Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-01-06
REFUGE CITIES
IN HOLLAND FOR
THE BELG|ANS
Sell government Prevails I'M
der Supervision Of Burgo-
master Selected by Dutch
Authority.

Harderwljk. Netherlands. Jan. a.
a new Belgian town in Gelderland'
not far from Harderwljk and about
five minutes walk from the pictur-
esque village of Nunspect. has arisen
In the last month. II Is a large town
with many more inhabitants than any
other N the Veluwe, the well wooded
hllly meath land of the province Of
Gelderland
The town IL one Of the cities Of
refuge for the Belgian fugitives thai
are being. or have been constructed W
various parts Of Holland. and this
particular city IL made ready for
population OF 5000. A large tract ~
heather grown soil has been fenced n
with harhcd wire and within this IN
closure has been built a town Of wood
each separated from the others By
long wide stretches Of heather
The wooden sheds have double walls
to exclude cold, and are covered with
plates Of eternite Ga kind Of asbesi-
granite. impervious to the wet). Each
building can shelter $50 persons who
sleep in little rooms designed for five
persons each. The buildings are heat
Cd by huge stoves.
Meals are eaten in great common
dining rooms for 900 persons each,
with long tables and benches along
side.
No separate cooking Is allowed IN
the living and sleeping buildings, and
no smoking, elther--all for fear of
possible fire. The whole town is cleo
tricolly lighted.
lIussars guard its outer approaches
and It Is policed inside by more SOL
diers
If necessary. dlsturbers can be 'in-
termed in the two prison sheds one
for the men-"Caledonia' the other
for the women -- Congo" ~ which |
stand in an inclosure Of harbed wire
In the middle Of the town.
Store Does Business.
There also Is a store where those
few fugltives who still possess a few
savings or those who have some money
given them can buy some little ex-
tras for themselves.
The fugitives at the camp at Olde-
brock are being moved to this new
town,
Another large refuge town. for
0.O00 people is being built at Eide,
also in Gelderland, aud other camps
IRE to he made IN other beautiful To-
,aiities. For Il ha'4 been found alb.
'olutely necessary 10 evacuate the
irst fugitive camps these in North
Brabant zeeland and Lisnburg
The camp near Bersen-opsZoom, |
n Brabant was entirely unsuitable
'or housing people In wet and cold
weather. MANY cases Of illness We're
eported. and the authorities decided /
hat better measures must he taken.
In the camp ness~Flushng several |
,ases Of typhoid occurred, and the |
disease spread to Flushing itself, In |
he drier. healthier air Of Gelderland /,
I is hoped that conditions will be
)etter.
II had been expected that many |
would return to Belgium be- /
ore the winter set IN, especially when !
# first the Germans invited them so |
Urgently. Conditions In Belgium. how |
'ver instead OF improving, have gone |
rom bad to worse. and In the pres
mt stage of war operation, when at /
my moment fighting can be expected |
n various localities in Belgium, it I
would be madness to try to induce
he refugees to return home when,
more likely than not. there is no home
Waiting for them.
The beds" are benches or hunks
few feet from the ground There
re no mattresses. but plenty Of clean
traw and az many wooden blankets
IS each individual requires.
In a kind of way the Belgians In
he refuge towns govern themselves,
Though the burgomaster is appoint
d 10y the Dutch government Under
Tim stand the several parish priests,
sho know their flocks, having fled
With them to Holland. Every day the
makes the rounds Of the
own himself, and any one that wishes
nay speak to him personally.
There are some very tough sub
ects. who in their native land used
o give habitual trouble to the autho-
ities-and they have not changed
heir manners here. But, taken as a
the Belgians' town" can
ompare quite favorably In this re-
,,a.t ,,ttth tfN IAufab paigbhnre