Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-19
YANK BAND PLAYS
DAILY IN COBLENz
Wounded From Nearby Hos
pitaI Enjoy Concert by
Americans.
HUN "GIBRALTAR": TAKEN

By the Associated Press.
COBLENZ, Tuesday. December IL
A concert every afternoon by an
American Army band in the plaza IN
front of the government building here,
which is occupied as headquarters by
the Sd Army, now is a feature OF the
daily life of Coblenz. The plaza
where the band plays is part of the
Empress Augusta promenade. along
which are the city's finest hotels.
There is hospital nearby. from
which recovering soldiers of differ
ent nationalities stroll about to hear
the concerts Among the auditors at
the concert Monday was French-
man who had lost both feet as re-
suit of wounds. He was in rolling
chair, which was pushed by a German
with one arm.
To Occupy German Gibraltar.
The German fortress of Ehrmbreit-
stein. often called the Gibraltar Of the
Rhine, Just across the river from
Coblenz is being prepared for oc-
cupancy by the American troops. n
til December 9. the day after the
American advance guard arrived IN
Coblenz, the fortress was occupied py
then the fortress has been cleaned
throughout by German soldiers as
sisted by scores of women. The fort
ress and the grounds occupy more
than one hundred acres on rock
promontory. which is 400 feet ABOVE
the river. Each night on the fortress
summit the Germans build a great
bonfire of the rubbish accumulated by
the DAVIS cleaning of the barracks ana
various other buildings, some of when
were erected hundreds of years ago.
American Post Office in Coblenz.
An American post office has been
established in Coblenz. Owing to the
recent fiuctuation in the value of the
German mark only French and Amer
lean money is accepted. The ohclal
rate of exchange is 142 marks for lou
francs.
American-built freight cars loaded
with food and supplies for the army
of occupation now are crossing the
Rhine daily with German crews.
Coblenz is the distributing point for
the supplies which reach here by way
of the railroad which parallels the
Moselle river from TreVes.
American supplies reach Treves by
two routes-one by way of. Metz and
the other by way OF Nerdun. Inc
American cars go as far as Dierdorf,
north of Coblenz, which is the rail
head for the SD Division. Dierdorf
is about five miles from the bridge
head boundary. The cars also run to
Neuwied, on the Rhine, northwest OF
Coblenz Neuwied is the rail head OF
the I'd Division.
Northeast of Coblenz the American
rail line run as far as Montabaur,
about six miles from the boundary
of the bridgehead. Montabaur is the
rail head of the first division.
Supplies for U. S. Troops.
For the division between the Rhine
and the German frontier north of the
Moselle the supplies are hauled by
rail along the river to different ran
heads whence distribution is made to
the troops by means of motor trucks.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY OF
OCCUPATION. Tuesday, December ~
(by the Associated ress).-The
troops in the entire area are now
making themselves comfortable, not
expecting a relief before Christmas at
the earliest The soldiers occupying
the bridgehead express the belief that
they will be among the first divisions
to be sent home, other units in sup
port taking their places.