The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1914-10-15
GERMANS PERMIT
BELG|ANS TO RULE
d CITY OF ANTWERP
Officials Asked to Continue Civil
Government. w."
.WCToRS REMOVE BIG GUNS
SeIQIan and British Troops Reported
to Have Arrived Safely at ostsnd
After Flight From Former
Capital.

the German forces OF occupation at
Antwerp the Belgian authorities, head.
ed by Burgomaster Jan de Vos, have
undertaken to continue the civil gov
eminent of the city.
The Germans have removed the
heavy siege guns-the 42-centimeter
pieces-with which they effected de.
molition Of the Antwerp forts, and II
is assumed here these will be sent to
aid the German forces operating In
the region Of Verdun.
News that the greater part Of the
Belgian and English troops, the de.
tenders Of Antwerp, had arrived safely
at ostend, avoiding by forced march
the encircling German movement, was
received here with great satisfaction
1t 10 accepted, however, that at least
5000 British and Belgian troops, the
rear OF the retreating Antwerp army
were cut off and have entered Holland
where they will be interned.
Move on ostend.
A dispatch from The Hague says
that, according to trustworthy infor.
nation from Belgium, the Germans
are advancing swiftly toward Ostend
with the object Of capturing the Bel.
gian king and government officials.
A dispatch to the Reuter- Telegram
company from Amsterdam says that
General Beseler, commander Of the
German troops that captured Antwerp
has issued the following proclamation {:
To the Inhabitants of Antwerp: The
German army has entered your city
as conquerers. No citizen shall be
harmed and your property shall be
spared II you refrain from hostile acts
All refractoriness will be punished &C.
cording to the laws of war and may
lead to the demolition of your beau,
tiful city.
Antwerp was not seriously dam,
aged by the German bombardment,"
says the Chronicles Amsterdam cor
respondent. only the suburb Of
Berchem and the southeast quarter Of
the town suffered badly.
Fire on Ruined Forte.
Long after they had been eVacu,
ated the Germans continued firing on
and around the ruins OF the blown-up
forts. They feared mines, and hoped
thus to destroy them. Near the north
ern suburbs the ground had been ex.
tenstvely mined by the Belgians, but
the Germans were warned by traitors
from within the city and took care to
avoid tbs danger zone.
Troops In Motor Cars.
On Thursday morning the retreat.
ing troops from Antwerp passed on
their fight to Ostend no fewer than
600 motor cars filled with soldiers who
had already passed through the town
The intention was to reach Ostend by
forced march, and the soldiers were
relieved of their knapsacks, which
were carried in the vans. Motor
buses from London carried footsore
troops who had fallen out of line
Then came columns Of machine guns
drawn by dogs.
The procession continued all day
and late that night the artillery passed
through. They had been In a rear,
guard action. An officer said they
had accounted for heaps of Germans
The fall Of Antwerp might be &C,
curately dated midnight. Thursday
though the burgomaster did not 60 out
to surrender the city until eight o clock
the next morning, and the Germans
did not enter until noon," says a morn.
', ing Post correspondent in Belgium
BY midnight Thursday it was clear
that further resistance to the attack,
ing Germans was vain and the field
forces and garrison forces on our side
began to be withdrawn to the west
side Of the River Scheldt.
Throughout the night of THURSDAY
the citizens who remained in the city
had every prompting to terror. Smoke
from the burning oil tanks enveloped
the city in a dark pail to which the
flames of burning houses gave a lining
Of lurid yellow. Through this pail
came shrieking the shells of 2S.centi.
meter guns, crashing like thunderhoIts
as they sent buildings actually pour.
ing into the streets.
Some Want to Remain.
Many Of the people of Antwerp had
resolved to Withstand the lombard,
ment and were content to stay, bur.
rowing among the ruins, SO long as the
Germans could be kept out. To them
the retreat of the defending army was
the last blow of fate. They abandoned
the cellars and retreats and set out In
flight. 1t was the last and most pitiful
exodus, for these were the elect of the
citizens. As they passed to the Dutch
frontier or toward the quays some met
their death from bombardment"