The state herald., 1914-10-23
CORRESPONDENT GIVES A GRAPHIC
DESCRIPTION OF FALL OF ANTWERP

damaged. A shell struck the house
occupied by an American named Hunt
and the Dutch consul and blew the
entire second floor into smithereens.
"A Zeppelin hovered over the city
during Thursday mornings lombard
ment, dropping occasional bombs.
Though the German shrapnel ere
ated enough havoc. 1t was childs play
compared to the damage done by the
siege guns. When a 42-centimetei
shell struck house 1t not merely
ished It, the whole house collapsns
into ruin as II shaken to pieces by an
earthquake"
Almost as much damage was caused
by fires resulting from the lombard
ment rs from the shells themselves
The entire west side OF the Marcheus
Souliers from the head of the Place
de Meir to the Place Verte, including
the Hotel de Europe. the Cafe Royale
and line OF fashionable shops oppo
site the Hotel st. Antoine, was de
stroyed. A quarter Of mile of build.
ings in the Rue van Bree, including
the handsomest apartments in the
city, are nothing but charred walls.
The handsome block in the Rue de Ia
Justice is completely burned. In ad.
dition several hundred dwellings scat.
tered through the city have been
burned to the ground.
Dynamite Saves Cathedral.
AS the city is without water. ex.
cept such as can be pumped from the
river, the firemen were powerless TO
check the flames. That every building
on the Place Verte and very probably
the cathedral itself. was not burned is
due to an American resident, Charles
Whithoff. who, realizing the extreme
gravity OF the eituation, suggested to
the German military authorities that
they dynamite the surrounding build.
ings.
At ten o'clock at night word was
sent to Brussels and at four o'clock In
the morning six automobiles with dy.
Mantle arrived and the walls were
blown up. the German soldiers stand.
ing on the roofs of neighboring build
ings and throwing dynamite bombs
1T was lively night for every one
concerned" saye the writer.
Il was Just sitting down to my first
meal in 30 hours when the police burst
! In with the news the city was burn.
ing" he goes on. Il found an entire
block opposite the hotel In flames.
and as there was no water the hremen
were powerless to check them. When
discovered the block Immediately
behind tho hotel was also ablaze II
struck me II was time to change my
| quarters.
After wandering through pitch
black streets for three hours, slipping
on broken glass and stumbling o>ef
fallen masonry. and occasionally chal-
lenged by German sentries. | saw
light In building In the Boulevard
l Leopold. | rang the bell and was
taken In by n poor little consumptive
bookkeeper.
Takes Over Consulate.
Upon calling at the consulate In
the morning | found that Consul Gen
eral Diederich and Vice-Consul Sher-
man had left two days before for parts
unknown. As there was large mum
Der OF frightened people clamorlng
for reinsurance and protection. and as
there was no one else to look after
them. opened the consulate and as.
sumed charge.
THE proceeding was wholly irregu.
lar and unauthorized. OF course. and
will probably scandalize department
OF state officials in Washington. bur II
was no time for red tape.
II Immediately wrote a letter TO the
German commander. Informing him
that In the absence OF the consul gen.
ersl had assumed charge OF the
Al. -rican and British interests In
Antwerp and expected the fullest pro
teciion. received courteous reply
Immediately. saying that every pro
lection void be afforded foreigners"