Macon beacon., 1918-11-15

which we overlooked the rivor m,
the city.
Malicious Destruction.
The towering cathedral steeple bof
oHered gunner's mark which ba(
not Deeh overlooked. The spire of the
Hotel de Vile also had been shot and
the weathercock hung at half-mast In
'he square about the city hall the
houses had been sheled to ruin, A
radiator stood out In midair from ono
D. them. On the second story wal!
VI ahotner hung large portrait of n
eirl. Bombs and shells had torn their
way through roofs and afterword
When walked through the city streets
realized that the work of destruction
had been completed by malicious
ilahds. Furniture had been smashed
ana thrown into yards and streets, pic-
lures had been ripped from frames,
ana even kitchen utensils had been
thrown out to rust.
"A large part of the loot of the citv
was recovered when the Germans
were hurriedly forced out and a nurse
IN an American Red Cross hospital
which followed the allied troops into
Chateau-Thierry told me of seeing
great sacks filled with gold and silver
cups, candlesticks, tableware and or
haments OF every description which
had been stored there in the hospital
and left In the retreat. The hospital
originally for French civilians, has
changed hands five times and was In
such Il state of unspeakable filth when
the Americans took it over from the
boches that 1t took ten days to clean
1t out
up back Of the hospital are the
grounds Of the ancient chateau for
which the city was named. They once
belonged to the duke Of Thierry, who
was one of the famous seigneurs of
the early eighth century. I climbed
subterranean passages there
which were built by his vassals that
he might escape to the other side of
the Marine whenever his enemies
pressed him too closely, but which
recently have been used by Boches as
protection during air raids from
french planes. The openings are par
Tally filled up now so that they no
onger afford passage under the river.
'ut they offer adequate protection
against bombs. There are deep built
vine cellars with thousands of bottles
Vhlch the Germans carried up there
md emptied. And there are old stone
nortars that the inhabitants claim
late back to the battle of Crecy, with
mpty cartridges from Boche guns w.
ng beside them.
A city of desolation is Chateau
lhierry, but a city whose wounds nj I
eady are beginning to heal. It es-
aped total destruction because since
ne German troops were on one side
L the river and the allied troops on T.
ne other the artillery on both sides
'aS prevented from direct operation:
nd so civilians are coming back. The
ewspaper proprietor of the place.
aving found that only one side of his
ouse had been torn off, Is inhabiting
ne other side and preparing to turn
ut news for those who are returning
very scrap of cloth and linen In his
ouse was carried off and much of the
lrniture destroyed, but he found the
liver which he buried In his back
ard before he fled with his wife, and
Is wife has found a job cooking for
merican military police who are sta
oned there.
A millinery shop his opened up and
lere Is another little store of sno-
ons," where perfumes and nail polish
e on sale. Fruit stands and cheese
lops, butcher stores and postcard
sEders are operating at full blast on
rect corners or In drafty rooms that
zen on the streets, guiltless of pro-
ction of glass or even windows or
,ors In many cases. The more habi-
bile houses have been cleaned out
Id are being used as headquarters
r the military officials.