Gilpin observer. (Central City, Colo.) 1897-1921, 1918-02-07

cr Dig pontoon. 1t was on pontoon
bridges that the Italians entered the
city and this wreck was one of the
remnants of that crossing. The big
railroad bridge was lying in wreck
from artillery fire. Further on was
the massive stone bridge, with one of
| Its main arches blown to pieces. Near
| these bridges lie several important pa
| per mills, where paper is made for gov
eminent notes. All these mills We're
masses of ruins, with few tall CHM
| neys still standing among the debris.
Goritz itself was under the rain of
terrific bombardment, for the full force
of the great offensive was now only
few hours Off.
And yet with the Imminent danger
many persons still chung to their homes
and belongings with that same tenaclty
which makes the VeSuvian peasants
cling to the mountainside when the vol
cano Is raging and threatening to bury
them. But most of these people on
the streets are the poor who could not
get away and the small shopkeepers
goods. The big stores are all closed
and the place has an air of II deserted
city, with only few .stragglers bring
Ing up the rear. Goritz had 10000
people, but only 5000 are left and
these make only scattered showing
IN the wide main street fringed on
either side with its shell-torn fronts 1t
was raining hard and this added to the
lugubrious spectacle.
Entering the city we passed the ex-
tensive Jesuit establishment where 600
seminarians are located. One corner
was knocked off, the cornices were
hanging and several big holes told
where the shells had found mark.
The main contour of the street was
preserved and the buildings We're in
tact as II whole, but every second or
third had been hit, some collapsing en-
tirely, Others with their front wall
gone and their upper rooms with house
hold goods showing from the street.
But there was no vast area of COM
pletely leveled debris. as at Verdun or
Monastir. The outlines of a city were
still there, but it was city sieved by
bombardment.
Trip to the Citadel.
The trip to the citadel was the event
OF the day. This is huge pile, with
old-time. moat and battlements and n
great tower dominating the whole
country for miles around. Here we
were to view Mount Gabriel, Mount Mi
Gael, the Biansizza plateau and the
whole range of ground which had
passed through this upheaval. 1t was
uphill to the citadel. Everything
showed the havoc of long continued
fire. In one great court there was II
through the ordeal untouched, though
all around was n wreck.
Once upon the battlements COM
handing view was ahead. There was
one point of vantage where this view
was particularly good, known us the
| observation post. We halted moment,
about to enter the post, but others
wished to push on to the very front Of
the wall, and this view prevailed. 1t
was most fortunate decision, rs we
soon after had reason to know.
On the battlements II splendid view
stretched out for miles over this bat
tleground Of mountains, valleys and
plains, with the city houses clustered
below and the roads winding off
through the valleys and foothills. There
In front was Mount Gabriel, this side
held by the Italians, the other by the
Austrians.
s'rhpra rms tho dividing line" said