Albuquerque morning journal., 1914-12-04
SMOKING RUINS
COMMON SIGHT IN
+ TRACK Of ARMY
DesoIation on Every Hand in
Sections Of France Where
Fighting Has Been Going
on People Are Wretched,
,A..ocia,ed Press Correspondence, ,

Vitry- Francois. Nov. 20. - Black
ruins which have just ceased smould-
cring, houses whose Interiors have
been demolished by bursting shells,
leaving only the skeletons OF their
structures standing. others with sides
blown out, still others where only a
chimney-stack remains erect are COM
mon sights In this portion Of the tract
Of the armies fighting a short distance
to the north.
Amid the desolation. In half shell
tered shacks, sit women and children
and old men. utterlng scarcely a word
except about their husbands and faith
crs and sons away with the army, and
from whom news Is rare, If II comes
at all. Lack OF Iaborers makes II al
most impossible for the villagers TO
start any repairs. Trade is al a stand
still and the common articles of do
nestle necessity are difficult TO obtain
owing to the dislocation Of transport.
only a mile or two from Nitry The
villages Of Erignlcourt and cOurde-
mango have virtually disappeared. ex-
ccpt for disordsrly heaps OF bricks,
tiles and stones which few weeks
ago were houses. The fighting around
here was some Of the most terrible OF
the war In its intensity. The fields
are dotted with deep holes made BY
bursting German and French shells,
while all about are small mounds
showing the burial places OF German
aud French soldiers Inferred where
they fell. Even In the drainage bitches
along the roads many graves were has
lily made. and small crosses formed OF
two broken branches OF trees placed
ttftth f.F la D.
to Indicate the occupant.
The church of Courdcmange, with
the exception Of one house which did
not appear to have been hit. seemed
to have suffered less than the other
structures of the village This was
possibly owing To its strong walls
which are five feet In thickness. At
one corner. where a large shell struck,
there Is a deep indentation. while
spllnters knocked out stones here and
there and shattered all the stained
glass windows.
The battle In Courdemange lasted
nearly three days before the Germans
hurriedly departed through Nitry-le-
Francois. In the streets of the VII
lage the ground was thickly covered
with corpses which were later in
TERED by the inhabitants.
Further away fromtNitry is Normee.
near Fere Champenolse. ,Normee, be-
fore the war. possessed about 100
houzes, Now there arc but sixty, the
rest having been blown TO pieces or
burned. The village passed from
hand to hand several times during the
German retreat to the Asne. II is
placed In q capital position for de-
tense from any side. and the opposing
forces fought desperately for its pos
session. In its single street 5i0 Ges-
man bodies were picked tfp on one
day. as well as about 100 French dead.
Everywhere near was the scene OF fu-
rious combats and graves strew all
the fields. while the exeellently con-
strueted and sheltered trenches on all
sides remain as they were during the
battle, with pieces of exploded shells
and accoutrements spread about. In
the upper part Of the barn of farm
house In small opening whence
shower Of machine gun bullets was
poured on the advancing French with
awful effect.