Evening star., 1914-10-24
ANTWERP, UNDER GERMAN RULE,
is GETTING BACK TO NORMAL
About 10000 of the $4,000 Inhabitants
Are Said to Have Returned
to Their Homes.

ANTWERP, October 90. via Roosen-
daal to London. October 24.-Antwerp
gradually. is returning to normal con-
ditions. About 10000 of its 100000
Inhabitants, most of whom fed the city
when the Germans occupied it, have
returned to their homes.
Some bakeries, meat shops and gro
cery stores are opening in the poorer
section Of the city, and a few old wom-
en- with dog carts are Offering apples
and vegetables in the once busy mar
kets. The German flag flies from the
tower of the Cathedral Of Notre Dame,
but Belgian priests are reading mass as
usual
Belgians, German soldiers and Ger
man officers, many of whom have their
wives with them, are living quietly In
the leading hotels. which are forced to
virtually are deserted except for the
gray German automobiles which dash
along at mad speed carrying officers
clad in smoke gray uniforms.
No Tribute on City.
No tribute has been levied on the city
as yet. except that the Germans have
demanded supplies for their army. Gen.
Won Huehne is governor general OF the
military government. Maj. Gen. Won
Bodenhausen. commander Of the fort
tres. Of Antwerp. Will be inssailsd ,nsa
charge of the issuance OF passports and
other duties, which have been per-
formed by Henry Diederfch. until re-
Gently American consul general at Ant
werp, and the Belgian burgomaster,
NJ Devoss. acting in conjunction with
German soldiers and many plain-clothes
German detectives.
Gen. Won Huehne has given assurance
that Belgians will not be forced to dig
intrenchments or do other work for
the Germans If they return to the Bel
eian cities. Every consideration Is be-
ing shown the Belgians by the Ger
mans. but this kindness makes the Bel
gians suspicious, as they believe. they
say, that a trap is being laid.
over 1900 Belgians returned to Ant
werp today and probably half that
number from Holland. The only trains
running from Antwerp Are to Roosen-
daal, Holland. Hourly service is be-
ing maintained both ways during day
light hours, and all trains are crowded.
All the Holland border towns are filled
with frantic Belgfans, who move about
anxiously seeking relatives and are
afraid to return to their own coun-
try.
Refugees Crowd Highways.
Virtually all the highways in the
north of Belgium and in the south of
Holland are filled with refugee pedes-
trians and dog and horse carts loaded
with furniture and clothing. Barns,
farmhouses. haystacks and cars on
side tracks furnish shelter for these
travelling families. Holland is har-
vesting its sugar beet crop and some
of the refugees are employed in this
work.
The country about Antwerp Is desolate,
as the Belgians leveled many forests to
give the forts a better chance at the ap-
preaching enemy. It Is estimated that
about 800 buildings were destroyed in
Antwerp by bombs. most Of these struc-
lures being residences. The Hotel de
rEurope and the Taverne Royale. on
La Place Verte. were among twenty-five
by bombs. La Mier and other leading
business streets were untouched. but all
the large business houses are still closed.
despite the efforts of the Germans to re-
store normal conditions.
Hundreds of ships are lying in the
canals and at the docks. efforts to open
shipping being unavailing, as Holland
controls the mouth of the Scheldt river.
The factories are all closed and the
American consulate Is looking after the
countries. The Stars and Stripes fly from
the offices of the Red Star line, the
American Petroleum Company and other
American concerns.
| The wounded were left in the Belgian
military hospital by the fleeing forces
who were unable to take all with them.
Most Of the British marines were wounded
I In the legs, their injuries being slight
They were badly in need of clothing, and
asked Consul Diederich to help them be-
fore the Germans sent them to prison
Probably not over twenty other English
men are in Antwerp.