Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-09-20
Vivid Description of First
Zeppelin Attack Over
Heart Of London.
GRAPHIC ACCOUNT
FROM TRAVELLERS
Great Damage Wrought by German
lnvadsrs-Approximatsly Forty Kill
Cd and 200 InJursd-lnesndiary
Bombs Dropped In Hetsi and Thsater
District Cause Destructive Firss-
Raider Driven Away by Air Fleet.


persons from the millions who saw the
first Zeppelin raid over the heart of
London. on the night Of Sept. 8. reached
New York today on the steamer Or
duna, with thrilling stories Of the raid.
and with details Of the damage in
flicted which had hitherto been sup
pressed by tho British censor.
There were said to be three Zeppelins
in the fleet, altho those who told the
story today had seen but one. They
circled about the theater and hotel dis
trict, dropping incendiary bombs. A
bomb destroyed half block Of ware
houses within five minutes walk of ST.
Paul's church. An explosive bomb
ripped thru six story tenement build
Ing. killing q dozen or more men.
women and children as they slept.
Bombs fell near three hospitals in q
cluster, the central one Of which was
the opthalmic hospital. filled with
wounded soldiers. The patients had to
be moved into the street where they
lay for hours on their cots while the
damage was repaired.
Composite 9kesy Of Eye. Witnesses.
Pieced together from tho accounts
the story Of the air raid was as fol-
lows:
THE raid occurred between 10:45
and 11:15 o'clock on the night of Sept.
8. Persons asleep in the Metropole
the Victoria and other hotels In the
center Of tne city were awakened by
the incessant whirr Of aeroplane en-
zines. - thS British air fleet took wing
10 repol the invaders.
lust ~ the Zeppelins appeared over
the Strand most Of the theaters were
pouring their crowds into the streets.
There a panic impended when the first
word of tho approaching air craft was
nassed from mouth to mouth in whis-
pers. The lights were extinguished and
the men and women. in evening clothes,
fought for places in taxicabs.
SearehIinhts Locate Raider.
Suddenly from every section Of
London the sky was swept by long
white beams from scores Of search
lights. The tops of these beams were
not long in resting on what they sought.
When the Zeppelin was found dozen
or more searchiights focused their rays
upon 1t, stretching back to scattered
points in the city, like the long white
{ ribs OF q fancy ian.
1.-TWO searchlights centered on
Zeppelin while the others continued to
search the sky tor more aircraft. AL
ready the sky wss dotted with aero
planes. A roar Oh guns fzo11i .:c city
vas punctuated at intervals by the
explosions Of bombs which fell in New
gate street, not far from ST. PauIs
cathedral, in Holborn. in Cheapside, IN
Bloomfield street, not far from Liver
pool street station, and near the water
'ront Of the Thames river In th;s. sec
ton of the city IN which st. Paurs is
located"
Like a Great Fat Sausage.
"The Zeppelins seemed to float laZily
above u.s." said Miss S. a. latham. Of
Sydney. Australia, who was staying at
the Victoria hotel in Charing Cross
.It reminded me Of nohing so much
as q great fat sausage"
"My wife and watched the Zeppelin
from the balcony of our hotel, the
Meteropole," (Which is near the Ma
tional Gallery and the S.rand). said
Alexander McNab. of Bridgeport.
Conn. ut went directly over the hotel
and dropped bombs around u.s."
There was hardly a space Of five
seconds during the ten minutes or more
that the searchlight beams rested on
tie raider, that the sky was not lighted
by flashes Of exploding shell.
Those who fled at first to cellars
gained courage and came out to the
street. They were in almost every
stage Of undress, and thousands Of
men. women and children walked the
streets, or stood in groups gazing up
ward dressed only in their night
clothes.
Defense Workmanship Effective.
Tho blazing shells shattered into
sudden fire all around the Zeppelin.
Tho dots Of flame seemed to be finding
heir target. Meanwhile the Zeppelin
noyered over the Holburn station Of
London, circling It at least twice.
These maneuvers ended when shell
burst almost directly under the air
crafts bow. For moment she ap-
peared to be listing at the head, but
then recovered. ascended so rapidly
that soon the searchlights could find
her no moro. There were no bomb ex-
plosions theresfter.
London went to bed that night with
hot wrath but not in fear, these pas
senRers said. The next day they went
out to see what damage had been done.
Having noticed that the sky near St.
PauTs had been tinted red as IL by the
glow Of great fire they went In that
direction first.
Entire City Block in Ruins.
Recruiting stations which had. been
empty the day before, this morning
held long lines Of men eager to join
s the army. Back of the cathedral where
there are many warehouses near the