The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-06-10

The German trenches run roughly in a parallel direction to those of the French, but at points the distance between the two is 200 or 300 yards, while at others it is about 40 to 50 yards At the point where the two come closest together there has been constructed a sapping trench, just large enough for a man to crawl through hands and knees, that runs directly toward the French lines.
 With ones ear against the clay at the extreme end of this trench one can hear the French moving about and talking. The trench serves the purpose of guarding against any at tempt by the French to dig toward the Germans and explode a, mine. The least effort to dig a, counter trench would be detected instantly.
 The German trenches run up to a. high plateau, which has been made into a steel, bomb and bullet-proof ly called the Eiffel Tower. This height, from which observations must be made with caution if one values his skin, commands the entire field between the two trenches, as well as the road. Machine guns can be mounted instantly so as to deliver a flank fire in case of sudden att tack.
 In a little clump of trees on the French side is an old chateau now used by them as a staff headquarters. A similar chateau behind the Ger man lines is used by them for the same purposes. Though the artfl- lery forces on both sides know the exact locations of the buildings, neither is destroyed by a sort of mutual consent, because there would be no military or strategica1 purpose accomplish
 Half a mile away stands a huge brick chimney that once was a part of a, manufacturing plant. It has been bored through by German shells half a. dozen times, but still stands, and is used by the French for an ar ti11ery observation point On the day of the Associated Press correspond ent's journey through the trenches there floated from the tower a. Ger man f4ag-stoIen during the night by the French and raised as a, sort of mocking challenge to the Germans. The latter promised that they would soon get it back.
 Included in the comforts of home that are a part of the trenches is a bathing establishment g. little to the rear of the front with real bath tubs that are filled with heated spring water. The men, who customar1ly serve some days in front and then -go off duty for a like time, thus get a chance to bathe at least once in the week-oftener if the spirit moves While they are TSSuuS.
 The arrangements for comfort and safety that are in the front line trenches are practically duplicated in parallel and corresponding second and third line ditches into which the man can fall back if it is necessary. If the opponents can succeed in getting past the wire entanglements 1 and into the front trench, all that the Bavarians have to do is to fall back into the second, exploding and choking up the connecting runways as they go. Innumerab1e deadfalls at the bottom of which are entang1e- ments of barbed wire further block the progress ofN the French. :. | Every shelter, both in and out of | the trenches, is equipped with g. dou- b1e exit, so that in case one is caved in by artillery fire the occupant of the little house will not be trapped and lost. Similarly, every trench has numerous exits so that the cutting off 1 of one will not be fatal to any large | number of soldiers