The times., 1899-04-08

refugee had bundle, basket. or box, even
children bearing lneir burdens OF c-othing
or food, all that as LETT for the family to
begin life with again. Across the blanco
BRUCE poured steady stream OF fugit-y-s
staggering under their heavy loads. Help
less babies were carried on their mothers
hips children clung. to their mothers
dresses, and the aged and infirm were as
sisted by their friends or tottered along
with their canes. / saw two men with a
pole across their shoulders, fiom which Il
neavy box was suspended on one side, bal
anced on the other by a basket containing
very old and feeble blind man.
In the morning two companies CT the
oregons and two of the Minnesotas, under
command of Major Willis, of the Oresons,
were sent out to deal with the insurgents
who were between the lines, and two con-
panies of the MontanaS were sent back
from Caioocan to take them in The re-r.
The fight began at the north edge CT the
burned district in Tondo, the insurgents
having constructed stone breastworKs
across the two roads, and also posted
themselves within a large stone wall en-
closure and in numerous houses. each one
of which had a white flag flying, left when
abandoned by their owners. The Ameri-
cans advanced along either side of the
roads, keeping of the latter because they
were swept by the fire from the blrricades.
For two hours the battle ragged, house after
house being captured by the troops gong
up to them and firing at the defsn1Srs
through windows or breaking in the doors.
Some of the Fflipinos fought till killed,
while others threw down their guns when
cornered and begged for their lives.
THE hardest position to carry was the
stone wall, but at last one company of
nod .aI,
1t could get plunging fire into the en-
closure. and then the natives swarmed out
OF 1t like rats, while the other company
potted them as they ran, killing thirty
two CT them and wounding many others.
The stone barricades were then carried
with a rush, the Filipinos running across
the bridge into clump Of timber, where
they were caught between the Oregons and
Montanas and slaughtered. Some of them
succeeded in getting away through the
brush and sloughs back to Malabon with
the tale of their defeat. AS a result of this
conflict 113 dead bodies were buried. while
about 200 prisoners were sent to the rear,
many of them wounded. The American
loss was Lieutenant French. of the Mon
tanas, and one private of the Twenty third
killed, and six men wounded.
The Fight Finished.
Two companies of the Twenty-third
Regulars. under Major Goodale had come
up just before the close of the fight and
did good work at the finish. AS the men
advanced they burned every house. and
the advance was continued to Caloocan
every house being set on fire that had
escaped at the time of the battle of Caloo-
can 1t was dark when the troops re-
turned to quarters after one of the hardest
nights of the campaign.
The next night the Nipa district ad-
Joining Tondo and back of the Santa Cruz
district, was burned. The fire once started,
the Americans helped II along only too
glad to get rid of nest of bushwhackers
A group of such houses. near Bilibid pris-
on, was set on fire, with the evident iu-
tention OF burning the prison, but after
tearing down several houses to protect the
prison the rest were permitted to burn as
a good riddance. The burning of bamboo
houses is like the sound of a great battle
The air confined between the joints eX-
pands with the heat until the wood bursts
like the report of gun. The bursting of
hundreds of these every minute sounds
like steady rattle of musketry When
Paco was burned recently the Fourteenth
Regulars at Malate, mile distant sent
aid in haste to the Washingtons stationed
there. under the impression that they were
being exterminated. The breathless regu-
lars arrived in time to see the Washing
tons enjoying themselves helping the fire
along, after having saved their barracks.
the destruction OF which was the object of
the fire.
Except in the destruction of property,
belonging chiefly TO their friends, and the
great loss of life they suffered. the Fill
pinos made dismal failure of this upris-
ing, which they have threatened so long
They have proved that no outbreak of any
magnitude is possible. Nevertheless. the
reyolutionist leaders are said to be iubilant
over the extent of the damage and threaten
to burn the whole city gradually. Their
plan is TO destroy property recklessly
especially that of foreigners, in the hope
that foreign nations will intervene and
compel the Americans to give them indie
pendence.
The DeyiI Helps Yankees.
AS TO the number of Americans they
have killed they are already becoming
disillusioned At first they were made to
believe they were slaughtering the Ameri-
cans by the hundreds. but their friends in
town have Informed them on the subject,
and some of the conversations had with
these amigos show that they are impressed
with the superstitous idea that the Ameri-
cans wear potent charm 10 protect them.
AS we are all neretlCs, OF course tnlS pro-
lection must be from the prince OF dark
ness. The ladies OF the Red Cross gave
every soldier little aluminium tag to wear
about his neck for identification, and this is
supposed to be the charm that protects
them from the bullets
The matter of insurance and payment
for destroyed property is an important
question. The representatives of the in
surance companies have united to refuse
payment on policies that do not contain
a war-risk clause while property owners
take the ground that this is riot and
not war, and that if the companies are
not liable the United States is responsible
for not affording protection. great many
claims have already been filed with the
provost marshal general. but none is en-
tertained. One claim is for 5000 boxes OF
cigars stolen by the soldiers on the night
of the fire. The claimants are Mestistos.