The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-05-22

roof to afford temporary protection
until the home can be restored.
Occasional groups of neighbors. ref
ugecs but recently returned from the
south, are seen gossiping subduedly
In the cold spring sunshine around
some sorry household furniture on the
sidewalk in front OF what WAS once a
home.
The canal that parallels the valley
road all the way 10 Nerdun is filed
with sunken canal bargcs. In the
space Of few miles. counted over
forty.
The communal fields and meadows
between the villages have not been so
thoroughly dcvastcd as those to the
north Of verdun, though trenches
and the debris Of barbcd wire en-
tanglements are much In evidence.
Yet in the clearer tracts an occasional
plough-team is courageously turning
the sod for the more hopeful harvest
of the first year Of peaceful agricul-
ture since 1914
"yerduH in Ruins
AT last we reached yerdun, Of Cae-
sar's days. That fortress town of the
centuries: a, 'lull"-town. as the Celtic
root-word "d,n" implies is situated
stratcgicallg in assharp bend Of the
naturally fortified valley of the Meaxse,
protected by the river on all sides ex-
cept the west. ~.sf
The treaty Of Verdun in Sa3 A. ID.
gave Verdun and Lorraine TO the
Germans. In 1862 il was, along with
Tou and Metz. taken over By the
French, Again in 1892 il was captur-
ed by the prussians, and again taken
by thes ,in 1870 in the Franco-Prus-
sian @aE AZ
It,wil be- remembered that the
Crown Prince with an immense force
and great number Of heavy cannon at
tempted in February Of 1916 to gain
possession Of yerdun, making all pre-
paratiogs to .snter the city on March
the 1st., But the brave Poilns said
They shall not,pass." Though Forts
Douaumont. t.and Vaux were for time
in the hands of the Boches they were
driven out and the forts retaken by
the French in October, and by Deem
Der, in dill 300 days, the Boche had
been driven Back to his original posi-
ton with a total loss Of 100000 men,
while the French are said to have lost
100000.
In the aggregate this, the greatest
struggle in the worlds history, meant
the holocaust Of million menl
Nerdun the redoubtable, yet Verdun
in ruins, fills one with wondering
dismay at the long-suifefing destrue-
tion it sustained, subjected as it was
to many months Of continuous she'll
FIRE. The streets are lined with houses
to be sure, though With many gaping
space in the line, filled with heaps Of
mingled debris Of masonry and TIM
Der and household furniture. But each
house yet standing appears to be hold
ing the other up though in very drunk
en- fashion. Few if any are intact
Some, though full of shell holes, have
been partly restored so as to be tenn
porariiy habitable.
A few hundred Of tho former $4,000
inhabitants are back and are rehabil-
itating their half-destroyed homes
under such make-shift. conditions as
are possible. A few shops, somewhat
slimly furnished, have reopened.
American soldiers, who have been po-
Icing the town since the armistiee are
now rapidly moving out and French
soldier again taking it over.
German prisoners Of war are seen
everywhere, employed in cleaning up
the debris. .,tti.
The VI H. c. A. organization has,
with characteristic enterprise, taken
over what is left Of d large convent
building now half in 'Suins, and has
equipped the remaining rooms to serve
as reading rooms, canteen. dormtory
rooms provided with COTS, ETC.. All
winter it has been serving ,the needs
of the American troops in ,Nerdun and
vicinity and now daily serves the needs
of the hundreds Of visiting soldiers of
the A. L. +. and members Of the diff
ferent telfare organizations who are
taking advantage OF the fact that
Verdun and its battle fields have re-
Gently been made a ,'leave: area
A considerable personnel Of "Y".
workers. both men and women, are
busy day and night attending to the
wants Of those privileged to make the
pilgrimage to this freshly devastated
region No hotels are open and few if
any restaurants yet function, for such
civil population as has returned have
troubles Of their own. The all per-
vading aspect of this shattered for
tress city is that of one who has
scarcely recovered bewildged con-
sciousness after staggering blow
Opposite the ruined convent build
ing is the imposing remains. Of Yer
cun's noble cathedral, its roof fallen
in many places and its walls damaged
by shell fire. Its restoration is prob
able, however.
The ancient palace Of the prince
bishops" Of Verdun close by the ca
thedrai is wrecked almost past repair.
So also whole streets in other sections