The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-01-28

AWE CELEBRATE.
4s4ssYears Since Paris Gave IN to Ar, Il,
Germany Army. and Famine.

n -.
Forty.four years ago today, on Jan.
s2s, 1871, the most terrible siege ever
endured by great capital came to
ans end with the! capitulation OF Paris.
Fore1S2 days the Germany army sur.
rounded the city, cutting the people
on from all communication the
outside world, except by balloon and
pigeon post. The great guns Of the
Russians Numbered In vain Within
the city the people, supposedly gay.
frivolous and excitable, imported
themselves like. heroes. Calmly.
sternly. with bulldog tenacitv. re.
duced to rations Of sickening charac.
ter and quantity barely sufficient ia
keep body and soul together. thew
held out until at last they were too
weak to fight longer. Germans cele.
pirate today as the anniversary of q,
great victory, but is was to their ally,
famine, rather than to the Teutot,
army. that Paris surrendered. 1s
The siege of Paris began on Sen.
TENDER 10, 1870, when the city ,was
completely invested by German
troops. On that day the bouleyards
were as gas as ever. and Paris was
apparently unmoyed by the fate
which hung over her. Within a few
days, however. PaIasians began to
feel the pinch OF poverty and the cold
touch of famine. All food supplies
We're taken over by the military au..
thorities, and soon Paris was reduced
TO a horseflesh diet. Such food was
far from pleasant to palates accus..
toned to the rarest Of delicacies, but
worse was to come. When ali the
horses had been killed and consumed,
rayelous Paris slaughtered its dogs
and cats. Household pets were ruth;
lessly gathered in and killed In order
that Paris might a little longer escape
the ignominy OF surrendering to tho
Germans. AT the last cats and dogs
became rare delicacies, and CIVILIAN
Paris took to the trade OF rat.catch.
ing, and the rodents became the
staple Of diet. I'M. / %
With the coming Of New Years
aay,slSIl, Paris was practi cally bare
OF food; Still the unkempt, unshayeri,
hungry soldiers contested every inch
with desperate yalor. Still the iron.
ring OF the Germans grew tighter and
closer. In Paris human beings died
like flies, the victims aof starvation
and the Ills that follow in its wake
On the cath sof January Fayre,
opened negotiations with Bismark.
an dfour days later the Russian and
French statesmen signed an armis.
dcei involving the CAPT ulation Of the
city. On the following day the forts
around Paris were occupied BY the
Germans, but Il was not until the
lhrst OF March that the conquering
army made its trinmphal entrance
into Paris to remain forty.eight,
hours. - a 81 y, 81
Field Marshal Won Moltke, who.
commanded the German forces in the
Francis russiant war IN his report on
the siege declared that the defenders
of Paris had an artillery armament.
OF I. 627s pieces OF which 200 were OF
the largest calibre OF naval ordinance.
The French had 500 rounds for each
gun and O considerable reserve ofs
powder! The Germans did not have
the necessary guns and ammunition
to begin the bonn ardmerf OF Paris
sat the beginning Of the siege. but
later the Prussians brought up their
siege guns, attacking not only the
forts. but dropping 15eentimeteri