The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-03
SCENES AT MANILA'S FIRE.
STORY OF THE INSURGENTS At
TEMPT TO BURN THE TOWN.


Fire ConnagratIon Consumed
whole blocks of Light Structures.
| Especial Correspondence OF the Associated
Press)
Manila. March /. via steamer Nippon
Maru to San Francisco, April 2--After
many false alarms and frustrated attempts
the oft-repeated attempts OF the rebels to
burn Manila and massacre every European
and American within its walls eliminated
In a disastrous connagraton and an at
| tempted uprising, which was promptly
checked on the night OF Washingtons
birthday
That preconcerted Arrangements had
been made TO fire the city In half dozen
places simultaneously there can be no
doubt but. fortunately. the plans mis-
| carried for several reasons, and the ma
lives themselves, or at least, their SYM
pathizers lost as much II not more, than
those upon whom they sought to wreaa
| their vengeance
queter day than that of Feb. % ID
would be difficult 10 imagine All the
banks and leading mercantile houses were
closed. and. except for The fact that the
|
! Sunday than holiday. the excessive heae
| ana condition of affairs outside having
| Kept most people indoors About sun
| down, however, the town bestirred itself.
| aud the streets We're soon filled with peo-
pie taking an airing after dinner. it being
| the custom here to dine at 8 o'clock and
| retire Immediately afterward.
| Caused "a Feeling OF Horror.
Just as long strings of carriages which
| fhar fh.s
! Luneta were forming 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 wild scramble for the city
| Even when this was reached and
il was ascerained that the fire was In the
| Santa Cruz district some distance from
tne residence section. the alarm was una
bated for no one doubted that incendaries
| were at work. and no one knew where the
| next blaze might be started
on the streets in the vicinity of the fire
! which was within two blocks OF the
| Escoieta, the widest confusion reigned
| for some time, people scurrylng here. there
and everywhere. The blaze had started
in row OF two-story modern buildings
| with stone foundations on the Gale ln
4
| and as several Of these had been fred
within a few minutes of each other, II soon
assumed alarming proportions
work Of the Local Firemen.
The local fire brigade turned out with
| commendabe promptitude, but with more
| zeaf than discretion, proceeded 10 pour
| three tiny streams Of water from many
| lines Of hose upon the red hot brick walls
| OF the first buildings fired, which were all
| of NJ To
/ prevent those opposite and adjacent from
| lanitIng. The consequence was that by the
| time Gen. Hughes and his men arrived ON
| the scene, and commenced to clear tbs
| streets, the fire was spreading on both
| sides Of the Gale la Coste, and a stlfG
| breeze was flaming u forward.
During the excitement the hose was cut
several times, and other impediments plac-
| ed In the way of the firemen. On hearing
| this, Gen. Hughes issued orders 10 his
men to shoot the first man who interfered
| with the checking Of the flames or started
| TO do So Several natives. who picked up
| burning wands and started off with them
were either shot or bayonetted BY the
| guards, and then general roundup of ala
| natives on the streets was ordered.
Natives Put Cnder Guard.
| As thousands Of people were vacatins
| their houses ana carrying off their err
| fects and the sidewalks and roadways
were Uttered with furniture for blocks.
| this was work OF some difficulty. bud
| by degrees the soldiers corraled hundreds
Of protesting natives and hustled them
| into yards and vacant lots where they
were guarded until the excitement SUBJ
| sided.
About o'clock the European volunteers
| fire brigade arrived on the scene, with a
modern engine. and after three hours.
| work the FIRE was controlled. Meantime.
the whole of the block in which the blaze
| originated, two-thIrds OF the one on the
| opposite side OF the street and a bloclz
west Of II had become Quilted completely.
After this followed the fire In the direc-
ton of densely populated native district
| OF Condo, and the battle between the
American troops and the insurgents. wno
| had sneaked into the town.
was other Fighting 10 Do.
1t was Immediately realized that there
was other work than lighting fire ahead.
| The Americans, regulars and volunteers
alike, met the situation like men, skir-
mish line fully quarter Of mile long
was formed. and advanced under cover Of
| huts and trees until the rebels were dis
covered behind hastily formed barbados
| of paving stones and street car rails, COM
handing two streets ana within two stone
buildings.
The firing from bushes and shacks be-
came so hot that 1t was found necessary
to fire the shacks 10 windward in order TO
smoke the rebels out, and this having been
done, an advance was made upon the bar
ricades. Both were carried with a rush.
but the rebels made a determined stand
within the ruin Of an old church, and II
was not until a detachment Of Oregon vol
unteors hapked them from an adjacent
brick building that they were moved.
Thirty we're shot within this enclosure and
six more In another.
Rebels Left 1I3 Dead.
The rebels commenced 10 fan back; IL
was easy TO keep them moving, although
they threw up barricades and hastily en-
trenched themselves near the terminus %
the Malabon street railway This how
ever, occupied ali Of Thursday morning.
the rebels not being driven out OF the civ
limits until long after daylight They left
llS dead on the ground. and several hum