
she was after, and she stood her
ground and refused to be put out. Of
fiCers' attempted to put her ont by push
ing her towards the door, but she plant
ed her feet firmly and even refused TO
be pushed until the united efforts Of
three officers were used. Her baggage
finally claimed. she fortunately caught
a train out of the city for Brussels.
and with the aid of her return travel
ing coupon she was permitted to leave
the city. She was crammed into a
small compartment with many others.
and after a ride of a short distance
was compelled to board a box car, and
with luggage as seats rode to the
frontier. From here she walked a mile
and n half to an inland station and
reached Brussels at midnight-by the
way, Miss Boelens reached all her sta
tons at midnight, by some strange CO.
incidence.
Chased From Client.
Later she went to Client and was
told by the counsel TO leave as soon as
possible to again avoid being shut
OFF from exit. She left at Cnce, and
the following day all communication
with the city was smut off. The day
following, the tunnel through which
she rode was blown up and traffic stop
ped on that line. She managed after
much trouble to reach Ostend, where
she embarked for England. After
about the channel. the
boat on which she took passage was
TO return 10 shore. ana
great numbers of British refugees were
taken aboard, the company landing a
day later in London-at midnight.
Miss Boelens saw many interesting
sights in the war zone. AT one sta
ton she saw 1000 soldiers in battle
array leave for the front. and at an.
other place troops numbering /. 010
were given sendoff by the populace
She saw the wounded horses brought
to the city, many of which were 10 he
used for food. She saw the smashed
cafes in Brussels and Client and sirns
German lager bcer had
been wiped out with str axis OF v,bite
ant. Colleges ami many dwellings