Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-12-31
EUROPE REVERTS
100000 YEARS TO
ACE OF CAVE MEN
Vast Underground Cities Are
Seen--One Hill Contains
Five Tiers of Dug-Outs,
Sheltering $500 Men.

Berlin, Dec 29-Not since the P1eis+o
Gene age has cave-dwellinr been 81 uni
VersaI mode of life in Europe as to-
day Altogether there are hundreds of
thousands of men, on and off the firing
line, who burrow for shelter from the
enemy's fire and the weathers in.
cities have been built
In Galicla the Associated Prose cor.
respondent saw hill which had five
''iS VI caves IN rows of TO each The
entire establishment sheltered $500 mon
Ana life In tn" earth dwellings is
agreeable" according to all accounts Tho
men IN their letters, at least speak Of
thef caves with as much feeling as they
DO OF home Though snow and rain beat
doWh without, the wind howl and grea,
guns boom, the cave Is always snug anf
warm especially If it has been possible
I" tather en- ugh straw for the floor and
bed and usually safe
so agreeable is life in the cave, in fact
mat tho little humor contained in letters
from soldiers at the front Is nearly AL
ways connected with IT,
i nave been In this bomb-proof turn
out for ten days" says the letter Of a
German army surgeon Toward tho
front not a house or barn is standing
There is not place in which we might
stable our horses and since our ambu-
ances would be a fine target for the
enemy's artillery. we have esta blished
our first aid station in a roonov cave
about 100 feet from the firing line Two
passages cut deep in the earth give
access to the cave, in which there is
room for about six wounded in addi-
ton to several persons of the sanitary
service. Clos to our cave lie the un-
foreground villas Of the surgeons and the
battalion commander and his adiutant
also the club, which has been named
The Thirsty Cavedweller
The inn IS a pearl of an institution
suited alike for summer and winter traf-
hc, and recommended to people suffering
from nerves, ennui, super-culture and
sickly esthetics. 1t is also an excellent
cure for alcoholism. A physician is CON
stantly in attendance Prices are rea
sonable, and living in the club costs
nothing except possibly your life. The
interior equipment and decorations are
charming. You wiggle through the mar
row passacs into the restaurant. and
afterwards that you can stand upright
in the dining room, which has a floor
area of about sixty square feet.
"A homemade table and two rough
benches are the furniture of the restau-
rant. On the table stand two candles
in artistic holders fashioned from beets
The walls are covered with expensive
hanRinss. and the ceiling has an old
ia shioned wainsCoating, both outbreaks
of luxury having been made necessa ry
by the efforts of moles and worms to
taste our soup, drink our beer and wine.
and make excursions down our backs
between skin and clothing. I will say
that these creatures are greatly inter-
ested in the srlendor we have estab-
lished in their midst"
The letter then mentions the closets
in the cave restaurant in which the sup
plies are kept, refers to the carpet of
straw on the floor and speaks of al
"Keim" Oriental ruE hanging which,
separates the restaurant from the CORR
dor.
In another letter from the front al
captain who is laconic and terse, says
/ Of cave life:
I'VE are as wet as young dogs, aj
dirty as swine, hairy as monkeys, and
keep singing with the enemy $50 feet
away We live in caves which are now
and then destroyed by the shells Of tn
enemy When that happens we era "
out Ike so many rabbits, and continu
to live on pigs, steers, hens, goulash ant
rice We cut our hair stair-f fashioned
write by light of candles upon whlcll
we do the cooking at the same time
We are now our own antediluvian anceS
tors, and gladly anticipate a hayonet at
tack for the relief 1t gives us through
change Of air, Make snecialty OF figh
Ing English Belgians, French, Indian
and what not. Have earned the 70
cross and live for king and fathcrland