The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-03
FIRST MANILA ATTACK
Rebels Had Arranged to Massacre. Europe.
ans and Americans.
1evN 10 Be FIRED IN DIFFERENT PLACES
Americans Were Too Quick for the
Natives and Killed iiJ Of Them
Fire Loss Heavy.

(Staff Correspondence Of Associated Press)
Manila. March I, via Steamer Nippon
Maru. to San Francisco, April AFTER
many false alarms and frustrated attempts,
the oft-repeated threats Of the natives TO
burn Manila and massacre OF every Euro
pean and American within its walls, oul-
minated in disastrous conlagration and
an attempted uprising which was promptly
Checked on the night OF Washington's
birthday. That precpncerted arrangements
had been made to fire the city in half a
dozen different places simultaneously there
can be no doubt But fortunately tho plans
miscarried for various reasons aud the
natives themselves, or at least their sym
pathizers. lost as much or more than these
upou whom they sought 10 wrcak their
vengeance quieter day than that OF
February 20 II would be difficult TO I'M
agine All the banks and leading merean-
tile houses were closed and except Tor the
fact that the saloons were open, II seemed
more like Sunday than holiday. the eA-
cessiye heat and the condition OF auahs
oItside having kept most people indoors.
About surdown, however. the town be
stirred itself and the streets we're soon
filled with people taking an airing a4ter
dinner Just after the long strings OF car
riages which daily pass and repass 9lea
other on the Luneta were returning nome
ward dense column Of smoke rolled up
above tLe Intervening roofs anO almost
Immediately afterward an cminous red
glare was reflected from the sky. Mur-
mufs OF horror were followed by sharp
orders TO coachmeu aud there was "a via
scrsmbe for the city. Even when this
WAS reached and II was asoertained that
the fire was in the Santa Cruz district.
some distance from the residence portion,
the alarm was not abated, for no one
doubted that incendiaries were at work
and none knew where the next blaze might
be started.
On the streets in the vicinity OF the fire
the greatest confusion rpigned for some
time. people scurrying here, there and ev-
erywhere The blaze had started In
row OF two-story modern buildings on
the Gale Ia Coste. Ia the center Of the
Cbiuese section, and as several OF these
had been fired within a few minutes OF
each other II soon assumed alarming pro-
portions. The local fire brigade turned
ont with commendabe promptitude nut
with more zeal than discretion proceeded
"a pour three thin streams OF water from
rs many lines Of hose upon the redh1t
hrick walls OF the first building tired.
which was already doomed instead OF at
tempting to prevent the standing adjacent
buildings from burning The consequence
was that by the time General Hughes and
bis men arrived on the scene and cont
irenced u clear the streets the hre spread
from the first building 10 the other eide
of the street and the breeze was faun'nf
II forward. During the excitement the
tose was cut five times and other imped-
iments placed in the way Of the fire men,
Upon learning Of this General Hughes Is
sued orders to his men to shoot the flrsl
man who interfered with the checking oil
the flames or attempted to start others
Several natives who picked up burning
wands and darted off with them were
either shot or bayonetted by the guards
and then a general roundup Of all ma
tives on the streets IN the vicinity wal
ordered.
AS thousands of people were vacatlul
their houses and carving off their Of
fecis the sidewalks and roadways wer,
Uttered with furniture for blocks. This
was the work of some difficulty. but by
degrees the soldiers corralled hundreds oil
the protesting natives and hrstled Them
into yards and vacant lots, where they
were guarded until the excitement sub
sided
At o'clock the European volunteer fro
nren arrived on the scene with a modern