The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-04-12

weary workers and watchers We're re-
pairing 10 their quarters. congratula-
ting themselves that the fire, bad
though it was, had been no worse,
another blaze was reflected from the
smoke beclouded sky in the direction
of Tondo. This being the most dense
" populated native district in the city,
which had always Deen identified with
the rebel cause, preparations were at
once made for trouble, and it was not
long in coming
No sooner had the fire brigade coup
led its hose and commenced 10 play up
on the flames, which had aoain started
in a block of buildings occupied by
Chinese, than shots were fired at the
men from the windows OF the ada
cent houses. Companies e and NJ. of
the Second Oregon Volunteers, md NJ
and c of the Thirteenth Minnesota
Volunteers, under Major Willis, were
hastily reinforced by Major Goodale's
battalion of the Twenty-third Infan
try, and an attempt was made to clean
ever shots were fired from half a doz-
en- streets at once. and when this fusil-
lade was followed by volleys from
Mausers in the vicinity Of he railway
station it was realized that the enemy
had sneaked around TO the left flank
of the outposts at Calooocan, by way
of the creeks and estuaries of Vitas
District, and that there was other
work than fighting the fire to be done.
AS the strength of the enemy was
unknown it was a ticklish situation to
cope with, but it mad to be met. and
the Americans, regulars and volun-
teers alike, met it like men. A. Skin
mish line fully a quarter of a mile
long was formed and advanced under
cover of huts and trees until the reb
els were discovered behind hastily
formed barricades of paving stones
and street car rails, commanding two
streets, and within two stone buildings.
The firing from bushes and shacks
became SO hot that it was found neces-
sary to set fire to other shacks to wind
ward in order TO smoke the rebeltS
out, and this having been done, an ad-
vance was made upon the parricades.
Both were carried with rush, but
the rebels made a determined stand
within the ruins Of an old church, and
it was not until a detachment of the
Oregon Volunteers fanked them from
an adjacent brick building that they
were moved. Thirty were shot within
this enclosure and six more in another.
Once the rebels commenced to fall
back it was easy to keep them moving,
they threw up barbados and
hastily entrenched themselves near
the terminus of the Malabon street
railway.
This, however, occupied all of Thurs
day morning, the rebels not being
driven out of the city limits until long
after daylight. While they left 113
dead on the ground and several hun
dred were taken prisoners, many es-
capped into the swamp lands north of
the city, this side of Caloocan, and are
still believed to be in hiding there.
In order to guard against further at
tacks of this nature the whole of this
section has been cleared, all the ma
tive shacks having been destroyed by
fire. The American loss was one pri-
vate of the Twenty+third Infantry kill
ed, an officer and three privates of the
Volunteers and private of
the Oregon Volunteers wounded.
While all of this was happening be-
yond the scene of the fire the flames
rapidly consumed whole blocks of
bamboo structures, the popping Of the
canes conveying the impress
sion that a regular battle was being |
fought. So long as the fire was con-
fined TO this class of buildings no eff |
fort was made to suppress it; but when |
it spread to other streets lined with
stone and brick buildings battalion !
Of the Twenty-third Regiment relieved
the native fremen and fought the
flames until noon, when they were
finally subdued.
1t is impossible to estimate the
amount Of damage done by these 40
fires, fully 1000 buildings being de-
stroyed, together with heir contents.