The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-03
Incendiaries Start Fires in Vari-
GUS Sections of the Town.
THE WORK OF FILIPINOS
But for the Prompt Action of General
Hughes the City Would Have
Been Doomed - Many
Natives Killed.

Maru, san francisco, April 2.-After
many false alarms and frustrated at
tempts. the oft-repeated threats Of the
rebels ito burn Manila and massacre ev-
cry European and American within its
walls, eliminated in disastrous con-
fiagration and an attempted uprising
which. was promptly checked on the
night of Washington'ts birthday. That
preconcerted arrangements had been
made to fire the city in half a dozen
different places simultaneously there
can be no doubt, but fortunately the
plans miscarred for various reasons
and the natives themselves or at least
their sympathizers, lost as much, if nos
more, than those upon whom they
sought to Wreak their vengeance.
A quieter day than that of February
% it would be difficult to imagine All
the banks and leading mercantile hous-
es were closed. and except for
the fact that the saloons were open,
it seemed more like Sunday than a hol-
iday, the excessive heat and the condi-
ton of affairs outside having kept most
people indoors About shutdown. how
ever, the town aired itself and the
streets were soon filled with people TAX
ing an airing before dinner it being the
custom here to dine at o'clock and re-
tire Immediately afterward. Just as
the long strings of carriages which
pass and repass each other We're form
ing for the procession homeward, a
dense, black column of smoke rolled up
above the intervening roofs and almost
Immediately afterward an Ominous red
glare was reflected from the sky Muir
murs of horror were followed by sharp
orders to coachmen and there was a
RI -0~o. Ill Al.
this was reached and it was ascertain
ed that the fire was in the Santa Cruz
district. some distance from the resi-
dence section, the alarm was not abat-
ed. for no one doubted that incendiaries
We're at work and no one knew where
the next blaze might not be started
On the streets in the vicinity of the
fire, which was within two blocks of the
Escolta the widest confusion reigned
for some time, people scurrying here
there and everywhere. The blaze had
started in row of 'tWo-story modern
buildings with brick foundations. on the
Gale Ia COSte, in the certer of the Chi
nese section, and several of these
had been fired within a few minutes of
each other, it soon assumed alarming
proportions. The local fire brigade
turned out with commendable prompti-
tude, but with more zeal than discre-
ton proceeded to pour three tiny
streams of water from as many lines
Of hose upon the red hot brick walls
of the first building fired. which was al
ready doomed, instead of attempting
10 prevent those opposite and adjacent
from igniting. The consequence was
by the time General Hughes and his
men arrived on the scene and com
menced to clear the streets the fire
was spreading on both sides of the Gale
Ia Coste, and stiff breeze was tanning
1t forward. During the excitement the
nose was cut five times and ether i'm
pediments placed in the way of the fire.
men, Upon learning of this, General
Huohes issued orders to his men to
shoot the first man who interfered with
the checking Of the flames or attempt
ed 10 start others. Several natives who
picked up burning wands and darted off
with them were either shot or bayonet-
ted by the guards. and then a general
roundup of all natives on the streets in
the vicinity was ordered. AS thou
sands of people We're Vacating their
houses and carrying off Itheir effects
and the sidewalks and roadways were
uttered with furniture for blocks this
was work of some difficulty but by
degrees the soldiers COrralled hundreds
of protesting natives and hustled them
into yards and vacant lots, where they
We're guarded until the excitement sub
sided
About o'clock the European fire hri
gade arrived on the scene with a mod
ern engine. and after three hours work
the hre was controlled. Meantime. the
whole of the block where the blaze or
1glnated, tWo+thirds of that on tha on
posNe side of the street and a block
and a half west of it had heen com
pletely Quilted
From spectacular standpoint. the
f1re was magnificent sight, the flames
leaplng from the wooden structures 80
feet into the air, while millions of
sparks glistened among the rolling
clouds of smoke. and fell in golden
showers upon adjacent roofs. Scores
OF nres were started by these sparks
TO windward, but as everyone was
alive to this, they were promptly
quenched in their incipiency.
shortly after midnight just as the
weary workers and watchers were re-
pairing to their homes. congratulating
themselves that the fire, bad though
It was, had been no worse, another
bla%e was reflected from the smoke
peciouded sky in the direction of the
Iondo This being the most densely
populated native district in the CITY
which had always been identified with
the rebel cause, preparations were a
once made for trouble, and If was moi
long in coming.
NO sooner had the fire brigade con-
pied Its hose and commenced to play
upon the names. which had again start
ed in bunch of buildings occupied nv
Chinese, than shots were fired at rho
men from the windows Of adjacent
houses. Companies E and NJ of the ID
Oregon volunteers and NJ and G of the
18th Minnesota volunteers. under Ma ior
Williams, were hastily reinforced by
Major Goodale's battalion of the 23d in
fantry, and an attempt was made to
clean out the neighborhood Suddenly
however, shots were fired down half q
dozen streets at once, and when this
fusillade was followed by volleys from
Mausers in the vicinity of the railway
station it was realized that the enemy
had sneaked around TO the left flank OF
the outposts at Caloocan by way of the
creeks and estuaries in the Vitas dis
trict, and that there was other work
than fighting fire to be done. AS the
strength of the enemy was unknown
1t was a ticklish situation to cope
with, but it had to met. and the Amer
leans, regulars and volunteers alike.