Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-20
j, s, ARMY ADVANCE.
IS WORLD RECORD
Work of the Engineers En-
abIes Supplies to Follow
Troops Closely.
PROBLEMS PROMPTLY MET
PROBLEMS PROMPTLY NET
BY JUNIUS b. WOOD.
CableEram to The Sunday Star and
Chicago Daily News. Copyright, 1913.

CnbleEram to The Sunday Star and
Chicago Daily News. Copyright, 1918.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMIES AT
fty of the advance of an attacking
army is gagged not entirely, as is
generally supposed, by the ability of
the infantry to fight its way for
ward. but by the speed of the lines Of
communication in handling artillery
supplies, in carrying back wounded
and feeding in fresh requirements.
This problem the LIST American Army
in the present offensive northwest of
Verdun met under the most unfavor-
able conditions.
In addition to overcoming strong
German defenses the entire front had
to advance over land abandoned since
the beginning Of the war. Even traces
Of the highways were obliterated and
the work of building new ones was
hampered by continuous rains. One
of the most important factors in en-
is the ability of the engineers to es-
tablish lines Of communication over
virgin soil.
Dramatic Feature of Campaign.
A dramatic feature of this was the
part played by the homes and castles
Of France reduced to piles of stone by
German shells. These ruins of stone
houses which sheltered happy families
in other days enabled the army to adj
vance and to win back the countryside
from the invader. They replaced the
Quarries by providing tons of road build
ing material and ballast for the road
beds of highways and standard and
narrow gauge railroads. When an army
moves it must have these three means
of communication. Without them every
thing haltS.
All three have been advanced. keep
ing a few kilometers behind the NOV
ing front line. In one day $500 feet
of standard gauge railroad was bal
lasted and laid with seventy-pound
rails. This, army engineers believe, es-
tablishes a worlds record. The diff
f1culties of the task were increased in
various ways. All the material had
to be fed in at one end.
Establishing highways was the first
task, and inside of thirty-six hours of
constant work these were open. The
only highway remaining across the
trench system had been blocked by
the Germans with barricade of steel,
either as part of the Hindenburg
line or as an obstacle to the advance
Of the allies.
Mines in Road Exploded.
Two mines were exn1oded in the
road, one tearing a hole sixty feet
across and thirty feet deep. A pas
sageway was cut through the barri-
cade by blasting. Relays of men car
ried timbers for miles and built a
semi-circular detour around the mine
craters until material arrived for
bridges three days later. Heavy
ammunition truck and artillery then
moved up without a halt.
Connecting the narrow-gauge rail-
roads back of the French lines with
the abandoned network of similar
lines behind the German lines was &C
complished with equal speed. The
French standard-gauge lines were
extended, some over new roadbeds
and others over the shell-pitted right
of way unused for year, with frag-
ments of rails blown by the shells irto
tvery conceivable shape. This was a
big task, but it was accomplished.
Heavy railroad guns were moved up,
together with supplies. thus relievir g
the congestion on the choked high
ways. The German standard gauge
railroads were not reached until the
Kriemhild line, the second line of re-
treat, was reached.
Best Engineering Talent Employed
Some of the best American engi-
neering talent is giving its services
to the Army Col. Ernest D. Peek of
Washington, D. c., government en-
gineer, who has directed many prof.
ects on the great lakes, is in general
charge of this work. Col. William
Barclay Parsons. builder of railroad
in China and of the New York sub
way, and a member of the Chicago
traction commission, is in charge of
the stardard-gauge construction. Col.
H. J. Slifer of Chicago. manager of
the Pan-American railroad, super
vises the narrow-gauge work. An
other noted American engineer is Col.
George Goethals. son of the well
known general. His particular duty
is to adapt the roads to the peculiar
needs of artillery transportation.
Thousands of other men are toiling
day and night, regardless of rain and
cold and without sleep and with little
food, that the Army may advance.