Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-01-14
FRENCH DEBARK
AT KRNOLAK
Serbian Village Is in Constant
Danger of Shell Fire
From Bulgars

krivolak, Serbia Jan. (corre-
spondence of the Associated Press) -
Krivolak is the debarkation point of
the French armies in the field in the
Balkan campaign. AS village it is
small and unclean, with more the
character of a Turkish or Bulgarian
than a Serbian town. There are no
accommodations for anybody. The
railway station, with its chimney
knocked down Dy Bulgarian shell. is
the most imposing building. To the
east is the Nardar, still swollen with
rains, shifting, uncertain, narrow, deep.
To the north, where the Vardar bends
in westerly direction, is what the
French call the English bridge"-a
pontoon structure, for the building of
which the British army lent the men
and the materials. To the southeast
is hill, commanding as an artillery
position every nook and corner of the
curve of the river. To the north be-
yond the Vardar is the key of the
whole French position-the mountain
of Kara Hodzali.
Strong as the point is naturally
and the French Balkan campaign so
far has almost confined itself to the
tactics of occupying and holding, if
possible, the maximum number of
strong natural positions--it is open to
hostile bombardment from the hills on
the opposite shore of the river. few
moments ago half dozen large caliber
shells fell in the river near the Eng
lish bridge. Just now one has fallen
on the hillside to the southeast of the
station. Constantly the bridge, the
station and the railroad are the mark
of Bulgarian long-range artillery. But
the mark is too distant. The Bulgarian
artillery fire generally is excellent, but
1t lacks the scientific accuracy of the
French, and rs yet the Bulgars have
no aeroplanes to verify their fire as
the French have. So Krivolak remains
unharmed. Shortly the hills to the
east are TO he cleaned of their bat
teries. Then Krivolak will be tranquil.
Long, Slow Journey
The journey from Saloniki to Krivo-
LAX by the single track railroad seems
interminable. Fifteen hours to do
seventy-tive miles. The French COM
plain bitterly that the delay is in the
Greek end of the line. Already French
engineers are double-tracking the rail-
road from thte Greek-Serbian frontier
north.
There are no fixed train lines.
Everything is subserviated to the
transport of troops, munitions, sup
plies. on the return journey it is the
transport of the wounded-of armies
needing repair, of empty rolling stock.
of which there is too little. There is
but one passenger coach on the train,
crowded with officers charged with the
communications of the various armies
engaged-for the telegraph wires are
also uncertain-with sanitary officers,
medical officers, commissary staff and
few civilians, bound for Greek viii
lagos between Saloniki and the from
tier. The station at Saloniki is a mill
tary one. couple of miles from the
town. in the midst of fields Towering
with the tents of the British, finally
beginning to move toward the front
[ The train is long-all freight cars
save the one reserved for the more
distinguished. But almost all of the
freight cars have their human load as
well. The men sleep on straw on the
floor throughout the wearisome jour
ney.
At Strumitsa station a Serbian Off
Ger comes quietly down the corridor
All lights out" he ordered From
here on the railway is within range ot
the enemy. They generally drop a