Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-10-15

remains at Ostend. tn" departure of
King Albert and military headquarters
left only the civil guard and policemen,
who are attempting to preserve order.
but there is lack of direction. as the
hurgomaster, head Of the municipal gov
ernment. has left also
The crowds mass about the ganeWaYs
of the vessels, making the work Of ON
barking the refugees more difficult.
Women and children are trampled i'm
the stampede. as Of frightened animals.
at every rumor Bundles of clothes.
trunks, and bags are stacked every
where in confusion. preventing the free
movements of the crowds
WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST"
Women and children first" IS the an
nouncement the shin officers make in
Flemish and French as the ganCwaYs arc
lowered. This rule has been enforced for
several days. but with the greatest effort :;
women cling to their husbands and other
male relatives, denantly blocking the
gangways. All attempts to persuade the
refugees to drop their bundles and hasten
aboard the boats are unaailing. 1T is all
We have left" was the pitiful reply of an
aged and intirm woman staggering under
heavy luggage.
Ostcnd to-day is amaznginglv unlike
tho gay Atlantic city Of Belgium. which
formerly attracted most of the fashion
bile pleasure seekers of the world The
shutters arc closed on the great hotels
facing the splendid bathing beach. Rich
and poor alike, residents Of Ostcnd and
refugees Of all classes from the interior Of
Belgium huddled together. But there are
"ars which afford comparative comfort
90 many of the women and children. whose
only food for DAYS has been bread and
coffee provided ny the committees which
are attempting to keep down the hunger
Of the people, in spite Of the fact that all
the ordinary activities have been suspend
ed Now even bread is becoming very
scarce.
REFUGEES Go HUNGRY.
Tho relief boats To Foll<estone are so
crowded and hurried. that they have
meals. and frequently they are unable
to offer even cold lunch to the ref
ugcos crowded into every available
inch of deck space.
Marked attention IS shown the
wounded soldiers by the refugees who
gather about tn" littcrs ON the docks
aud on shipboard offering cigarettes
chocolates and any other delicacy
which the almost exhausted lunch
baskets afford
Many of the soldiers speak only
Flemish. while their nurses know
only English or French and must rely
on refugee who understand all three
languages to make known the wants
of the sufferers. Little children often
bridE" the language chasm and with
rare sympathy assist the nurses
Belgian. English and French soldiers
alike have endured such nar1sH!ps during
the recent campaign that tn uniforms Ct
the wounded soldiers are il tattr:- This
is especially true of the BeIs'ans whose
once bright red ana blue Uniforms are
now faded and In shreds-as unkempt in
appearance as their unshaven faces.
My poor Belgian boys hav, such dis
reputa Bile looking uniforms when They
come to see me- a Red Cross surgean
that | try to get some sort
of civilian clothes for them So as To tone
them up. OF course, we clnnol get now
uniforms now, but the po,r chaps are
enough by .Nair inluie
without having to hobble about In rags"
L. :. CONSUL BUSY MAN.
The American consul. Henry \.
] Johnson, has the affairs of the allies
under his care and is on the docks
lay and night assisting his charges.
Americans are not numerous at Ostend.
but few have been coming in daily
from Antwerp. Ghent and Bruges. The
British consul left Ostend several DAYS
ago, the consuls representing the other
lilies accompanying him.
Rains last night and to-day intensi-
fled tho sufferin gof the crowds which
showed to the very edge of the pier.
where they remained without shelter.
II the hope of catching the next boat.
ievral persons We're pushed off the
locks by the surging masses, hut all
were rescued by the guards.
FIRING SCARIs FUG,TIVES
Because of the dense fog which pre-
vailed last night and cast farther gloom
over the dimly lighted piers lined with
refugees trying to sleep, the fog guns
were kept hrng to warn the iIshing beats
of the reefs. Every report startled the
fugitives who Were ready to believe tnat
the expected raid I'd the Ge~fnuns hal
begun
A Red Cross doctor prov te. with a
motor ambulance and assiStr,. by boy
scouts has been working without ces.
satiou on the docks caring fer the sick
and exhausted. Several children have
broken their arms by falling uve- the
scattered luggage Constant calls are
made for attendance upon women who
faint through sheer exhaustion ~ fright
hysteria seiaes some yvonaz
End at once spreads especially among the
older women who believe the arrival of
The Germans would mean the nd of
themselves and their families.
80 ID