Norwich bulletin., 1916-01-03
Stories of the War
Deserted But For ssldIsrs.

Were it not for the soldiery. Bel grade would make the impression of a deserted city. An Associated Press correspondent, the first American per- nnitted to visit the city after its cap- ture, was surprised to learn that nearly or quite one-fifth of the inhab- itants are still here. Belgrade had nearly 100000 inhabitants before the war, and there are now some 10000 left. As result, the better sections of the city are really deserted in the full meaning of the word, and the ob- server may wander through the main streets for hours without seeing a score of civilians.
 In comparison with many cities in East Prussia, Poland and Belgium. Belgrade did not suffer greatly from the two bon1bardments which it un- derwent Little damage was done in the main business section. Here and there shell damaged a building more or less-none was totally destroyed and few houses bear the marks of exploding shrapnel shells. Consider able damage was done to factory buildings along the bank of the Save.
 The chief destruction is confined to that part of the city south of the for tress. This section. comprising from one fifth to one fourth of the entire city, is all but utterly destroyed fierce street battle ragged here for two days, following the landing of the Hungarians below the citadel. The Austro- Hungarian artillery at first dropped great number of so.5 centi- meter shells into this section to make it impossible for the defenders to hold their ground. On the second day a report came that [ Serbian division from Obrenovac. about 25 miles west of Belgrade, was marching to the sup port of the troops in the city. There- upn the Austro-Hungarian batteries laid their fire further back to curtain off the approaching endorsements.
 The destruction thus wrought was most thorough. Tn the whole section under fire there is hardly single building which was not hit fairly at least once and most of the very few thus undamaged were crushed by the terrible air wave resulting from the explosion of the shell from the thirty pofnt-ffve." One of these great pro- jectiles penetrated four floors and the roof of a building before exploding. At some points etench betrays bodies stin under the ruins.
 Most of the damage done in the principal part of the city dates from year or more ago, and is mainly the result of shots fired in answer to oc- casional shots from the Serbian bat terfes. The damage to the old and new KonaIs, the K.ng's palaces, dates from then. No shots fell in this dis- trict during the last bombardment One large shell has fallen into the ballroom of the old Konah, but the destruction Is not so great as one would expect. A small shell has made a hole into the new Konah, and shrap- mel has marked 1t somewhat
 Two trolley lines are in operation in the city, directed and manned by the military. The two drugstofee still open are under military direction with soldier apothecaries in charge Two or three moving picture shows are also being run by the military au- thorities. The proceeds of the drug stores and shows are divided into equal parts, one of which Is kept fof the owner, for the event that he ever returns to claim 1t, and the other hali Is devoted to taking care of the pooi of the city.
 About 1000 Serbians receive a daily ration from the military authorities
 Another 4,e00 are employed on various public works, such as paving, street cleaning, etc. It is declared that the city is cleaner than it has ever been before.