The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1914-10-16
CALLED STRONGEST FORTRESS
M WoRLD--ANTWERP's DE-
FENsEs SHATTERED AND
CITY IN DEsoLATloN
FALL or CITY WILL
GIVE GERMANS $4,000
MORE AVAILABLE TROOPS

London.-Antwerp has fallen, 1t
was officially announced by the Staff
In Berlin, according to a Central
News despatch from Amsterdam. The
Belgians blew up their forts before
leaving
That the gallantry of the Belgian
army had not been of avail before the
remorseless rain of death from the
great German guns was first learned
by a dispatch to the Morning Post,
which submitted its information to
the Press Bureau, which permitted
it's publication without confirmation.
Two-thirds of the inhabitants of
the city are refugees in Holland, and
hundreds Of others have fed to other
points. Itsis estimated that close to
100000 refugees are without food and
shelter. The last reports showed the
city to be in flames at many points.
The shipping of neutral nations and
Sf the Allies was permitted to leave
the harbor and then all German and
Austrian shipping was destroyed. The
wonderful cathedral of Antwerp has
been damaged.
When their position no longer was
tenable the Belgians destroyed guns
and blew up Notifications, retiring to
the field, with the intention of hack
ing their way through the Germans
in an effort to reach the Allies left
or die id the attempt. The surrender
of Antwerp to the Germans followed
the heaviest bombardment in history.
With their good supply almost gone,
their water supply cut, the great oil
tanks in flames from explosive shells,
and the Germans pouring through
breach in the inner Notifications,
there was nothing left for the army
but give up the city to prevent the
appalling loss of life growing greater
and save the city from being com
pletely RACED.
The people are reported to have act
ed calmly when the Germans entered
the city. A Dutch cruiser and sew
eral submarines are lying in the
Scheldt watching the situation.
During the bombardment of Ant
werp some shells exploded on the
roof of the prison. The warders i'm
mediately liberated the prisoners.
Enormous damage was done in the
southern quarter of the city, the Ger
man shells spreading fire and death
over a large area.
The shells set fire to more than fifty.
oil stands along the river, and the
far-reaohing glare from the great fire
added to the panic among the people
still remaining in the city.
Over quarter of a million persons
flocked through the roads into the
open country in an effort to escape.
The loss Of life in the city was ap-
palling. The aristocratic suburb of
Barchem has been burned The south
ern quarter and Pepinere have suffer
ed badly, as also has the quarter
around the museum.
The siege of Antwerp, which cul-
minated in its fall, began September
20, so that the Germans took just ten
days to reduce the formidable FORTH
cations which Surrounded the tenn
porary capital of the Belgians.
The Germans had, however. for a
long time previous prepared the way
for the attack on Antwerp by taking
number of towns in its vicinity.
The first direct attack ON Antwerp
was that against the forts at Waelhem
and Wavre-St. Catharines. These
were reduced in a couple of days by
the aid Of the big siege guns. Mean
while the forts at Lierre and Konings-
hoyokt had also been attacked and
these and others of the outside lines
Of Notifications were taken.
The last days saw the fighting ad-