The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-10-19
ADRIANOPLE IS CITY
OF EMPTY STREETS
Not a Greek or Armenian
Left in the Interior
of Thrace>
REFUGEES FILL ROADS
Ride i'll Ok Carts, OH Horses
and Mules or Stagger
Along AfOOt.
MISERY IN SMALL PORTS
At RodostO $4,000 Refugees
Have Waited for Days,
Sleeping on Quays.

Special Gable to TIE New York HERALD
Copyright, 1922, by THE New York HERALD
CoNsTANTINoPLE, Oct. 1S-Adrianople
is a deserted city. The French marched
in to-day through empty streets be-
| tween shattered houses. There is
practically not a Greek or Armenian
inhabitant left in the interior of East
ern Thrace. In spite of the efforts
made by allied authorities to allay their
fears and prevent precipitate migra-
ton. they have fed.
All the roads leading out of this land
OF desolation are full of long columns
of refugees riding in oxcarts. on horses
and mules or staggering along afoot
through the deep mire caused by
twenty-four hours of heavy rain
Women with babies trudge twenty
miles a day or more Many of the
villagers are driving their cows or
| fiocks of sheep before them
It is estimated that $500 men
women and children are slowly tramp
ing westward over the congested roads
the population of an entire country
side on one of the saddest pilgrimages
in history.
Desperately they are struggling along
with as much of their precious house
hold goods as they can load into carts
or carry on their backs but their homes
they must leave behind. Hapless victims
of political intrigues far passing their
simple comprehension, they accept the
inevitable with the passive resignation
OF the Eastern races-not knowing
where their melancholy pilgrimage will
END, whether in western Thrace or on
some barren island of the Aegean Sea.
The few railway lines are blocked
with endless trains crowded with ref
ugees. Every station is transformed
into camping place for thousands.
Fortunately, though the sky Is already
overcast. the rainy season is not yet in.
There Is reason to hope that evacuation
may be completed before the first
heavy rams turn the desert, waterless
land into swamp. The danger of
epidemics breaking out among this
destitute multitude naturally Is very
great. Even the districts they are go
Ing to are not free of disease ard sick
ness; and it is believed that plague
mas been reported in Salonica.
Misery Great In Ports.
II is in the little harbor towns on the
Sea OF Marmora, at Rodosto and Silivri.
that the misery is greatest. All of the
| inhabitants of the southern villages are
converging here in the expectation of
being embarked on Greek ships. There
are Greek ships at Rodosto but they
nave come to save not human lives but
military stores and ammunition. and
their crews are deaf to the vailing of
the women on the wharves.
For days and nights the weary null
titude-there are $4,000 refugees az Ro-
dosto alone-has watched eaten and
slept, huddled together on the quay
The night air already is keen. rain has
fallen and food, and above all, the water
supply. is limited.
Col Lowe of the Near East Relief is
doing all in his power to help. A hat
talon OF Gordon Highlanders has ar
rived to preserve order. The greatest
fear of the refugees is that they NAV
be separated from their families and
friends. One village chartered n
steamship to convey all the Greek in
habitants and their movable property
so that they would not be scattered in
! the exodus.
Sanitary conditions among the ref.
ugees so far are satisfactory, but there
Is great danger of epidemics il the sit.
| uation Is prolonged. The harvest in
| Thrace has been excellent. but the panic
| stricken villagers have left their grain
behind them in the barns While the
refugees are almost starving on IN,
wind swept quays of Rodosto sacks OF
wheat are selling in the deserted interio,
| Tor forty piavres-about rs cents-anC
/ scarcely buyer can be found