Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-09-05
History of Towns
In War Territory

llGnNl SbtA'tS ~ "a
today's war geography follows:
Reims (Rheims)-A city of north
ern France, So miles east OF northeast
of Paris, situated in a plain on the
right bank OF the Vesle and on the
canal which connects the Aisne with
the Marine. 1t is one of the six cities,
each of them with numerous forts,
constituting the second line of de-
Tense to the north and east of Paris.
In 1874 the construction of a chain
of detached forts was begun in the
vicinity of Reims. Thirteen fortresses
have been built in a perimeter not
quite % miles in length and at mean
distance of six miles from the center
of the city. The hills on the Paris
side are open and unguarded. The
city is the chief wool market in
France. The manufacture of cham
payne, machinery. chemicals, safes,
capsules, bottles, casks, candles, soap,
and paper is carried on extensively.
In the foreign invasions of 1914 Reims
was captured and recaptured. In
1901 it was made by the Germans
the seat of a governor general and i'm
poverished by heavy acquisitions.
Roye-A town of northern France
% miles south of east of Amiens. "a
miles southwest of st. Quentin, and
80 miles east of north of Paris. 1t is
the apex of a triangle pointing north
ward. with Montdidier and Noyon at
the other two angles. The town has
about 5000 inhabitants, and carries
: on an extensive trade in the grain rails
| ed on the Santerre, the fertile plateau
! in which the town is located. The
| Church of St. Pierre in Roye was be-
gun in the 18th century and completed
in the 10th century.
Rastenburg-A Prussian town. lying
! on a fiat, sandy plain on the Guber,
ca miles by rail southeast of koeniSs-
berg. 4S miles from the eastern border
of east Prussia, and 43 miles north OF
where east Prussia's border touches
Russian Poland. Its population is
about $4,000, and its principal manu-
features are flour, sugar, oil, beer and
machinery.
!. PrzemysI-A town Of Gancia, Aus
| tria. 81 miles west of Lemberg, So
miles south of the Russian Polar sor-
der, and 81 miles south of east of
Tarnow. In 1910 it had n populs ton
of 81 ,562 It is situated on the River
San and is one of the strongest for
tresses in Galicia. Its industries COM
prise the manufacture of machinery,
| liqueurs. the refining of naptha, corn
milling, and the saving of timber. 1t
| is one OF the oldest towns of Galicia,
claiming to have been founded in the
eighth century, and was at one time
the capital of Il large independent
principally. In the 18th century its
| importance was destroyed by inroads
! of Tartars, Cossacks and Swedes.
KuIm-A Prussian town, % miles
north of Thorn, the same distance
northeast of Bromberg, and &c miles
from. the Russian Poland frontier, with
population of about 1900. 1t is
surrounded by old walls, dating from
the 18th century. There are large oil
mills. iron foundries, and machine
shops, while the town has an impor-
tant trade in agricultural produce,
fruit. and vegetables. By the second
peace of Thorn, in 1866, Kuhn passed
from the Teutonic order to Poland,
and it WAS annexed to Prussia in
1872.
Marienwerder A Prussian town
three miles east of the Vistula. %
miles south of Marienburg, and 40
miles from Russia Poland. Its popu- |
lation is approximately 10000. The |
town was founded in 1888 by the |
Teutonic order. Its industries include |
iron foundries. sawmills. sugar refin- |
cries, breweries, and printing works.
Beuthen-In the extreme southeast |
of Prussian Silesia, three miles from
the Russian Poland frontier. and II !
miles from Austrian Galicia, on lie |
railway between Breslau and Cracow,
121 miles from the former and half as
far from the latter. Its population in
1910 was 67,71S. 1t is the center of
the mining district of upper Silesia.
The town was formerly the capital OF
the Bohemian duchy of Beuthen. In
addition to mining, the inhabitants are
engaged in iron and zinc smelling.
Braunsbere-A Prussian town, So
miles by rail southwest of Koenigs-
berg, on the Passarge. four miles from
its mouth in the Frisches Half. Its
population is approximately $4,000.
Brewing, tanning. and the manufac-
ture of soap, yeast. carriages, and
bricks are the most important indus
tries. The town was destroyed by
the Prussians in 1862. but was restored
in 1879. II fell into the hands of the
Poles in 1920 and was recaptured by
Gustavus Adolphus in 1925. The
Swedes kept possession till 1885. 1t
81 70, IDf-t1Gg Ia nv first al / 4
Poland in 1872.