Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-08-20
CITIES OF PRESENT INTEREST
Something About Some Places Where
Great War is Raging.

STCdS war 10 ndSinSs
The worlds war-interest is now
held by the German-Russian cam
paign and more particularly this in
terest Is conferred upon the Russian
fortress of Brest Litovsk, the point
ed'appui on the Bug, one of the
strongest fortresses in Europe, the
central point in the Muscovite's Euro
pean defense and ~offense, and one OF
the most important depots for, and
distributing points of military sup
plies near the western frontiers. Brest
Litovsk rated by military critics as a
much more important strategic point
than Warsaw, around which, &C
cording to recent dispatches, the
armies Of Russia are to be re-grouped
for the defense Of the empire, is des-
cribed in a geographical sketch issued
today by the National Geographic
society:
"Brest Litovsk, a powerfully forti-
fled Russian stronghold, is one Of the
oldest important fortresses in north
ern Europe, and it's history has been
a changeful and stirring one 1t is
first mentioned on the occasion of its
capture by Boleslav the Brave, of
Poland. in 1920. Next, Cashmir the
Just, Of Poland, built a tight castle
here, in country where the outposts
Of several nations met. Princes of
Galicia, Volhynia. Lithuania, grand
masters Of the Teutonic Knights,
Tartar chieftans and kings Of Po-
lane held and stormed the city and
ravaged the region around.
"Tartars swept over the place like
a plague in 1241, moving most Of the
town into its muddy river. The
Teutonic Knights devastated its
suburbs in 1897, and Mengly Ghyrey,
Khan Of the Crimea, burned the city
with conscientious attention t de-
tail, his visitation coming in the
latter part of the 18th century. Pol
ish diets were held here. 1t was out
of the deliberations of a council of
bishops from Western Russia, held
at Brest in 1894, that the Uniat rate
was born. The Swedes gave the city
it's last thorough %pillaging in 1706,
At the second partition of Poland, it
was incorporated in Russia, and patti
ence, technique, and money have
been lavished upon it by the great
norfharp anpira m moka it &C poar
impregnable as possible.
"Brest Litovsk is situated at the
junction of the navigable rivers, Bug
and Mukhovests, and at the point OF
confluence stands the city fortress. 1t
lies upon the right bank Of the Bug,
are sharply cut where the river
turns from north to northeast. Rail-
way from Odessa. View, Moscow
Warsaw, Wilma and East Prussia in
tersect here. Further, it lies upon
the inland waterway from the Baltic
to the Black Sea, the course Of which
is connected up by canal behind
Brest, between the upper Mukhovets
river and the Pripet river. Thus, the
city is served by a we'll nigh perfect
system Of communications, reaching
to the north, the east, the south, and
to points in the interior between, and
expanding again from Brest toward
the northwest, the west and the
southwest.
"Brest lies in the government OF
Grodno. 131 miles south of the city
Of Grodno. 1t has a population OF
about $4,000 more than half of which
is Jewish. The synagogue at Brest
during the 10th century was regarded
as the first in Europe. Probabl!
due to its large Jewish population
Brest Litovsk has never developed al
industry, but rather n thriving com
merce. Grains, hides, soap. whea
and timber are the staples Of it
trade. The lumber in which it deal
was 1oated in great RATS down t,
DANGLING before the war. Flax an'
hemp are extensively grown in tn
country around. and, also. form i'm
portant articles Of its trade.
The older Notifications lie abOu
one mile east Of Brest and have
circumference of 4 miles. The feel
works have been kept up to date, an,
everything possible has been done b
Russia to make them uncOnquerabl'
Brest Litovsk is regarded in Russia a
L 49, Ft .~1.l ,@,n
hold in the empire"