Evening star., 1921-05-29
FIFTY YEARS AGO IN
THE STAR.

Following the surrender of Paris to
the Prussian troops in 1871. COM
munists organized a
The Burning revolution and seized
the city. holding II for
VI "liS' some time. with much
fighting proceeding between them
and the troops of the regular govern
ment. which was established at YER
sailies Tho communists collapsed
about this time fifty years ago after
a desperate conflict in the streets Of
the capital. marked by the burning
and lootinG OF some Of the most i'm
portant public buildings. The COL
ums Of The Star of this period in 1871
contain many dispatches, telling IN
fra agmentary. hut vivid. manner IN"
story of the collapse of the communNs
and the devastation in Paris For m
stance. in the issue Of May -. ls'i.
is the following dispatch, dated rom
Paris the day before:
Last night from the American le-
cation AT about II o'clock | watched
the burning of the Hotel De Vile. A.
o'clock the palace was a mass or
flames The Austrian embassy. ~"
property Of Empress Eugene, VAS
also burned Causedes ConsiGnaron
is reported destroyed. likewise the
Spanish embassy Departure from
Paris is impossible and circulation
through the city is difficult and dan
gerous. large number Of cannon are
pointed down Rue La Fitte. TIE
troops are taking the harricade
splendidly notwithstanding the insur-
gent fusillade from the houses. Plac"
Cr~>corde has been carried. There Is
htSvy fighting between Prenelle ana
IA T t,N
ss:1es troops is small The Nersaii-
li1fs are sending fremen to -be city
from the towrs -Sthin radius OF
twelve miles"
Another dispatch Of the same date
SAYS:
'Place Sendome was definitely oc-
cupied at O'Clock this morning. The
insurgents made a strong stand N
the Rue ST Honore. The Palais Royale
was set on fire by the retiring Ia
SurEents. The capture Of the Place
Vendome made the Tuilleries unten-
able and the insurgents saturated il
with petroleum and set il on fire. The
insurgents are still fighting lik"
fiends in the eastern farbourgs The
population seem mad with JOY and the
tri-color floats everywhere"
The communists were not so easily
routed. however. as these dispatches
suggested. They re-
Slonohter and turned to the attack
with the torch. A dis
UeStTuctlon' patch in The Star of
May %. dated Versailles. May %, says:
New fires are bursting out in Paris.
The insurgents put boxes of petroleum
everywhere. 1t is reported that the
Tuilleries was fired by Begerets own
hands. The building. they say. was
steeped in petroleum. The Church OF
st. Germain AuXerrois. and the Hotel
De Vile were burned down and the Pal
ace of Justice destroyed. Blood runs IN
! the cutters. The walls of the Tuilleries
have fallen: the Rue Rivoli is burning
and the only means OF stopping the fre
| is by pals of water from hand to hand,
| everywhere. Any hidden nationals
! when found are brought out and shot
| Immediately.
| "A few communists are still holding
out and are shelling the city, doing the
| utmost mischief possible. The slaughter
| of the nationals is frightful. and the
NersaillistS since Tuesday have been KILL
! ing all their prisoners. The houses in
| the Rue RoySle were wet with petroleum
| and the nationals fired them. The peo-
pie are furious in consequence. IT Is
clear the insurgents intended to destroy
! the whole city. Even women were dis
! covered throwing petroleum upon houses
and six members of the national guards
| who were dressed in 'pompiers' and who
threw petroleum on the fires instead
| of water were shot in the Place Royale.
| The gas works at Aubervilliers have ex
| ploded- Many other explosions have oc-
CURED. The firing is continuous"