The sun., 1918-08-18
AT FRENCH SHRINES
OF AMERICAN YALOR
Trip From Amiens to Mont
didier Reveals Wanton De-
struction by Teutons.
By RAYMOND q. CARROLL.
Special caois Dsspaich to Tus Sex and IA
Public Ledger.

BY RAYMOND q. CARROLL.
essoioi Caois Dsspatch to Tus scs and the
Pubic Ledger.
Copyright, 1915: all rights reserved.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN FRANCE,
Aug. 17.--This 10 an account OF q trip
in a motor car / made from Amiens TO
Montdidisr passing through Cantisny
and the small towns captured May 2S
by the Americans, which minor event
was the electric spark Of victory herald
Ing chain OF successive defeats OF. the
Kaiser.
Amisns, the ancient capital Of Picardy
and one of the principal manufacturing
cities Of France. situated upon the
Eomme River. to-day presents a picture
similar to that Of Rip Van Wrinkle rub.
,bing his eyes after three months slum-
Der. Lawn mowers are cutting grass
In tho streets and soon armies OF stone
-masons. plasterers, carpenters glaciers
and paperhangsrs will follow in the
wake OF the recent Anglo French tri-
umph In which an American unit took
IN Insignificant but historic part in the
freeing Of Amiens from the German
menace.
Amiens il still . city of dust, raised
by lorriss passing down handsome boule-
wards carrying forward supplies for
brave troops far to the eastward. We
commence our inspection at the famous
cathedral one OF the most imposing
Gothic churches in Europe. which I
found had been hit during all OF the
bombardmsnt by Just -four German
shells. one entering the roof and smash
ing 10 uselessness the gigantic organ.
The damage done by the other shells
Vas OF slight consequence, IS the facade.
containing three lofty recessed porches
richly adorned with reliefs and statues.
was miracuiously spared. 49,.
siEhtseers Visit Cathedral.
Three Ensliah nursss IN blue uniform
and two French soldiers were the adj
vance guard Of sichtsecrs within the
cathedral. zone of the former saying,
God in HIS infinite mercy has delivered
this beautiful church from the threat Of
the twentieth century vandals,"
Another building which the shells
tlipped past was the modern Palais do
Justice. q huge. low, restful brown struc-
ture. But in the Rue des Trois Call
DAux. one OF the busiest streets In town.
deBolation re.Ened. there being two kinds
ef destruction. from aerial bombs and
long tossed shells respectively. The
Nouvelle Galleries. q large department
store. was Quilted. a. was q theatre in
~ same street.
y The enlarged and almost entirely re-
built Hotel de Vile, or City Hall. was
hlif wrecked and half saved, sand bags
being packed around its ornate front.
In the Rue de la Republique we con-
tenplated with tears the ravaEs that
had fallen upon the Muze de Picardie,
with It's small garden In front, and also
upon the nearby structure with gilded
dome at the end Of the street in the
Place Longueville.
The greatest sufferers in Amiens were
The small property owners. Rows and
lows of private residences have been
baked by long missiles. Passing out Of
tie city by the Promenade La Hotoie.
where public concerts and festivals once
look place. We eventually reached the
troad national highway leading In the
direction Of Montdid,er.
i We took lunch with . British Gen.
fral. who is q cousin OF 0ouvernsur
Norris. the American writer. at . town
halfway 10 CantiEny. He could talk OF
little else than the courage displayed
the previous day by a squadron OF Cam
tdian cavalry from Fort Gerry who rode
10 death up tire Roye road. . feat which
will win them . place In history along
tide the heroic sacrifice made by tho de-
BINDERS Of the Alamo.
! Countrywide IL Shell BLASTED.
Then. after two hours OF rough going
over a shell blasted countryside with
the trees whitfield down into gray stumps
we came to Cantisny. All that remains
OF this beautiful hilltop town is a sombre
pile OF broken brick and mortar. Not
. single edinoe stands. Half OF . pair
bt iron gates indicate where an impos-
ing chateau once smiled down upon the
town. Crows were everywhere. and the
hauseous odor of dead horses filled our
nostr!ls Whichever way ono looked
bleak ruins alone appeared.
Verdun 10 possible OF reconstruction ;
Cantigny never. 1t can only be men,
DRY. 1t Is possible that when fenced
In the place will some day become a
Mecca for piisrimages OF American tour
lists. Standing al the cross roads--more
desolate than the road 10 the tonsbe OF
'Esypt's kings at Luxor--amid empty
fhells. broken cartridge belts. bits OF
human clothing and fragments from ar
tiliery wagons. I looked down upon the
valley UP which the American infan-
fry had charged and wondered how
they ever made the crest.
The location seemed impregnable
There was no shade upon either side Of
the chalky hills. As II q mighty tongue
Of fame had passed. there was nothing
green left of nature. whole wheat
field had vanished. Gardens had been
bwallowed up and hedges had been dis
solved In vast pits which represented
what the destructiveness OF modern war
tars can accomplish.
File of Debris Once His Home,
fIere was the shrine OF Americas frs.
success in the European war. A bent.