Though the bombardment ended early on Friday afternoon, Friday night was by no means lacking in horrors, for early in the evening fires, which owed their origin to shells, broke out in a dozen parts of the city.  The most serious one by far was in the narrow, winding thoroughfare known as the Marche aux Souliers, which runs from the Place Verte to the Place de Meir.  By eight o’clock the entire western side of this street was a sheet of flame.  The only spectators were groups of German soldiers, who watched the threatened destruction of the city with complete indifference, and several companies of firemen who had turned out, I suppose, from force of training, but who stood helplessly beside their empty hose lines, for there was no water.  I firmly believe that the saving of a large part of Antwerp, including the cathedral, was due to an American resident, Mr. Charles Whithoff, who, recognizing the extreme peril in which the city stood, hurried to the Hotel de Ville and suggested to the German military authorities that they should prevent the spread of flames by dynamiting the adjacent buildings.  Acting promptly on this suggestion, a telephone message was sent to Brussels, and four hours later several automobiles loaded with hand grenades came tearing into Antwerp.  A squad of soldiers was placed under Mr. Whithoff’s orders and, following his directions, they blew up a cordon of buildings and effectually isolated the flames.  I shall not soon forget the figure of this young American, in bedroom slippers and smoking jacket, coolly instructing German soldiers in the most approved methods of fire fighting.  Nearly a week before the surrender of the city, the municipal waterworks, near Lierre, had been destroyed by shells from the German siege guns, so that when the Germans entered the city the sanitary conditions had become intolerable and an epidemic was impending.  So scarce did water become during the last few days of the siege that when, on the evening of the surrender, I succeeded in obtaining a bottle of Apollinaris I debated with myself whether I should use it for washing or drinking.  I finally compromised by drinking part of it and washing in the rest.

The Germans were by no means blind to the peril of an epidemic, and, before they had been three hours in occupation of the city their medical corps was at work cleaning and disinfecting.  Every contingency, in fact, seemed to have been anticipated and provided for.  Every phase of the occupation was characterized by the German passion for method and order.  The machinery of the municipal health department was promptly set in motion.  The police were ordered to take up their duties as though no change in government had occurred.  The train service to Brussels, Holland and Germany restored.  Stamps surcharged “Fur Belgien” were put on sale at the post office.  The electric lighting system was repaired and on Saturday night, for the first time since the Zeppelin’s memorable visit the latter part of August, Antwerp