The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-15
WAR LEFT MANY
RUINS IN
IRELAND
Glundreds'of Magnificent Build
ings Changed by Civil Strife
to Rubbish.
by DANIEL O'CONNELL.
International News Service.

SAh AAtSu counties. L nave EeCOtAN''-
made tour of Connaught province
ana found there a joyful conscious.
ness OF liberation from the SHADOW
of grim tragedy and immense re-
lief or the people freed from the
black despair of the civil war
There was a CHEEKY optimism that
all would be right in the future:
Things are yet in a transitional
stage. but the crisis has definitely
passed, in fact, it can be said that
all Is right with the west. The
full restoration of normal condi-
tions even in the most remote dis
tricts of Connemara are assured.
In Sligo. twelve months ago, mon
who few months before were
comrades in arms against the Black
and Tans were ranged against each
other in deadly strife. Some or
those now have passed on. =
But one sees still the destruction
which has been wrought in the
J town Of Sligo the moment one ar
rives at the railroad depot. The
once magnificent premises are now
heap of burned ruins. These
were once a commanding structure
Of imposing dimensions. Sligo WAS
the largest rail head in the west,
being the terminus for the Midland,
Great Western, Great Southern and
Western and Leitrim and Northern
Counties railroads. One night the
Irregulars descended on the place
and sprinkled gasoline broadcast.
and in q few minutes the place was
a burning furnace. To restore It to
its former condition will require the
expenditure OF many thousands Of
dollars.
A portion of the shattered roof
still hangs precariously over the
| shattered end OF the platform. Pas.
sengers are obliged to enter and
| alight from trains at the southern
| end.
The mined barracks in the town
afford another grim reminder of the
ruthless distinctions Of last summer.
In the early phases of the struggle
the Ulster Bank premises suffered
considerable damage during the sud
den descents Of the Ifrregulars upon
| the town. The shattered windows Of
the building are still boarded up, but
| normal business Is again being car"
ried on.
Destruction Was WantOn.
Throughout this district there has
been enormous destruction OF public
and private property. With the ex-.
ception OF the court houses in the
towns of Ballymoti and Sligo every
other court house in the provinces
has been burned to the ground. Most
of the police barracks which escaped
destruction during the war with the
Black and Tans have been given to
the flames since July of last year.
The housing Of the police, who are
now being sent out into the country
areas by the Free State Government
is a problem presenting serious diff
ficulties.
Away in Tireragh the fine range
Of buildings which served the pur-
pose of hospital and work house
until the close OF last year have been
totally destroyed by fire and now
stand out a heap Of ruins in the
landscape between the mountains
! and the sea.
Upwards Of forty bridges have
been destroyed in Sligo county dur
ing the last year, but only a dozen
of these are on the main road.
Practically all have been temporar.
! lily repaired-in most cases by the
voluntary labor Oh. the people them
selves-and no really serious i'm
pediment to traffic is to be found.
Claims totaling more than ST.
| 900, 900 have been lodged with the
county council for property de-
| stroyed by the Irregulars. There
is in addition approximately $500, 900
to be dealt with for damage done
during the Black and Tans' war. II
| there is added to these the cost of
restoring the numerous bridges and
buildings-the property of the
county council and for which no
claims have been made, it will be
seen that a colossal sum is required
to make good the damage. Many OF
| the claims lodged have been in
| flated, but even when the bill is re-
Vised 1t is sufficient to constitute
heavy import for many years.
1t was perhaps inevitable as a
result Of the general chaos in Ire
| land that civic administration should
be seriously impedtd, but to the
credit Of the Sligo county council.
even at the worst phases of the
struggle, the council displayed a
high-handed courage and met regu.
larly to cope with every develop
ment. It was a discouraging ex-
perience then to find a large por.
ton OF the ratepayers taking ad-
vantage OF the disturbed conditions
In order to eVade payment of rates.
There Is still outstanding a large
amount of 1922 and 1929 taxes.
Tax Payments Refused.
The first signs of restiveness
were manifested when the rate for
1921-22, an exceptionally high rate
owing to the stoppage Of grants by
the British administration, came to
be collected. The collectors seemed
! powerless to deal with defaulters.
Courts of kind there were in
the country. but none to which the
collectors could appeal with any
hope OF recovering rates, for 1t soon
became apparent that the absence
Of any effective police force to
enforce them made DEGREES value
less. Things were in this state
when hostilities commenced last
July. Defaulters then openly repudi-
ated their taxes, the collectors were
threatened and intimidated, and
some of the more energetic of
them had their books seized.
To prevent further seizures the
County Council last October de-
cided to take back all the collec-
tors books and make an effort to
collect the rates direct from the
County Council offices. Owing to
the large amount of rates outstand-
! ing from the previous year, the
! council has not up to this time
issued the 1929 demand notes.
Meanwhile the establishment OF
! judges and the arrival of the police
t. l.