Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-01-16
DISTRACTED SOUTH AMERICA.
Sanguinary Fighting Reported In
Ecuador and Peru-Many Person,
EFIHaH

Killed.
Poliucal matters in Ecuador, writes
a Panama correspondent of the
Philadelphia Times, are much mixed,
and seem little likely to improve. al
though the vessel on which Alfaro
lett here has baen burned and ne ana
his friends have taken to the interior
From accounts received from this re-
public it appears that Il general rls-
ing was arranged for the 13tn 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, sone 20 or 80
men were killed and the government
force compelled to retreat. The coast
rebels were more unfortunate. After
the fight in Tumaco between the
Alajuela and the Nuevo de Juho. Al
faro effected a landing on the Ecua-
dorian coast. On the 30th of Nov.
lie endeavored to capture and hold
Portoviejo, but was defeated by the
government forces and compelled to
seek safety in fight, after losing some
men, Calling gun, and much am
munitions 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 8th 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
twenty of them have been removed to
Manila, but no reliable 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, when 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 Alajuela 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 il Alfaro were to
succumb on the coast. The loss of
life threatens to become serious, and
the 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 hare
occurred. 1t was rumored in Quay
aolil that Col. Medardo Alfaro,
brother of the general, had b2en 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, a2d the panic in 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 fall Of sus-
pects, among whom are Senior Pastor
Intriago and a number of his work
men, who are accused of having given
q canoe to Marsces to enable him to
20 up the river Guayas. Vice Presi-
dent AUgustin Guerrero, who is In
power in Quito, issued a proclamation
on Nov. 1s calling upon the people to
support him.
Political matters In Peru are lmprov-
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 paciied- The government troops
are moving toward Arequipa. 1t Is
impossible for Caceres TO offer aay
resistance. His men are deserting
him, his prestige Is gone, and he Is