The Oskaloosa herald., 1915-03-25
zEPPEL|NS DROP
BOMBS ON PARIS
Eight Persons Are Injured by
Explosives.
MATERIAL DAMAGE SMALL
Berlin Declares Airship Raid Was In
Revenge for Bombardment Of
AIsatian clty-lnVaders At
tackled by AViators.
BY c. r. BERTELLI.


International News Service Correspondent.
Paris, March 22.-The first Zeppe'
lin raid on Paris was carried out early
Sunday. Four bombs were dropped in
the city and Is in the suburbs. Seven
or eight persons were injured, one Sc
riously, but none fatally. The mate
rial damage was slight.
Take Raid JocularIy.
The raiders were driven off by
French aeroplane patrols and the fire
OF antlairship guns. One of the raid
ers appeared to have been hit.
In their retreat the raiders dropped
bombs on Compeigne, Bibeoourt and
Dreslincourt. Some were explosive
and some of incendiary character. No
damage was suffered at these places.
Probably the most remarkable feature
OF the raid was the department of the
population.
Warned OF the coming of the Yep
pelins, men and women clad In night
attire fiocked in gay and jocUlar pro-
cessions from their sleeping apart
ments to the streets, or in the case
Of the more discreet, to the cellars OF
their homes. The discipline OF the
city's residents was marvellous. There
was complete absence Of panic.
City In Darkness.
When the Zeppelins approached
whistles were blown and the sleeping
residents aroused, all lights were ex'
tinguished and when the raiders ar
rived over the city the capital was
completely obscured.
1t was beautiful starlit night
There was a light westerly breeze
blowing. The approach of the raiders
was signaled from at least twenty
places.
Half a dozen aeroplanes were wheel
ing upward to beat them off and high
angle guns we're blazing from several
different points.
One OF the airships was silhouetted
In the starry sky by the aeroplanes
searchlights, whose binding rays
dogged it's course until it flew out o
range beyond the capital.
Save Monuments.
At height of 1000 feet this dirigi
BILE seemed so small that the opinion
was expressed it was not a Zeppelin
but a smaller type of airship. The
shells aimed at 1t all exploded too
low, but, considering the enormous
difficulty of fixing the height a
which the airship was Coursing. thu
Are was very good and served it'
purpose Of preventing the raiders from
descending to an altitude from which
1t could fulfill its military mission.
It was the rapid appearance Of al
aeroplane squadron, each machine
flashing small, but powerful
searchlight-that prevented the raid
ers from attacking the center OF thu
city, with its historic monuments.
II is curious fact that, despite tn
thunder of the guns and the crash
Ing explosions of the bombs punctu
ating the roar of the engines OF tn
battling craft, the vast majority o
the inhabitants of the southern sec
ton OF the capital slept on undis
turbed.
Many sleep Peacefully.
II was in the northern and east
ern central districts where the alarr
was greatest, though even here
where the danger from the bomb
was either present or imminent,
failed to find trace of panic.
In the course of an automobil
tour OF these districts, which I mad
while the Zeppelins were still ms
ueuvering within view, l found a
the upper stories of the apartment
houses had been evacuated by order
of the police, and that the peopl
generally had taken refuge in tn
cellars or in the janitors' quarters.
Everywhere the department Of tn
people was remarkable. The "qr
vive" lasted for three hours. the b,
giles rallying the people to bed agai
shortly after four o'clock. The daI
ger was over.
Raid Was for Revenge.
Berlin, March 22.-The war oftic
gave out the following official stat
ment on the bombardment OF Paris b
Zeppelins:
ITO render more impressive our r
ply to the misdeeds of two French av
ators in attacking the open Alsatia
town of Schlettstadt, German airshiI
dropped several heavy bombs on tn
fortress OF Paris and on the railroa
junction at Compiegne."
DESTROYED MANY VILLAGE