Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1916-04-17

positions, at a distance Of about 500
meters. Between the two lie a series
of hay piles or stacks, piled up long
before the war.
Because the swamp effectually pre-
vents any attack Of a major nature,
and because the men on both sides
grow restless from inactivity, these
hay piles have come to play an inter-
esting II unimportant position in the
warfare at Pinsk.
Each time that a frosty night stiff
ems up the swamp a bit, both Russian
and German sentries make for the
piles in an effort TO carry OF a little
hay on the one hand. and to take pot
shots at each other on the other
hand. The Russians thus far have the
best of ii so far as the hay is con-
cerned, for the piles are nearer them,
but the Germans claim the record for
patrols wiped out or dispersed.
One OF the lines of defense lies in
Pinsk itself One street is one low
| trench ready for instant occupancy.
and the houses that line the streets are
barricaded with sand bags and earth
| work. The street, as well as the en-
tire town. is constantly patroiled- and
| IL would be only a matter of minutes
| i'm case of an attack before the whole
| section would swarm with men
Though the methods OF defense to
| the south and north OF Pinsk, and the
| city itself. vary considerably. the ma
| CDlne gun phys al important part
! everywhere. Every supporting point
| in the long chain, both in the dunes
\ and in the swamps, has at least one OF
! these deadly weapons. And so close
| together are the supporting points that
the whole section may be said to con-
] sist OF a machine gun front"
| Artillery plays probably a less i'm
portant part in the Pinsk section than
anywhere along any other front. The
| Russian guns thus far have never
| been able to reach Pinsk to do any
! damage All shells fired thus far have
fallen short The Germans on the 9TH
| er hand~ need their artillery only for
| defensive purposes since II Is only a
| waste OF ammunition to try to destroy
| Russian positions across the swamp
! when no follow-up attack with tnfan-
try is possible. II Is only once in q
Is heard. Oftener II Is the nervous
clatter of machine guns firing at Rus
sian scouting patrol.
The German defence incorporates
one feature that Is as beautiful and
| spectacular as IL is useful-the fam
ing rockets and searchlights that ar
used ON dark nights to illuminate th'
swamps in search Of approaching
forces. It is worth the trip from Der
lin to see the vast, dark area sudden
ly transformed into blaze Of light
as rockets mount from all of thu
while powerful lights sweep ever
inch of ground for miles around.
| Pinsk itself is suuaHd to a degre
absolutely unknown in America, or Il
any of the western European states
With the exception Of a few building
along the Pima waterfront, it's struc
lures are all one story in height an
Of old, tumbledown wooden construc
ton. Its business has from time i'm
memorial been confined practically Q
the timber which floats down to II Of
the Pima. the Strumen and the Jass
! jolda rivers.
I In spring and early summer tn
, water rises and mandates part Of tn
town. Just how serious the sprin
and summer OF 1918 is going to be 70
the German troops Is a question tina
is giving those in command som
: worry.
Towering above the dirty. one stor
shacks, stand three enormous and I'm
posing Churches Russian cathe
: dral a Catholic edifice, and a syna
. gogue.
OF the sixty thousand human being
found in Pinsk when the German
. moved in. fifteen thousand were mis-
: | cradle refugees from farther west
!, Poles and Jews. who had been drive
, | from their homes ahead OF the re
treating Russian armies and the
-. abandoned to the care OF the German
: when food became scarce
This horde presented a probler
: that has only partially been solved b
sending back westward some thous