The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-12-29
either direction outside the town
upon the German line.

either direction outside the town
upon the German line.
The machine guns kept up a
steady spray of bullets passing Few
inches above the German ditchss so
as to catch any attempt at assault.
a moment later the project:ies of
the German guns began 90 hiss over
head and burst with crashing
noise. Fifty shells fell within half
an hour on this city. half of which
already was in ruins.
Only few of the citizens who had
remained. with fixed determine
ton to brave tic dangers of CON
slant bombardment stood at the en-
frances TO cellars and dugouts to
watch the effect of the bursting mis-
siles. Not more than dozen men
walked the streets, keeping close as
possible to the walls.
AS the crashing projectiIes burst
all around progress had to. be made
by clinging to the house fronts.
wherever this was feasible, then
kdashing across the streets and open
spaces. which generally were barri-
caded and through. which narrow
gangways permitted massage.
The difference in the sound of the
various Sprojectiies is easily dis
tin guishable. The French three-inch
shell leaves the muzzle with slight
puff. whistles like a rocket and then
bursts with terrific crash, spread
\ ing shrapnel all around hundred
or more yards. The German missile
gives duller sound during its aerial
passage and bursts with a booming
noise.
The German trenches may be
plainly discerned at the ends OF the
boulevards leading into the suburbs
at distance of 900 yards and
lwhehrever group of men appear at
the French end the German machine
guns open fire. The thoroughfares
therefore always are traversed at a
run. while pedestrians always are
ready to throw themselves fiat on the
hand so as to avoid splinters.
Strangely enough number of
boys. whose families are among
those remaining in the town, play
unconcernedly in the side streets
and often hesitate to obey the orders
of officers who bid them not to ex-
pose themselves ~
Some OF the suburbs. particularly
Blangy and st. Catharine, are con-
stantly under fire, while the railway
station and the hospital virtually
have been demolished. In every
house, even where untouched by a
proiectile, all the windows have been
broken by the vibrations.
! The advance French and German
trenches are within fifteen or twenty
yards of each other in the suburbs.
The correspondent approached under
partial cover to within $50 yards of
1.-THE French line. but no further, as
there was risk of being caught by
THE German fire. The trenches ara
SO close that mining and counter
mining are almost Of daily occur
renee.
Galleries are driven twelve or fif-
teen feet below he surface close to
the hostile trench and charged with
explosives. The fuse is then set by
the last sapper. who scurries back to
safety. A moment later portion
of the German trench is blown up.
| While the French were. digging a
4 gallery yesterday they came within
la foot or so Of German sappe-s driv-
ling counter mines The French
could hear the Germans talking.
Hastily placing their cartridge OF
high. explosives in position tae
French miners lighted the fuse and
got away. the charge exploding the
German mine while the diggers still
were in it.. This mine work causes
constant disquiet as a soldier never
knows when his trench may go up
into the air.
MINOR FRENCH SUCCESSES
MENTIONED IN STATEMENT