Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-01-15
DISTRACTED SOUTH AMERICA.
Sangufnary Fighting Reported In
Ecuador and Peru-IIany Persons
Killed.

Ecuauer ana Peru-Mauy PERSONS
Killed.
Political matters Ia Ecuador, writes
a Panama correspondent ef the
Philadelphia Times, are much mixed,
and seem little likely to improve, al
though the vessel on which Alfaro
left here has been burned and ne ana
his friends have taken to the interior.
From accounts received from this re-
public it appears that Il general ris-
ing was arranged for the 18TH ult.,
and that it was in anticipation of this
movement that Gen. Alfaro and his
party left this bay. Scattered bands
have appeared in several towns and
took possession. In some instances
fighting occurred, attended by loss of
life. In one of these struggles, said
to have taken place on the slope of
the Cotopaxi volcano, some 20 or so
men were killed and the government
force compelled to retreat The coast
rebels were more unfortunate. After
the fight in Tumace between the
Alajuela and the Nusvo de Juho, Al
faro effected landing on the Ecua-
dorian coast. On the 30th of Nov.
he endeavored to capture ans hold
Portovieio, but was defeated by the
government forces and compelled to
seek safety in flight, after losing some
men, d Gatling gun, and much am
nutritious Gen. Alfaro then return
ed to Alajuela, leaving his men to
make for the interior to join the par
ties in revolt there. On the Sth he
moved toward Bahai, and when off
Los Cruzitas, between 10 and IL miles
off that port, he fell in with the
government steamer Huacho. He
steamed alongside Of her, and after a
heavy fire carried her by boarding.
She was full Of troops, to whom her
hare hull offered no protection, and
it is said that at least 400 men were
killed or wounded. One hundred and
twsnty Of them have been removed to
Manila, but nOreliable intelligence has
been received as to the whereabouts
of the remainder. These Belonged to
the government party.
This capture is said to have been
one of the braVest as well as one of
the most sanguinary which has occur
red IN the Pacific, WheE the number
Of men engaged is taken into account.
While the victors were engaged ex-
amining their prize another govern
ment vessel put in an appearance.
The Huacho was useless for fighting,
while the Alai iuela was damaged and
her captain dead. 1t was then deter
mined to run her ashore, take out
what could be removed in a hurry,
and then burn her. This plan was
followed, while the Nuevo de Julio,
the second government vessel, pro-
! ceeded to Bahai with her crippled con
sort. A number of lives have been
lost in the different contests, which,
it appears, will still be continued in
the interior, even if Alfaro were to
succumb on the coast. The loss of
life threatens to become serious, and
TIE government has called out the
national militia in order to possess
force enough to act whenever it may
be menaced with danger.
Several skirmishes have taken place
in Manabi, In which slight losses have
occurred. It was rumored in Quay
aqlil that Col. Medardo Alfaro,
brother of the general, had been kill
ed, but this was not verified. Letters
from Quito say that the capitol is a
veritable Babylon. No one appears
to comprehend the political situation
of his neighbors, aAd the panic la the
government files is increasing daily.
Gen. Victor Proano and a number
of other notables have been arrested
In Quito on suspicion Of sympathiz-
ing with the revolutionists. The
prisons at Guayaquil are full of sus-
poets, among whom are Senor Pastor
Intriago and a number of his work
men, who are accused of having given
a canoe to Marsc0s to enable him to
go up the river Guayas. Vice Presi-
dent Augustin Guerrero, who is in
power in Quito, issued a proclamation
Ola Nov. 19 calling upon the people to
support him.
Political matters in Peru are improv-
ing, although financial matters are
going from bad to worse. The govern
ment troops have been victorious over
several of the Montenero detachments,
and the whole north, and center is
now pacifed. The government troops
are moving toward Arequipa It is
resistance. His men are deserting
him, his prestige is gone, and he is
without money. One of his regi-
ments, the Zepita, recently disbanded,
after trying to shoot its colonel.
Several prominent citizens of the
south have arrived from Lima, trying
to make terms for Caceres, but PresI-
dent Iglesias is showing little desire to
treat with them. The government
has recently increased the hospital
and sanitary tonnage taxes in Calloa,
which led the steamship companies
raising their fares 20 per cent. Steam
ship business on the south coast is
very dull at present, but should peace
be made in Peru it will promptly re-
vive. The Peruvian government is
meditating imposing a heavy import
duty on kerosene Ia order to promote
the production of the native al ticle