The Elk Mountain pilot., 1914-08-27
BATTLE RACES
AT FRENCH Line
ALLIED ARMIES PLAN TO FLANK
GERMANS ADVANCING ALONG
FIFTY MILE FRONT.
FIRE AT GATES TO PARIS
NAMUR AND CHARLEROl STAND
LAID FOR
INVADING GERMANS.

Paris. Aug. 24.-Along a great arc OF
fifty miles, curving through the heart
of Belgium, guns are crashing in the
battle OF the millions.
The French, English and Belgians
are locked in death-grapple with the
tremendous masses OF the Kaiser.
In the centre of the great battle
line reaching from Mons on the north,
just few miles from the French from
tier, down to the borders OF Luxem-
burg, the forts OF Charleroi and Ma
mur are answering the furious can
nonading of the huge German siege
guns. The roar Of the battle Is heard
for miles over the French frontier. AL
ready ambulances are reaching the
border villages with dead and wound
ed. Official announcement of the
great engagement was made last night
from the French war office. Owing to
the enormous extent OF the front and
the tremendous forces engaged, news
of the battles course is unobtainable.
The French and English line is known
to extend from Lille to Verdun in the
south, facing the enemy.
The entire German army both act
i've and reserves, is fighting. The main
attack of the defenders is directed at
the center of the German line toward
Charleroi They hope to crush the ad-
vance, flank the enemy. and crumble
them back over the razed districts
they have taken on their rush through
Lege. The reported occupation OF
nd n
Brussels cannt be confirmed. Their
fate is unknown.
Thousands are fleeing in terror from
Ostend Channel boats are crowded
with panic-stricken refugees seeking
safety in England. Preparations have
been made to raze the wireless sta
tions and mine the approaches to the
town
An Antwerp dispatch has it that the
Germans have abandoned their ad-
vance in northern Belgium and that
apprehension has been allayed in the
temporary coast capital.
French repulses are admitted. The
French troops have abandoned their
assaults on the Germans holding the
Donon and Saales passes on the way
TO Strassburg in Alsace. Bloody fight
ing is reported to have occurred at
Luttre, and a battle ragged in Hainault.
Russian reports are that the Cos
sacks are pursuing the Germans and
have captured lnsterburg, Germany.
Mckenzie Makes State ment.
John Mackenzie. an Englishman
who had been in Belgium for six
weeks. went from Ostend to London
and there said of the situation
When l left Ostend at IL o'clock
Saturday morning the populace was
much frightened. The British consul
had departed. and tourists had been
warned to leave. The wireless oper-
ators were still on duty but had their
motorcycles ready to flee. The wire
less stations have been mined, so they
can be destroyed when the Germans
begin their entrance. All Americans
are out of Ostend. 1t was generally
believed our boat would be the last
out of Ostend Refugees out of Brus-
sells said it took seven hours for the
German troops to pass through the
city. They estimated there were 35.-
600 OF them. MOST OF them moved
toward Ghent, but it was reported they
were turning south. The Germans
treated the Belgians kindly in Brus-
sells They patronized the restaurants
and paid for their food with gold, say
ing to the walters: Keep the change;
we will get it as We march back from
Paris!'"
Russian and German reports are alb
solutely contradictory as to the out
come of the great battle at Gumbin-
nen on the north German frontier,
where two Russian cavalry regiments
and a German army corps clashed.
The Ostend and Boulogne boats sent
over 1,5O0 travellers to London. Five
boat trains were required for the pas
sengers at Folkstone. Hundreds of
Americans from Switzerland and Italy
were In the crowd. Those from Italy
said the movement OF Americans
toward the north OF Italy has just
commenced.