Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1917-09-07
GREAT CITY Of RIGA
CAPTURED BY KAISER
RUSSIAN DEFENDERS OFFER LIT.
TILE RESISTANCE TO oNcoM.
ING GERMANY.
CONTAINED 100000 PEOPLE
Was Russia's Third Greatest Seaport
Her People Retreated Eastward
Thousands Of Germans Lived
There-Founded In 1853.

Riga, Russia's big port on the gulf Of
Riga. is in the hands of the Germans
and its garrison and the civilian pop
ulation are in retreat eastward.
Dvina River Bridaed.
Following up rapidly the advantage
gained In driving the Russians across
the Dvina river on both sides of Ux-
kull last Saturday, the Germans threw
bridges across this stream and soon
were on the heels of the former de-
tenders. some of whom offered resist
ance, but others showed the white
Gather, giving the invaders no trouble
in marching up the eastern bank of the
Dvina toward Riga, Is miles distant.
Seeing the disaffection and the in
ability to stem the tide of the advance,
the Russian commander ordered an
evacuation.
Portion Of Army In Danger.
With the falling back of the Rus
slams from the city proper and the ad-
vance Of the Germans northward along
both sides of the stream the Russians
still defending the western bank, about
Dahlen, seemingly are in danger of
being caught between the two fast
moving bodies of the enemy and made
prisoners.
Behind them the Russians in their
retreat from Riga are laying the coun-
try in waste, burning villages and
farms Whether the city itself remains
intact has not been made known, but
doubtless the guns in the fortress and
the ammunition stores either were
moved or destroyed to prevent them
falling into the hands of the Germans.
Strategic Value Questionable.
Aside from the strategic value of
controlling the fgulf of Riga and of a
base nearer the mouth of the gulf of
Finland, at the head of which Petro-
grad is situated, for the moment it is
impossible to see the Importance of
the German gain, especially with the
near approach Of winter, when mill
tary operations in this northern region
are almost impossible.
Much depends on the purpose of the
Germans and the size of the forces at
their disposal for operations in this
war theater. 1t is too early yet for it
to be made apparent whether they will
be content at present with occupation
of the Baltic seaport the Russians
have left to them, or if this advantage
is to be pushed and an attempt made
to swing back the entire Russian line
on this front, creating an opening for
an operation by land and water with
Petrograd as the objective.
Important Industrial Town.
Riga, capital of the government of
Livonia, had a population of more than
100000 persons before the war, and
aside from Petrograd was the most
important Russian commercial and in
dustrial town having access to the Bal
tic. 1t is situated at the southern ex-
tremity of the gulf of Riga, stretch
of water 100 miles long and 60 miles
wide, Riga lying at the point where
the Dvina empties into the gulf. The
port is ice bound during virtually one
third of the year.
1t had very large German popula-
ton before the opening of hostilities
and it is interesting to note that it was
founded in 1853 by German merchants
as storehouse, the city passing
through the control of various north
ern nationalties during the centuries
until it finally in 1921 was incorpora-
ted with the Russian empire.
It's commercial standing is indicated
by the fact that it was the third sea
port of Russia, only Petrograd and