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Newspaper Page Text
porary pontoon bridge, overcoming heavy opposition by Belgians. Washington. The German attack ing force at Antwerp set fire to oil tanks there while the American flag was flying over them, according to a dispatch to the state department this morning from Consul General Henry Diedrich. London. Realizing hopelessness of continuing its unequal struggle against the great German 42-centimeter siege guns, Antwerp has sur rendered. German forces have en tered the city and now control it. Fires are still burning in many sec tions of the city, having been ignited by the terrific bombardment to which it was subjected. Two-thirds of the city is wrecked by the tremendous fire of shells which German batteries poured on its buildings. The great cathedral of Notre Dame, built in the fourteenth century and renowned as one of the most wonderful examples of gothic architecture now extant, has been se riously damaged by the German bom bardment. The Belgian defenders had mounted rapfd-firers on the towers of the building, despite the German warning that if the structure was used for military purposes it would be shelled. Two-thirds of the population had left Antwerp before its surrender was decided upon The burgomaster and artillery commandant held that no end would be achieved by further de struction of the city and continued sacrifice of life. There was no stop ping the Germans. King Albert had led out of the beleagured city all of the Belgian army except the few ar tillerists necessary to man the guns in Antwerp's forts. When- the surrender of the capital was decided upon the retreating troops blew up .the famous fort of Merxem, north of the city, to pre vent it being utilized in future opera tions by the Germans. No details are as yet available here concerning the manner in which the city was surrendered. Brief dis patches merely announce the entry of the German forces and give,a few graphic words descriptive of the hor hors of the German bombardment The rain of shells into the city was almost continuous for forty-eight hours. Paris. A resume of the operations of the French fleets, as made public in Bordeaux and telegraphed here, declared that Vice Admiral Boue de Lapeyere's squadron shelled the Aus trian islands in the Adriatic between Cattaro and Lissa. Because of the precipitate evacuation of Ragusa, the next seaport visited, the battleships refrained from bombardment there, merely destroying the lighthouse and wireless station and at Grovosa. The Austrian fleet remained hidden at Cattaro and Pola. Paris. The Temps prints a story from its special correspondent at Rheims declaring that belief is gen eral in that section that the recur rence in artillery firing against Rheims by the Germans Thursday was due to an attempt on their part to hit President Poincare. Th(5 French executive was visiting the front at that time. Shells which the Tempe correspondent believes were intended for Poincare killed passers-by in Rheims. The presi dent's summer home at Champigny was completely destroyed by forty shells. A BATTING RALLY The Crow property, owned by Sen ator Rasco, in New Town, seems' to have been a rendezvous for all the bats in that section. Their head quarters were in the attic, but they took possession of all the available space between the walls. A hole was made in the roof and a lot of un slaked lime was thrown into the at tic, then the bats got busy. Wher they came out they were killed with a paddle. After the battle was ended there were over 500 dead bats. De Witt (Ark.) New Era, ). , - n .m ., . .n ..in Hi mi .ihiii mHi n, t ifHai mi tlnfaiWilMl MBidMftdlTiiT'tnftlftiWMMKglMMM MJMi