New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-10

acle-Worklng German pioneers follow
ing In the wake Of The storming JacCers
constructed corduroy road under fire
up the Steep slope Of the hill, so that
food, ammunition, heavy howitzers,
American correspondents and other
necesSaries OF life and death could be
eNpeciuously got to the top.
The Germans are consistently syste-
matte about everything, even Ameri-
cans. The a. O. X. Army Over Com
mand) had telephoned ahead that one
was coming. and. sure enough, at the
foot of the corduroy road stood the
adJutant Of the Jaeger battalion, fine
fellow, detailed TO act as a guide, phil
oSOpher and friend; also a cyclist COM
pany, which Sprsng 10 attention and
presented wheels, eyes right, while the
reportorial procession was passing.
Dodging Franz Peng."
The German pioneers had thought
fully set up 2 screen Of Christmas
trees along the exposed lcft-hand side
Of the road, and, peering through them,
YOU could just make out the French
trenches running parallel, a faint
streak on the ground a thousand yards
away. You were gently advised not TO
peer. but 10 "move on" and even &C
celerate your pace to a dog trot when
passing the thin spots in the screen;
otherwise Franz Peng will get you If
you don't look out" said the cheerful
guide" Franz Peng" being their nick
name for the French rife bullet, be-
cause that's the way il sounds.
Your correspondents impression
gathered at his debut in the battle. of
the Aisne that "war is mud" at least
at this season of the year, was fully
4 h. %
duroy road; on the other hand, the
high, grassy embankment to the right
seemed 10 offer an attractive dry
promenade till the cheerful Jaeger ad
jutant pointed out that a pedestrian
up there would no longer be screened
by the Christmas trees, and that French
sharpshooters couldn't tell a neutral at
a thousand PAGES, though they could hit
one. clinching his argument with the
proposition that. other things being
equal, IL was better to be three
inches in mud than six feet under IT,
The Tribune correspondent ears
were at last gratified by the cheerful
crackle Of rife fire and machine guns
going off like punches Of firecrackers,
with an occasional bass note supplied
by the big guns, until his military
escort remarked offhand: "lf you sec a
she'll coming your way, the thing TO do
is to throw yourself fiat on the ground"
Nawning holes all along the side OF theN
road showed that it had been a favorite
target with the French artillerists in
the immediate past, and the thought
that at any moment you might find 1T
desirable TO wallow face down in the
sloppy red mud of France to the great
detriment of your black brOadcloth
overcoat with imitation Persian lamb
collar gave a certain sporting interest
10 the walk. Fortunately, the hard
shelled village on the crest of the hill
was reached without having TO seek
cover in the mud.
Stone Saints Nose Gone.
The village was fascinating pict-
ure. Every house had been hit by
French shells; there wasn't rainproof
roof in the place. The front Of one
house had been neatly shaved away
without. mussing up the bedroom up
stairs. which was just as the inmates
had left il. The small, gray stone
church was now a medieval ruin. Half
Of its square tower was still standing.
the other half was the rubbish heap
that blocked the church entrance.
The casualties included one stone
saint whose nose had been shot away.
A medallion of the Virgin and Child
miraculously escaped, while the rest Of
the wall was pockmarked by shrapnel
and she'll splinters.
Interesting. too, were the trails Of
the freak shots. In one house shell
had flown in through the front door,
passed through two walls Of the room
in which a lieutenant was sleeping, and
killed the battalion COW quartered next
TO the officer
The gaps between the houses at the
edge Of the village, facing the French
trenches. had been closed with screens
made Of piled-up tables, mattresses, I
chairs and window shutters, so that the
French wouldn't be able TO look into |
town. "'Franz Peng' caused US a lot
of trouble here" the guide remarked
once. explaining that the French had |
posted a picked sharpshooter some
where who specialized on this particu- .
lar spot, picking off the German sol
diers whenever they crossed 1t, until /
the screen was put up.
A cellar door opening under a heap /
Of stone and mortar that was once the /
house bore the interesting chalk IN /
scription, "Studio of Herr c. Bendort.'
Your correspondent learned that the
SAXON war painter had lived there for
three weeks under shell fire, gathering
local color and making water color
sketches for war paintings.
From the cellar of another mouse a /
sheet iron stOvepipe projecting INTO the
street at a rakish angle caused lnvestl-
cation. The mystery was explained Dy
Inc chalked inscription on the dooi' !
reading. Bathing Establishment ior
officers" Hot baths, II was learned
we're to be had here at all hours OF 'he
day and night.
Renamed the Streets.
The Jaegers had also recnustened
the streets of the village and put up
neat pine board signs reading 'CounI-
ess Elizabeth street "FrledrIch +
Erorz street" Kaiser Wilhelm
street" etc. while, methodicsl IN /
eyervthing. they had placed bulletin
hoard on the walls OF the Marie
80, DG the latest official news bulletins f.
were posted. a. .;-, Of
Grim humor lurked in the sign o.
,,e' Auto Touring Club Of France las
tened 10 the wall Of corner houSe'
rcsding Attention: Descent Danger
ous," for the steep downhlli ROAD leu /
IN followed straight into the neaIoy
French lines. The Germans hau nos,,
efectually barrieaded the GShgeIoHtsl
road al Inc edge Of the village WIN I
bonsebold goods. barbed wire and sand
bogs. while sharpshooting Jaegers
hacked ND the Touring Club Of France I
warning day and night r-,.,,.o
In one Of the streets the Tribune .
coircsnondent noticed cannon stand 4
ing on the sidewalk, with its nose nose
poked into the front Of the house. IN. .
euiry showed that it was the cleyer,est
kind of cover" the gun shooting
clean through the ground floor OF ,ne .