The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1915-10-30
Lincoln County Boy
In British War Zone
(ELMER 3. EDWARDS)

\@S"Gn % GCVHn0oJ
LONDON. Eng, s-If as little
reliance can be placed on newspaper
articles from England, as in those
emlnating from Berlin, Petrograd. vi
emma and other European Cities. the
people of the world are probably
quite as far from the knowledge of
the facts regarding the effects of
the war in London, and England as
whole, as they are in doubt con-
cernlng. conditions at Constantinople
Less than week after the great
aerial raid of September 9Th, on Lon
don a--d vicinity, | had occasion to
spend few days in the worlds me-
ropolls, and while there was able
to See ant l%o~l little for myself.
Undoubtedly all have heard that
during me past ten months London
mas been city of darkness; and
In race OF the most recent lighting
orders the object OF producing dark
ness has been fully attained.
Anyone who gropes about after
nlghtfall in the streets of the meA
ropoltan area might think that the
ninth plague of Egypt had come over
the land. Some say that il the pres
ent system continues unmodified the
actual loss of life caused through
street accidents, will exceed the po-
tentlal loss through Zeppelin bombs.
me idea of having the edges of
the side walks whitewashed, so as
to enable people in their immediate
vicinity to see them, has been sug-
gested by the press
Before going RI NV room A. ei,o+
alght in the city, the gentleman In
tharge OF the house where l was stay
ing instructed me not to light my
amp until the heavy window shades
lad been fully drawn and further
that no more light than Is necessa-
'ry Is to be made. He assured me
that II either of these rules were
unobseryed the police would soon
De upon our heels. All street lights
are heavily shaded and the glass is
painted black and red so that the
little glimmer which is made can
aot get out The electric bulbs In
sde the street cars are few in num-
ger; they are shaded and only light
ed about half the time. The conduct
or is continually waiting for the
flash to come SO that he can see to
give change or ticket. Inside the
1neaters HE goes on quite as usual
out from outside appearance one
might easily mistake the building for
a factory closed for the night.
The absence Of light is by no
means the only defense London has
against anti-aircraft. Bags of sand
and wire nettings, which can be
seen from the ground, are on and ov-
er parts of themost important build
ings-among which are the Bank of
England, Buckingham palace and the
British museum.
Evrey night while in the city, in
fact, almost every time l was out
SIDE after dark, l saw streams of
pght spanning the heavens, in search
OF Ieppelins. l would naturally have
expected to find search lights and
lnt-alrcraft guns out In some se-
;luded Or out of the. way places, so
was cutie surprised when l ran up
race 70 face with one of the latter
In the center of ST. James Park, on
about five minutes walk from le
buckingham palace. At the time /
vas in company with an officer IN
The kings army and he briefly ex-
plalned to me tha' the way these
guns are sat up with" He in
formed me that he kneww of some
guns in Hyde Park and pointed out
some saarchlights that were mounted
IN the arch which spans the park
entrance.
On Friday evening, September 18th,
It 10 O'Clock, while walking on a
promenade between Leicester Square
Ind Picadilly Circus l was surprised
and just littlN excited when | saw
motor truck,on which was mount.
d gun, stop not more than twenty
yards from where l was standing
There was a little clicking of mach
merry and then we saw that the gun
was trained for the heavens. Lights
were prepared, telescopes focused
and all looked for something in
te1estlng and even more exciting.
However, We were destined to dis
apo ntment for after the heavens
had been scanned for about five
minutes, way was cleared and the
car moved away as silently as it
came. Half an hour later SINH
lar car went buzzing through Plea
dilly. Next morning the papers gave
lis the news that Zeppellins were ov-
er the Nor b Sea last night and
that London had prepared warm
reception fer them. But they did
not arrive.
Practically everyone in the city
had The opportunity of seeing Zep-
ellin on the night of September Sth.
The lights from four powerful
seachlights were focused on It at
the same time and the spectacle caus
ed by it's dropping inscendiary bombs
and the bursting of high explosive
shells fired from anti-aircraft guns
was to some certainly terrifying
and to others awe inspiring. Many
and varied reports have gone into
circulation regarding the loss of life
and the destruction of property caus-
ed by that nights raid. The official
report given out by the censors stat
ed that twenty-six lives were lost
and eighty people injured. The dam
age caused to property was report
ed as insignificant. According to