Elbert County tribune and Elbert County banner., 1921-08-05
is RICH DISTRICT
Upper Sllesian Cities in the Heart
of Coal Fields.
So Important That Germany Guarded
Them With Jealous Care During
the World War.

-Four cities Of Upper Silesia, which
are reported to have been seized by
Polish insurgents who feared that the
bulk of Upper Silesia was to be turned
over to Germany, are experiencing real
war for the first time since they be-
came cities" says bulletin issued
by the National Geographic society.
The cities are Tarnowitz Beuthen,
koenigshutte and Kattowitz. Though
they are situated practically at the
meeting point of pre-war Russia, Ger
many and Austria aHungary-a rather
precarious position on the outbreak of
the World war-so valuable is the min
ing and Industrial district which sur
rounds them that Germany took care
to keep them outside the zone of hos
tilities.
The four cities lie within few
miles of each other and In the heart of
! the coal fields for which the country
is famous. None Is more than FIVE
miles from the old Russian border
now the boundary of Poland; and all
are almost equally close to the old
Austrian line. now that OF Czechoslov-
aka.
"Of these cities, Beuthen alone is of
| appreclable nge. The others are the
direct result Of the development OF coal
mines and metallurgical Industries In
the vicinity after the middle OF the
century and Beuthen itself received
great impetus from mining and in
dustrial development 1t is the capt.
tai of a district. and has a population
OF about 6S,0O0. When Sllesia was a
part of the old kingdom Of Bohemia.
Beuthen was capital OF the duchy of
Beuthen. The title. duke of Beuthen,
Is one of the mediatized titles among
the German nobility.
"Konigshutte, with nearly 10000 In
habitants, Is the metropolis OF the Up
per Silesia mining district and may
be considered the Silesian Pittsburgh.
PIT lies only three miles south of Beu-
then. In Konigshutte Is situated the
population is said to consist OF Poles.
'Kattowltz, three miles south of
Konigshutte, is supreme as coal
market. 1t is perhaps the strongest
Polish center among the Upper Silesian
cities. Zinc as well as coal, is mined
In the neighborhood The place was
only village In 1915. Its population
is now about 5000.
''Tarnowitz, few miles north OF
Beuthen. is the smallest OF the group
Its inhabitants number close TO 10000
In addition to iron works It has other
metallurgical factories and lime kilns
II is also a Polish center and its vote
In the plebisclte is reported to have
been markedly adverse to Germany.
"When the World war broke out the
Russians were able. to push through
the German Russian frontier In Its
northern portion. but the line which
ran few miles west of the SilesiaI
coal cities held firmly. Only twice was
this rich and important district In dan
ger of passing from German hands
when the Russian offensive against
Austria advanced to Cracow. less than
80 miles TO the east; and when the
Cossacks made a raid into Posen. q
short distance to the north. threaten
ing to cut Off the Upper Silesla wedge.
On both occasions the Germans. realiz
ing that one OF their most Importan
centers of munitions manufacture wa,
endangered drove the attackers back