The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-06
WARSAW WAS CUT
 OFF FROM WORLD
 BEFORE SURRENDER
Even Post Boxes Removed by Russians as They Pre- pared to Evacuate Be-
 fore the Germans

Warsaw. Poland. August 2--oB, Messenger to Petrograd. August .. 1,at 1 ?. m., via London, 5i45 D. m.)-Warsaw W for 10 days hns been without mall con the exodus of the postal authorities even the post boxes were removed.
 The vice governor general of War saw took prompt measures to organ. ize a voluntary postoffice force and to resume operations at Praga, a sub urb across the vistula Since satur- day this staff has been woling. Eighty young women, lately employed in the Red Cross hospital service. volunteered as sorters and distributors. A volun- teer corps of 400 young Polish men assumed the duties of postal clerks
 Removal of the state bank and pri- vate banks left the city without means of carrying on trade. An appeal had been made to the minister of trade and commerce to permit the re-estab- usnment of money order station and efforts were made to obtain the re- turn and reopening of department of the state bank for limited operations.
 The chief of police and his staff left the city 10 days ago, together with all the courts and justices of the peace. The management of the Russian state theatres also departed
 All railway equipment of both gauges was removed from the west bank of the vistula as were all the ma chinery shops.
 Hospitals Removed
 Russian military hospitals were re- moved with their staffs and equip ment. The Polish municipal and pri- vate hospitals are carrying the bur cen of caring for the wounded from the nearby battle line. The staffs are working under the highest pressure.
 The chief civil authority now are the citizens central committed who has assumed Jurisdiction over the en- tire district, and the central commit tee of Warsaw with mmediate control In the city
 All provisions are up to 150 per cent Sugar, tea, coffee, butter and milk virtually out of the market. Wheat bread Is difficult to procure.
 Russian orthodox priests have deter lifhou to btiCh to tnelT post untll aC- tunlly forced to leave to avoid cap ture.
 Yesterday an Austrian scouting party was reported by telephone to nave reached the suburb of Mokotof It developed that during the battle along the Blonie line a detachment of Austrians had lost their way and had wandered toward Warsaw Realizing their position the Austrians wanted to surrender
 Austrians Captured
 Not finding any Russians along the route. they arrived at Martzlinga. a town seven miles west of Warsaw. where they entered a roadhouse and modified the nearest post While wait ing the Austrians ordered dinner and were later conveyed to Warsaw by Russian troopers.
 A peasant who escaped from the Ger man lines 10 days ago at the village of Krilatka, declares the Germans took 5000 Russians from single commun- ity and forced them to dig trenches. The Russians. he said, were allowed daily one meal of soup and horse meat and wer" sleeping on the bare ground. Numberr. he declared. were dying of exhaustion.
 German aeroplanes nearly every day drop bombs on Warsaw. Thirty per- sons. mostly women and children. were killed or wounded last week.