The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1917-09-20


had little less than 1900 In
habitants. but In GaulIsh times 1t was
already that Blbrax which julius
Caesar took In the year 81 B. c., and
where no doubt the Romans estab-
llshed themselves and maintained the
authority of Rome among the con-
Iuered. Many curious Gallo-Romanic
antiquities have been collected in the
neighborhood and are now In the mu-
scum. Up to the fifth century the col
lection was known as Laudunum.
During the Merovinglan, the Cape
tlan, and, In fact, In all periods of
French history, says Henry p. Davray
in Country Life, Laon has played an
important role. It's geographical posi-
tlon caused 1t to be frequently be-
sieged. Situated on the road from
Paris and from the valley of the Seine
to the middle valley Of the Meuse. II
Is built on an isolated mount quantity
carved out In the form of promon-
tory which can be seen from a great
distance. This mount forms kind
Of v Of which the point is turned to-
ward the northwest. To the northeast
the cathedral rises, and to the south
the Abbey of st. Vincent. From u
height Of 800 feet above the valley Of
the Ardon It dominates view which
extends far In all' directions, and
there is not within large radius a
better post of observation. Moreover,
the steep fianks OF the hill made the
entry easily detenslble against the
weapons OF former times. though twice
II has known the humiliation of capitu-
latlon to German forces, in 1914 and
again on September o, 1S70-a date
that many older inhabitants carry In
their hearts today. In this fortified
vantage point the early kings OF
France made their residence. Here,
too, the church founded a bishopric
about 500 A. D., which was steadily
maintained until the Revolution.
OF Strategic Importance.
Laon was a pince that all armies
fought for with bitterness. The Eng
lish during the Hundred Years war,
later the BurgundIans and Charles the
Bold, In the wars OF the Reformation,
the invaders Of 1914. of 1915 and 1870
all regarded the town as one of their
great strategic points. II was taken,
ravaged, pillaged burned a great num-
ber OF times after long and difficult
sIeges. The garrison easily opposed n
resistance. which often enough beat
the beslegers.
For example, when Henry " recon
| uuered his kingdom from the duke OF
Mayenne and the Ligue. the town OF
Lson held him at bay for'n long time
In 1894. He took It less by force of
arms than by diplomacy suggested
| TO him by his astuteness and cunning
In 1914, during that immortal cam
paign OF France, when more than ever
the resources of his genius were dis
played Napoleon tried to drive out
| Blucher and the Prussians. For sew
eral days he redoubled his efforts ant
finally abandoned the place. These
details, which could easily be multi
piled, prove the strategic Importance
| OF Laon.
Apart from its geographic position
which gives II military value, II ha'
been the meeting place and CROSSING
polnt of the means of communication
and transportation which existed n
all these epochs. The great highways
of the district intersect at the foot o
the mount and when the railway
were built In the nineteenth centur!
the station of Laon became the juno
tion of the lines from Paris, from Tcrg
aler, from Guise, from Hirson, from
Rheims and from Liart.
Where Railway Lines Meet.
. The importance OF possessing Laol
for the Germans can easily be seen
There meet the railway lines cominI
from Germany by Luxembourg, Mont
medy, Sedan. Mezieres, Charleville an
Hrson; the lines coming from Cologn
and from Aix-la-C Chapelle, by the val
ley Of the Meuse, Liege, Namur an
Sharlerol, and from Brussels, Mon