Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-02-25

NUtStIOu hCICEt tuE w az
ing Committee; DIR. DaIy's Interest,"
ing Testimony Captain Bob -
Evans Guest at Banquet - Notes
From Field and Capitol.
Manila, Feb 23.-Immense damage has
been done by fires, started by insurgents
last night. The fire department has
experienced great difficulty in fighting
the flames, owing to defective apparatus.
There was some fighting in the streets
during the night, but the Americans
quickly quelled the uprising.
A number of the insurgents We're killed
and several American soldiers We're
wounded.
A large market place was among the
n.st to burn. Between coo and 200 res
licences and business houses have been
destroyed. Fires We're started at sev-
cral points simultaneously, and, spread
ing with great rapidity, resisted all et'
forts to control them,
Hundreds of homeless natives were
huddled in the streets. making the pa
troll duty of the Americans very difficult.
At s c clock an incendiary fire occurred
in block of brick buildings occupied by
Chinese on Gale Lacoste, in the Santa
cruz district. A stiff breeze was blowing
and the inilammability of the structure
caused the blaze to spread with alarm
ing rapidty. The city fire department
was hopelessly incompetent and the
English volunteer brigade from Santa
Mesa was summoned, and with modern
engine. pumping adequate streams from
the canal, succeeded, after four hours
work, in getting the blaze under con-
troll.
Meantime the entire block and the
greater part Of two others across the
street We're completely gutted.
Hundreds of inhabitants were rerdere
homeless.
The Chinese and natives lined the ad-
jacent streets, while hundreds more,
fearing IL general coniagra tion removed
their furniture and other portable goods
in every direction within radius of Il
quarter of mile when the alarm was
first given.
General Hughes personally superin-
tended the police arrangements The
whole city was thoroughly putroled and
guards were doubled. Every available
man was dispatched to the region of the
fire. Impediments were placed in the
way of tho tremen; and the hose was cut
five different times. This resulted in all
the natives being driven off the streets.
those in the immediate vicinity of the
blaze being corralled in vacant lots and
guarded until the excitement was over.
In many instances the natives were in
solent and paid no regard to the orders
given them, and the soldiers were COM
PEELED to use harsh measures The butts
Of their rifles and their bayonets were
freely applied.
The danger from live electric light
wires necesstated the closing of the cir
cult in the burning region, and the only
light in certain parts of the city was that
furnished by the blaze.
fire was started in the Tondo district.
where the natives are thickest, and when
the fremen and soldiers attempted to
work a regular fusillade of rifle and re-
volver shots We're fired from the windows
and roofs of buildings. The firemen,
escorted by soldiers. proceeded to clean
out the houses, while the fire was un-
needed.
The Thirteenth Minnesota was re-
intorced by detachments from the Third
infantry the Second Oregon, the Third
artillery and the Tenth Pennsylvania.
Bullets flew in every direction in al
most every street in the Tondo and
Binondo district, causing the most in
tense excitement. Captain Robinson Of
company c, Thirteenth Minnesota, and
three men were wounded.
Many timid persons, imagining that
the rebels had effected an entrance
through the American lines, and were
advancing into the city. hurried fran
tically from their hotels and houses. only
TO he stopped at the first corner by a
guard The sounding of a native bugle
call, Immediately preceding the firing.
lent color to the story.
Thousands of Chinese crossed the
bridges and plazas under fire. hurrying
with their bundles to the Chinese CON
sulate. All night long the fire spread
through the Tondo district. sweeping
away rows of houses, ana devastating
acres of territory.
The damage was incstimable. With
daylight punitive measures We're de-
cided upon, and the Americans, though
tired after their sleepless nights work,
soon cleared the district of every native
after slight resistance
Washington, Feb. 23- When the court
of inquiry to investigate the army beef
controversy met yesterday Colonel
Davis. the recorder. announced that the
examination of witnesses So far sum
moned and reported was about conclud-
ed. The court should consider now, he
thought. the question of further sum
mons and procedure.
Yesterdays proceedings developed
little that was new. The testimony, with
the exception of that of DR.. DAILY, surgeon
on the staff of General Miles during the
war, and of Colonel Woodruff, assistant
commissary general. was generally in
line with that of Tuesday
The canned beef was generally con-
demned as unsatisfactory. while the re-
frigerated beef was commended the
Small PON in Two CitiCs