New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-12
SIEGE OF ANTWERP
is SHORTEST KNOWN
Continued from pssc


tlngulsh the fires that had broken out
oil over the southern district. Indeed
there were no means Of dealing with
thcm. As far back as Tuesday in last
week tho water supply from the rcser-
Voir, ten miles outside the city, was
cut or, and as this was the city's main
source OF supply, indeed practically its
only source, great apprehension was
let. The reservoir is just behind Fort
Maelhem, and a German shell struck
", doing great mischief. II left Ant
Werp without any regular inflow OF
water. and the inhabitants had to do
their best with artesian wells. Great
Efforts were made by the Belgians from
time 10 time to repair the reservoir,
/ Dat they were always thwarted by the
German shell fire. The health OF the
city was terribly menaced. for there
was danger of an epidemic. Happily
stricken Antwerp was spared this
added terror. 1t had plenty Of other
sorts.
When. after leaving the cathedral,
the way was made TO the southern sec
tion of the city. where shells were
bursting at the rate of five minute,
IT was with great difficulty and not
without risk that Rue la Moiere was
reached. There was met terror strick-
/ en- Belgian woman, the only other per-
son in the streets besides the CORE
| spondent. In hysterical gasps she said
/ the Bank Rationale and the Palais dc
Justice had been struck, and were in
: flames and that her husband had been
/ killed by a shell just five minutes be-
, fore. His mangled remains were lying
not hundred yards away.
Man Is Driven Mad
10 was obviously impossible to pro-
coed further, and so steps were re-
traced toward the quay. Passing the
Avenue de keyser, a she'll burst twenty
yards away. The correspondent was
knocked down by the force of the con-
cussion. \ house not ten yards dis
tant was struck and actually poured
lthere is no other word to describe
what happened into the street in a
shower of bricks and broken timber. A
brick struck the correspondent on the
shoulder, but its force was spent. lie
had scarcely picked himself up and
was Fastening to a place of safety, If
there were one, when r man about for
ty years old, almost naked, rushed out
OF house screaming. He had gone
mad. At this time the correspondent
was fortunate enough to meet Frank
Fox, newspaper man. who is an eX-
officer of artillery. who said he had
found a hotel which, as long as the
Germans fired in the direction they
were then firing, was not within reach
of their guns This was the Hotel
Wagner. which stands behind the opera
house on the Boulevard de Commerce
1t was the only hotel in the city, ex-
cept the Queens Hotel, in which some
representative of New York news
paper had been staying. There was
found Miss Louise Mack, an Australian
authoreSs.
As night came the city presented a
fantastic appearance. Watching from
the Hotel Wagner fires that had burst
out in all directions could be seen for
miles around. The bombardment wa
proceeding furiously, and German
shells were bursting in every direction
at the rate of at least thirty a minute.
A visit to the Queens Hotel TO ascer
tain what had become Of the American
journalists proved they had left the
city after having spent a night IN
private house which had been struck
three times by shells and finally caught
fire after Arthur Ruhl had left this
note:
Donald c. Thompson fitted up for
himself a cellar at II Rue dc Peagc,
just by the Boulevard de Keyser where
shrapncl fell with terrible force dur
ing the latter part Of Wednesday,
With him were three other Americans
The entire population. including, of
course, the government, of Antwerp,
has made its escape across the pom
toon bridge whicl. still connects tie
River Scheldt with the road toward
Client. Two shells demolished ThomD-
sons retreat. At shutdown il burst
into flames. The American Consul
General and Vice Consul General had
gone by this time. The following
Americans. all of them newspaper men.
were known to have spent the night IN
Antwerp: Arthur Ruhl, Horace Green,
Edward Eyre Hunt. Edward Heigcl and
Thompson himself"
Narrowly Misses Death
Except for the lurd glare Of tho
burning buildings which lit up the
streets the city was in absolute dark
ness, and near the quay the way was
lost in byways trying to get back t.
the Hotel Wagner. and for the second
time that day the correspondent mar
rowly escaped death by a shell. One
burst with terrific force about twenty
five yards away. It's warning whir1
was heard and rush made into a
neIghboring porch. Whether it was
from the conclusion Of the shell or the
anxiety TO escape, the correspondent
struck against door and tumbled
down, and as he lay on the ground the
house on the opposite side crashed IN
ruins. He remained still for several
minutes, feeling sick and unable TO
get up. Then he pulled himself to-
gether and ran at full speed until he
came to street which he recognized,
and found his way back to the hotel.
As he FASTENED down the Avenue de
Keyser shells we're bursting in every
quarter. Several fell into the adjoin-
ing street. At the hotel Fox was found.
He had been up to the Red Cross hos
pital to inquire about a motor car in
which he hoped TO get away. 1t had
gone. as had the entire personnel OF
the hospital He began to wonder how
he should escape. However, Fox had
a bicycle. and Mr.. Singleton. chief OF
the Boy Scouts in Antwerp, had given
the key Of his house, not far off, 10
the CORE spondent, in which he ton
him there was one if he wanted il in
an emergency. The bicycle was found,
but as there was no tube in the back
tire il was useless for return jour
ney. In the street Just passed was
hole six feet deep which had just been
made by shell.
on returning TO the hotel a meal
vas eaten under the weirdest condi-
tions imaginable. Descending into the
cellars OF the hotel with Miss Mack
and Mr. Fox. the entire staff was
found gathered there. uncertain what
to do and not knowing what was 10
happen to them. One OF the men
Lo and