Semi-weekly herald., 1915-11-01
WHAT THE RUSSIANS
DESTROYED AT KOWNO
b Carl X. Alderman.

Courier to Berlin, Mail to New York;
Back of the Russian retreat there
is said to be nearly 100000 refugees.
| got glimpse of what terrible
event retreat is, at the railroad sta
tion last night and in the city to-
day.
For while the Russian retreat was
so rapid that the fleeing civilians
could not keep up, and these-es-
pecially the Jews--are returning to
their empty houses.
Kowno must have been evacuated
suddenly and in panic. The stores
are in the mast dilapidated condition
and the store keepers and their FAM
lilies who have returned, stand about
in their empty, deserted, destroyed
shells, broken hearted.
When we arrived at the station a
freight train came in bearing wound
ed Germans from the firing line. In
several of the box cars were return
ing refugees. Bare footed women
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and vari-colored shawls drawn tight
ly about them-frightened and cold.
The things they brought with them
added another unbelievable aspect to
the general destitution. saw n wo-
man with barely enough clothes to
cover her body bringing back sew
ing machine. A boy and his father
carried sack of possessions and
white kitten.
In the city there remain the pitiful
old women and men who could not
undergo the hardships of miles and
miles of travelling by foot. They had
TO stay during the bombardment of
the town, while the shells flew thick
as black birds down the streets and
over the city. No cellars or bomb
proof trenches hid them Their suf-
ferings must have been terrible.
Today they are trekking about the
city. barefooted and leaning on old.
old hand made canes. Sunday they
were in the churches, crawling about
the altars for hours, silently repeat
ing prayers and walking up to kiss
the cross of the feet on the gold
statue of Christ.
Some were kneeling or sitting in
he deserted confessionals. have
seen but one Russian priest in Kowno
and there are $4,000 people here.
Along the stone cobbled streets
ramble the peasants wagons--perhaps
a mother and her family lying in
the straw and a giant peasant walk
ing along beside. Further back comes
a family group driving the COW
Everywhere there are German soldiers
and groups of Russian prisoners
marching from one part of the town
to another.
Large auto trucks-in constant
communication with the front-hurry
through the city. Big touring cars
bearing officers are everywhere.
Such is Kowno today-a city form
erly of 10000 inhabitants, exclusive
Of the garrison of forts. To the
visitor, Kowno appears like a South
ern town with but three or four pala-
tial residences and hundreds and hun
dreds Of negro huts.
The buildings, aside from their
wrecked appearance, are poorly con
structed and badly furnished.
The city was damaged in two sec
tions by the bombardment. The fronts
of the houses on some of the streets
bear evidences Of machine gun fire.
The wall Of the church across from
the city hall is splattered with blood
and the heavy iron fence around the
monument is split in some places as
fine as kindling wood. Many large
buildings were destroyed by fire.
Warnings of danger from cholrea
and fever are posted in all public
places and the inhabitants and sol
diers are forbidden to drink unboiled
water or eat fresh fruit.
The sewage system Of Kowno is
bad. Winter has not yet set in and
flies are everywhere. In the hotels
and restaurants which the Germans
have reopened, one eats with one hand
and chases flies with the other.
| Beer, books and cigars follow the
German flag! Beer is brought down
here by boat over the Memel river
and books and newspapers come from
every port. The city is also restocked
with cigars and cigarettes, for the
fleeing Russians didn't leave enough
behind to supply their abandoned sol.
diers.
Meat and wheat are plentiful and