Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1918-02-20
Correspondent Sees Shell-Bat-
tered City lust Before the
Italians Reiterated.
PAINTS PICTURE OF RUIN
Newspaper Men Have Marrow Escape
as They Watch Artillery Battle
Outlines of City Still There,
but II Is a City Slowed by
Bombardment.


Northern Italy.-Goritz is a symbol
nOn to Goritz" was the cry Of the
luke of Aosta's soldiers as they
pressed through the little town of Luz
chico few months ago, fighting their
way down to the Isonzo river, then
across the western bridge leading to
the city, when the cry changed to Go
ritz at lastw
Then this was reversed when the
overwhelming invading force of Aus
.ro-Germans took up this same cry,
ION to Goritz," pressing down from
/ the north, across the northern bridge
to the city and ending with "Goritz at
/ Iastl"
/ Thus Goritz has become symbol OF
| the huge change which has occurred.
/ II was one Of the furthest points for
| ward on the Italian line, the center OF
A vast arc of fighting front stretching
from Piozzo, far in the north, down to
the Adriatic at Montefalcone, and 1t
was the most populous and important
rity in the great crescent Of territory
which the Italian army had sliced of
southwestern Austria-some six hun
ired square miles in all. And so Go
ritz was symbolic of that entire region
which has twice changed hands in this
war, and of the furthest advance in
the first Italian campaigns.
/ went to Go-itz and saw the city
on the eve of Its agony. 1t was the
Ia~ 81, h,.o iHa.
the military before the retreat began.
The roar of the great Austrn-German
offensive already had commenced
though for the moment 1t was taken
for a spasmodic renewal of the cannon
nde which had been going on for weeks.
Within twenty-four hours the enemy
had crossed the Isonzo Is miles further
north. turned the Italian left wing,
beaten back the second army under
General Capello, threatened to envelop
the third army under the duke of Aos-
ia, brother of the king Of Italy, and put
In execution that gigantic hammer
stroke by which they hoped to finish
Italy and cripple the whole entente.
Roads Left Clear.
Ny trip was maze by invitation OF
the supreme command, with stan edi-
tor from headquarters as escort. As
we sped along the road in the big army
automobile 1 noted there were no
troops along the road and bordering
fields as one sees approaching Verdun
or in the Somme or Flanders. This abb
sence of troops in the rear was part of
the system adopted, II was explained.
All the reprovisioning of the army was
done at night and the roads were left
clear by day most of the time.
Ten miles out we crossed the Ital-
lan-Austrian frontier and entered Aus
trla.
At Commons, an Austrian village on
the road. the signs above the shops
were all in Italian, showing the ltal-
ians were right in the claim that all
this section was raclally Italian
The cannonade began to be heard
FOR the first time ten miles west OF Go
rita low rumble to the north and
east, with now and then the muffied
boom Of great gun. Day by day the
| FIRE was getting heavier, said our es-
cort, who knew the ground by heart
| and he added that the enemy forces
had been increased from 40 battalions
to $50 battalions.
As we passed through the town OF
Lucinico, a far-out suburb Of Goritz, II
was seen to be half destroyed. Along
the main street ran rows OF battered
buildings, with walls half down ant
shell holes making ugly gashes. Blu
business was going on, men were a
the cafes and women and girls strollet
the street unconeernedly. Now the au
tomobile turned up the steep side o
Padgera hill, one of the outer defense
of Goritz where bloody hand-to-han
{ fighting occurred. One could see tn
r old trench and wire system, now gras
4 grown. All this hill had been swer
!, bare by shell fire, but nature had kline
:. ly obliterated the scars and the hillsid
was again smiling with its verdur
The sound of firing had now increase
- to an enormous roar as we passed Pa
i gera hill.
Turning the corner Of shattert
), wall we saw the Isonzo river lyir
ahead and on the further side Gori
: rising in terraces with the huge BATH
ments Of the citadel towering on Il
right. The river looked about Il
- width of the Potomac at Washingto
r but with swifter current from Z
at mountain feeders. Along the edge
ID the river ran rows of shell-torn wa
g, with gaping windows. This whole "
il ter front had been torn to pieces, a
IN yet many of the demolished remnar
be Of the buildings were occupied a
lie work along the river wharves was ri
In ceeding.
t. Old Bridges Replaced.
IL Tho Tuonzo river was crossed nv 4