Omaha daily bee., 1914-10-02
GERMANS DESTROY
UNFORTTFTED CITY
Albert, Eighteen Miles from Aimens,
is Bombarded by Teutons with
Big Guns.
GERMANS DRIVEN NoRTHwARD
They Change Tactics and Try 60
Penetrate Lines of Allies at AL
bert-DeadIy Fire Finally
Checks Their Advance.


LONDON, oct. 1.-Telegraphing from
Paris under date OF Wednesday, the cor
respondent OF tho Daily Mail describes
the complete destruction by the heavy
German artillery Of the open and unforti;
fled town Of Albert. eighteen miles from
Amiens which has been the scene during
the last few days OF a prolonged and
terribly murderous artillery battle. He
says:
The struggle on the part Of the Ger
mans TO prevent their right wing being
turned compelled them continually to push
their front further north and to the west,
while the allies continually replied by ex-
tending their front 20 overlap the enemy,
both sides bringing up large reinforce
ments. This necessitated long marches of
twenty to twenty-five miles day, and
the Germans were repeatedly called upon
TO make a desperate effort in order TO
avoid being outflanked whereby they
suffered heavy losses.
Germans Change. Tactics.
On Sunday they began to realize that
their efforts were in vain. They therefore
changed their tactics and tried to drive a
wedge into the allies front The point Of
AiihN W'ukt was NNt NONIlh OF AlbtTl.
''The attempt almost succeeded They
brought up and massed their artillery and
the French infantry suffered considerably.
They kept up a fire so rapid in character
that at night the whole sky lit up by
bursting shells On Sunday they gained
perceptibly and on Monday they still
pressed on, but by that time the French
had brought up large numbers OF their
famous quick firing batteries and their
deadly fire checked the German advance.
Yesterday the enemy kept up his ef-
forts gamely. but by late afternoon 1t had
clearly failed of It's aim There were
French batteries at various points around
Albert, but none within mile of the
town. At ten minutes past German shells
from their heavy guns began TO fall"
Town Quickly Destroyed.
Here 10 an account Of the scene from
! an eye-witRess who was on a hill over
looking Albert:
we were warned along the road to be
careful, and saw vast column of peo-
pie coming away from the town, but
| nothing happened until at ten minutes
past we heard a deep boom, quite un-.
like the noise made by an ordinary field
gun, and shell OF much greater force
and size fell in the town. We thought
It must be an accident of misdirection,
and then to our indignation the shells
began TO fall rapidly. They came IN
punches. There were several batteries
at work. and their aim was excellent.
l only saw three shells burst outside the
town. The place collapsed literally like
a pack OF cards that had been built up
into houses, as every moment something
fresh went Now it was the town hall
now group of cottages. and then a
high wall. stv
Looked Like MeIodrnma.
1T reminded one OF scene in Driry
Lane melodrana. One could not believe
without an effort that one was seeing a
real town shelled. 1t was just as II some
inventor had made a new kind Of ex.
plosive and had invited his friends e
see It lemolish model OF a town. ]
stayed there an hour, fascinated'
That brings the story up to e:l5. when
the witness left with some wounded who
had been brought out Of the town. The
road toward Amiens at that time was
packed with refugees OF all ages, and
old men and women. too feeble to walk
were being hauled In barrows.
! AT half-past number of fires
lighting up the whole countryside, were
visible. Looking toward Albert. they ap.
peared TO be hRy-ricks, which had beer
set alight by shells. The largest OF these
red glares. however was. Albert on fire
Against the flaming background the tai
spire OF church stood out uninJured III
to O'clock, but it was impossible I,
enter the town. as the heat was toe
great and the streets too unsafe"