Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-08
Co ABOUT DAILY TASKS
UNDER ROAR OF SHELLS
Inhabitants OF Several Towns OF
France Accustomed to
Bombardment.
FEW DAYS RESPITE IN MONTHS
Rheims Pont-a-Aiousson and Arras
Examples of Places Under Almost
Continual Fire of Encmy-Account
OF Suffering OF People.
ny GEORGE DUFRI1sNE.

ny GEORGE DUFRIJSNE.
Especial Cable to The Times Dispatch
PARIS. August There are sew
eral towns in France where the in
habitants have grown so accustomed
TO being bombarded that they eat.
drink, sleep and go about their daily
tasks under continuous roar Of can
non and bursting shells There are
Rheims. Pont-a Mousson and Arras for
example whose populations havo had
but few days respite for months past
To take the latter town as worry
typical instance OF what the French
have 10 bear ut the present time a
correspondent of the Journal gives an
account OF the suTerings OF the peo-
pie. which English readers will peruse
with astonishment and admiration:
and from stories ! have personally
read, 1t Ia not In any whit exaggerated
THE last time I passed Arras in the
train. on the Journey TO Boulogne."
says the correspondent. shells could
be seen and heard bursting close by
and though this was some time ago.
the German spite against this UNI
fortunate town does not seem to have
abntcd n tot. To understand the whole
atmosphere OF danger and sudden
death that hangs over Arras II has
40 be realized that tho German lines
gre Just half r mile away. the dis
1ance from CharinS Cross TO Waterloo
Bridge, or from Fleet Street to Nell
sons Monument And FOR eight months
they have never been further on and
have shown a flendish delight In shower
ing shells OF every cal!her upon the
town. until whole quarters have been
reduced to piles OF ruins.
THE massiveiy built cathedral 10
hardly recognizable. and the railway
station is pile OF nondescrlpt ma
terials. There Is scarcely house in
tact in the place. 1t was on October
r,F 10 - hat H. - \
bombardment that continued for
three days. and was taken up again
towards the end of the month. After
that II became intermittent and fanci-
ful, without any apparent cause or
motive. as Arras has no strategic i'm
portance and is not garrisoned In
force. Towards the end OF April, how
ever, the tactics changed, and every
day since then at least hundred shells
have been sent into Arras. Latterly
the heaviest 'marmtes' or Jack John
sons have begun 10 fall together with
incendiary bombs.
THOUSANDS TIGHTLY STICK
TO NATIVE PLACE
"opc would have thought that the
Inhabitants would have long eince
Quilted tho inferno, and preferred to
put more than half 4 mile between
themselves and their relentless foes.
When the bombardment began there
in the first fight at least half OF these
fed. AS time went on others thought
life was scarcely worth living under
the existing conditions. but 1900 have
stoutly stuck to their native place, and
refused to quit what is left of. or
represents. their homes These are
mostly small tradesmen and the work
ing classes. the majority OF whom lead
a troslodytic life In cellars and under
ground shelters, but still at home
They know we'll the habits and Gus
toms OF the enemy. and when they are
sure that the firing Is going TO cease
for a while, they venture out and do
their shopping and meeting with each
Other
with that love OF order that dis
1inguishes French official lfe, the pre-
fectural service has never STONED
working, and though the walls of the
Prefecture have long since been blow n
down. and little but the skeleton IL
left Of the town hail. the stan con-
tinue To carry on their duties ms calmly
as II IN t!me OF peace. One OF the
most curious and touching features
OF the Nfe OF Arras is the school,
where eighty little boys and girls
regularly attend. and where one male
and three women teachers daily give
their lessons IN n spacious cave Tho
hours are NOT very regular. and tho
bombar dment oftsn makes some of the
children late. both1n coming and going
nome In the evening. The midday meal
Is prepared and taken in the under
ground school, Dom. and though several
OF the children have fallen victims TO
the shel!hre. this has not deferred q
single one from continuing the les
sons
Another stranRe and admirable in
etitution is the CONN League When
tho bomeardment began the victims
We're so numerous that II was not pos
s:ble to give each a separate burial. For
instance, In the almshouse one she'll
alon" killed ffty-two women and
wounded forty three more The cenne-
reries, as usual. boing outside the
town. and fully exposed to tho enemy's
ire, arrangements had TO be made for
1uhumation IN gardens or courtvards
DE inc!ncra1ed at a street corner. This
tragic spectacle so impressed the pco-
pie that a Coffin League was started.
ma its members work almost all day
and night in cellars making coins. And
now all the civilians who are killed and
all III" soldiers who die IN Arras are de-
Gently buried in coffin, so that their
friends VIII DO able TO And their last
resting place later on
"pf course fires are frequent es-
Tcciany lately. since the Germans nav,
taken TO delivering incendiary shells
upon Arras. There were only two old
hand fire pumps IN the Town Hall after
the steam engine had been smashed to
pieces ny shell These were nut into
such ordcr as was possible. and twelve
ancient tiromen took the places OF tho