The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1915-04-30
EAST PRUSSIA
LAID IN WASTE
Toll Of Russian Invasion Goes Into
Millions.

Millions.
Koenigsberg, East Prussia, April
Thousands of persons homeless,
thousands of buildings burned to the
ground and hundreds of thousands,
I IL not millions, of dollars worth of
damage done such is the toll of the
Russian invasions of East Prussia,
which eliminated recently in raid
on the little city of Memel in the
northernmost corner of the province.
Hard on the heels of the most re-
cent invaders an Associated Press
correspondent toured Prussia, or
that part Of it which at one time
or other had been held by the Rus
slams, and had an opportunity to see
the effects of their forward march
and of their retreat as they were
driven back into their own country.
From the German-Russian border,
which is fifteen miles to the north
3 ward of Memel, to Bialla, which is
far to the south, and for miles in
ward from the curving boundary
line there now lies in place of one-
time prosperous agricultural section
an almost desolate waste, punctu-
ated here and there with half-ruined
communities.
Less than seventy-two hours after
the Russianshad wrecked the town
of Memel; only to leave it-and III
of their number dead-when Ger
man re-enforcements arrived, the
Associated Press correspondent
reached the isolated community to
find it veritable City of Fear, only
partly heartened by the presence of
strong military forces.
Along every road within miles of
Memel were hundreds of wagons full
of fugitives, hurrying with what
they had been able to save from
their homes before the invaders,
crushing into the large centers of
population to the south and the
westward. Their numbers were adj
ded to the thousands who earlier
had fed in similar fashion and are
now quartered all over Germany,
until the time may be ripe for them
to go back to the ruins of their |
homes.
100000 FUGITIVES.
Along a line of $50 miles as the
crow flies, and for a distance vary
ing from five to fifty miles inward
from the Russian border, there now
remains only succession of ruins.
After painstaking efforts the Prus-
sian authorities have been able to
estimate the number of fugitives
driven out about 100000, the num-
Der of horses taken at 100000, the
number of cattle at 10000. The
extent of the pfa9erty damage, how
ever, it is as yet impossible even to
guess. That it will run into the
millions is altogether likely.
These same authorities appear to
have proceeded with conservatism.
Wild tales of atrocities, which can
be heard on every hand. have been
discounted from first to last and in
many cases have been proved to be
the products of excited imagination.
Careful investigation, nevertheless,
has established beyond much doubt,
according to German statements,
that thousands Of women and chill
dren have been carried off to Russia,
and that in addition to the maraud-
ing that is patent to the casual
glance, civilians have been killed
and outraged.
UNLIKE BELGIUM.
Bleak Eastern East Prussia to-
day presents, not the appearance Of
Belgium, with its shell-ruined
towns, but succession of devas-
lated towns, all but devoid of in
habitants. The extent of the dam
age varies only in degree-from
Schirwtndt, the City OF the Dead, to
Mcneil the City of Fear.
The tour of East Prussia began at
which has felt the Rus
sian invasion virtually not at all,
and extended to Gumbinnen, which
Is ringed about with battlefields
where in the fall the Russian inva-
ZION was combatted desperately. The
own has suffered, but negligibly in
with those nearer the
border.
Through a waste of the partly
'uined villages the way led to Tilsit,
me held by the Russians under
Grand Duke Nicholas, the Russian
ommander-in-chief. Even the most
bitter anti-Russian, however, admits
hat the troops which first came
we're soldiers, not marauders, and
behaved themselves.
The invasion of Memel had in
ooe& eto hofa~o ,,n-II