New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-12

extreme. Family parties made up tn,
biggest proportion of this vast CROWD
OF broken men and women. There were
husbands and wives, W..h their groups
OF scared children, unable 10 under
stand what was happening, yet dimly
conscious in their childish WAYS that
something unusual and terrible and
perilouS had come into their lives.
In many groups were 10 be seen old
people, grandfathers and grandmoth
ers OF the family. and these in THEN
shaking frailty and terror were the
most pitiablc objects in the great gath.
ering Of stricken townsfolk. This pa
thetic clinginG together Of families was
one Of the most affecting sights wit
messed. and there was not the slightcs,
doubt that in the mad rush for refuge
beyond the borders Of their native
land many family groups Of this sort
completely persisted.
Tragedy Beyond Compare.
All day and through the night these
pltiful scenes continued, and early or
Thursday, when the dawn was throwing
wan light over this part Of the
world, great host of citizens was
awaiting the chance of fight on the
quay side. In the dimness Of the
breaking day this gathering of "les
Tlserablcs" presented as it seemed the
tragedy Of Belgium in all its horror
Words would fail TO convey anything
but q feeble picture of the depths OF
misery and despair.
People stood in dumb and patient
ranks. drawn down TO the Quayside by
the announcement that two boats
would leave at Il o'clock for Ostend,
and Ostend looks across to England,
where lie their hopes. There were fully
10000 of them assembled on the long
quay, and all Of them were inspired by
the sure and certain hope that they
would be among the lucky ones who
would get on board one Of the boats.
Alas for their hopes. the two boats did
rot sail, and when they realized this
low wall of anguish rose from the
di sappointed multitude. Other means
of escape were, however, available. in
the shape OF a dozen or fifteen tug
boats, whose destinations were Rotter-
Dam and Flushing and other ports OF
Holland. They were not vessels OF any
considerable passenger carrying ca
pacity, and as there was no one 10 ar
range for systematic embarkation a
struggle followed among the frantic
people 70 secure places on one OF the
tugs. Men, women and children fought
desperately with one another to get on
board. and in that moment of supreme
anguish human nature was seen IN one
of it's worst moods. But who can blame
these stricken people? They we're flee
ing from the barbarities and the shells
that were destroying their homes and
giving their beloved town to flames as
they screamed over their heads.
Their trade was not war. They were
merchants, shopkeepers. comfortable
citizens Of more than middle age, and
there were many women and children
among them, and this horror had come
upon them in more appalling shape
than It had visited any civilized COM
munitv in modern times. There was a
scarcity Of gangway TO the boats, and
the only means of boarding them was
by narrow blanks sloping at danger
ous angle. Up these the fugitives
struggled. and the strong elbowed the
weak out of their way IN their mad
haste to escape.
The marvel was that many were not
crushed to death in the struggle 70 get
on board or forced into. the river ana
drowned. As is was mishaps were few:
One woman eighty years old slipped
on one Of the planks and fell against
The side Of the boat. fracturing her
& kuN. Several people fell into the
river and two were drowned, but that
is the sum total of accidents as far as
could be ascertained.
100000 Persons in Flight.
By . O'Clock on Thursday most Of
the tupboats had got away. but there
were still some $4,000 people who had
not been able TO escape and had 70
await resignedly whatever fate was IN
store for them. At the central sta
ton incidents similar i'm KIND were
happening. There. as down by the
river. an immense thrOng of people had
assembled, and they were filled with
dismay at the announcement that no
trains were running. In their despair
they prepared TO leave the city on foot
by crossing the pontoon bridge ana
marching toward the Dutch frontier.
The refugees from the city must nave
totalled 100000 people, men, women ana
children OF all ages, or nearly that vast
number. and that out OF population
which in normal times is 32l 81.
One might estimate that fully 20 per
cen: OF these folk had little or no
money. There were three lines Of exit
They could. up to the time OF the Ger
man invasion, cross the pontoon brldge
over the Scheldt, they could go along
the countryside toward the Dutch iron
tier o. they could walk up 10 the
Scheldt toward the frontier and then
cross by ferry TO Belgian territory
again.
MANY of the aged women among the
refugees, terroriZed and hunger-strick-
en-. died. it is said, on the way 10 the
Releian frontier. Towns were crowded
with pitiful wanderers fleeing from the
ruthless invaders, and they begged Tor
crusts of bread. They were simply
starving. Householders did what they
could to help, cottagcrs giving to their
utmost out Of meagre larders, but stan
there was a cry for food.
Returning TO the events Of Thurs
dav. at 1890 O'Clock in the afternoon,
when the bombardmcnt Rad already
lasted more than twelve hours, through
the courtesy Of q Belgian officer the
correspondent was able TO ascend to
the roof Of the cathedral, ana from
that point Of vantage looked down upon
the scene IN the city. All the southern
portion Of Antwerp appeared 10 be a
dcsolate ruin. Whole streets war"
ablaze and the flames were rising IN
the air to a height of twenty and thir,
~ feet. In another direction could
lust be discerned through glasses dim.
lv in the distance 'he instruments or
"culturc" the attacking German forces
ruthlessly pour ding at the city an,
creeping nearer TO 1t in dark and
threatening mass
Like Dore's Inferno"
At that moment the cnemy's front
line was within four miles of Antwerp
From the elevated position there was
an excellent view also of the great oil