Evening star., 1914-11-22
RESIDENTS OF ANTWERP
WARNED TO BOIL WATER
Danger Of Disease From Pollution Of
Supply Cited-Germans Clean
ing City.

Correspondence Of the Associated Press.
ANTWERP. November 7.-"Kookt NV
/ Water" is the warning posted over the
dead walls of Antwerp and upon the
windows of the thousands of closed
shops.
In English this is. Boil your water"'
Beneath the warning is a statement
signed by Burgomaster de vos, in which
he explains that because of the pollu
ton of the city's water supply there is
danger of typhoid and other maladies.
The water still has a decidedly brack-
ish taste, and is full of sediment. due
| to the cutting of the water supply by
the Germans when they were besiegine
Antwerp Belgian engineers, who had
anticipated such a stroke. gave the city
a partial water supply by turning the
water of the River Scheldt into the
mains. This made it possible to fight
the fires caused by German bombs and
probably saved the city from burning.
However. the polluted salt water from
the river is wholly unfit for domestic
use. and it will be months before the
city's supply mains and pipes VIII be
cleansed of the impurities left by the
temporary water supply.
German officers are supervising the
cleaning up of the city in all sections.
The debris of buildings wrecked by
shells is rapidly disappearing. Streets
and walks are being cleared, ara IN d
short time only the shattered walls ana
roofs of ruined residences VIII remain
to show what destruction the BON bard
ment caused.
Clearing Forts of Debris.
Soldiers are restoring the breast
works and clearing the forts of debris
that they may be ready IN case the
allies should force the Germans back
toward the Scheldt. This activity of
the Germans makes residents OF Ant
werp very nervous especially the
younger men, who fear they may be
impressed into service in case IN emer-
gency defense of Antwerp is necessary.
German engineers may be seen in all
the suburbs directing surveys. Bags OF
sand stacked near the leading gate
ways by the Belgians so as to afford
cover for the city's defenders have not
been removed. 1t is rumored that all
the roadways entering the city have
been secretly mined by the Germans.
Automobiles are not permitted to
enter Antwerp. and the only railway
trains approaching the city are from
Roosendaal in Holland. These trains
are forced to stop at MerNen, a suburb
three miles from the main portion of
Antwerp. All passengers are carefully
scrutiniZed by German officers and SOL
diers, who examine all passports fne
trains stop in the center of field half
a mile from d highway and passengers
a re forced to walk along path. fanked
with plain clothes men and soldiers
Street cars are not permitted 10 oper-
.te in the outer sections of the city.
and passengers from MsrXen must Walk
or ride in carriages for "A mile ana a
half. and pass sentries on two BRIDGES
before they can avail themselves OF
street car.
Before leaving the city Belgians are
required to have their passports
stamped by both Belgian and German
officials who are constantly at work IN
various parts of the city handing pa
ners of crowds which file through lines
of German soldiers standing on duty
with fixed bayonets.