The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-01-29

form nearly the entire boundary Of
Hungary, east and north Of the Dan
nbe, line OF about 500 miles in|
length. The hollow Of this arc. asI
we'll as its most favorable approach,
lies toward Hungary. Troops press
ing forward along this whole convex
mountain sweep, are facing, the least
favorable passes, and are operating
with the least shelter from the bit
ing winter.
Shut Out Winds.
Besides having served the people
who have lived in the Hungarian plain
long and faithfully as q first line de-
tense against the wrath OF their
netghbors in the north and east, the
Carpathians have been Just as par.
tsan for the southern plain in times
OF peace. They shut out the sting
ing bleak winds which snap across
the steppe wastes direct from the
frostiest ice fields of the north. While
the Carpathian range is OF low aver
age height and has no great peaks. its
walls, nevertheless, are lofty enough
to catch the Russian ice winds and
billiards, and to defect them away
from Hungary. Again, in summer,
the warm southern breezes are caught
and broken on the Hungarian hill
sides, which thus prevent them from
reaching Galicia.
1.-The Carpathians are the eastern
wing OF the great central mountain
system OF Europe, and, likely, one OF
It's partsSpf most historic Importance
They are steep and craggy in their
northern exposures, while toward the
south they fall away in lesser noun
tain groups and broken, sloping plat
eaus. With the exception OF parts of
the eastern ramific atfons, which be-
long to Roumania, this range lies
wholly within Austro Hungarian ter-
r1tory. Its total area is $4,000 square
miles.
The Carpathians attain the great
est height In the Hohe Tatra group.
near the center OF the range and lust
east and south OF Cracow, the chief
city OF Austrian ,Galicia. The system
also has its greatest width here.
Throughout the chain the passes over
the mountains vary from I to gao
miles. The heights of the peaks in
the Hohe Tatra group are 5000 feet
and more. Gerlsdorfer peak. the
highest one in the entire system.
reaches S,737 feet above the sea lev.
ell Thus. the Carpathian range has
no mountain formations to compare
with the more majestic Alpine groups
or with those Of our own Rockies.
There are innumerable peaks through
this Hungarian line Of defense, how
ever, which vary from 5000 to 1000
feet in height, and these walls, to-
gether with the involved characters
of most OF the passes, have made the
Carpathians a very effective bArrier
against northern invaders.
Rich In Metallic Ores.
These mountains separate Hungary
beginning on the west, from the Aus
TRAN provinces OF Moravia, Sflesia, Ga
licia, Bukowina, Moldavia and the
kingdom OF Roumania. Some OF the
most miserably poor white people in
the world live along this range and
upon its forest covered sides. They
are mostly Slavs, Polish Slavs upon
the bleak, more abrupt northern ex-
posures, while the dwellers Of SLOW
akland. people almost become sub
ject to the Magyar, live upon the
southern mountains
THE Carpathian mountains are
richer in metallic ores than any other
mountain groups in Europe. Large
quantities of gold, silver, copper, iron
lead, coal, petroleum, salt, zinc and
other minerals are mined there, any
many of the wilder parts Of the sys-
tenn have not yet been thoroughly
prospected. There are a number OF
thermal and mineral springs in the
mountains which are we'll known as
health resorts.
Among the higher conyolutions OF
the Carpathians. great number Of
beautiful lakes have been discovered,
which the Hungarians have named
the eyes Of the sea- The irregularity
Of cliff and gorge, and the beauty
OF these deep highland lakes, are the
chief scenery advantages OF the Car
pathians. There are no glaciers. no
patches of perennial snow in the sys-
tenn. However, many OF the higher
peaks are great ugly masses o. bald
rock and rock erosion