Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-02-11
Saturday, February II, 1899.

ter supply ana OrlnS aoout Watel
famine in the city, it was considered
very necessary that the Americans
should have control. Four or five
companies of Nebraska troops were
sent to take the pumping station. The
Filipinos fought desperately ; but were
finally forced TO flee before the ma
chine guns and rifles of the Americans.
Before leaving the pumping station,
the Filipinos detached valves and cyl
inder heads, ETC., with view to car.
rying them off and disabling the plant.
No repairs could be had easily. The
report, however, is that the missing
pieces were quickly recovered, and
the machinists among the American
soldiers were getting the machinery in
order again.
Aguinaldo has issued number oil
proclamations. The first was a de-
claration of war on Saturday. 1t direc-
ted that captured Americans soldiers
be treated as prisoners of war. The
next proclamation, issued on Monday,
complained at the treatment that had
been accorded all along to the Fill.
pipos by the Americans, and charged
that the Americans had upjustly and
unexpectedly provoked the outbreak
of hostilities on Saturday night.
During Monday and Tuesday, a
half dozen or 80 Americans were taken
prisoners by the Filipinos. They were
caught in the jungles, out of reach OF
help. Lieutenant A. L. Ford, com.
pany I, Twentieth Kansas, was killed
on Tuesday while reconnoitering, and
six men who were with him, were
wounded.
1t is understood in Washington that
the campaign against the Filipinos is
to be prosecuted with vigor. The ques.
ton was fully discussed at last Tues
days cabinet meeting, and the conclu-
sion was reached that before permanent
peace or security to life and property
could be secured, Aguinaldo's forces
must be made to lay down their arms,
and it is expected that General Otis, in
cooperation with Admiral Dewey, will
push forward at once and give the
insurgents no chance 10 recover from
the defeat of last Sunday. So far as
can be learned, no positive instructions
have vet been cabled to our comman-
ders at Manila but it is the expectation
of members of the administration, pre-
sumably based upon cable advices,
that this course will be pursued. Iloilo
is to be occupied at once by the naval
forces, apd it is expected that General
Otis will move Immediately on Malo'
los, the insurgent capital, and capture
or disperse the so-called Filipino gov
erpment. The more closely the in-
surgents are pressed, and the more
vigorous and determined the campaign,
it is said, the sooner may we expect
peace.
A striking feature of the situation
during the past few days, has been
the interest of the non-combatant
Filipinos over the question as to when
the Americans would execute the
prisoners already captured. 1t had
been the habit of the Spaniards to kill
all insurgent prisoners, and the FIlipi-
nos, especially the lower classes, ex-
pect the Americans to do the same
thing. Hundreds of Filipino women
have crowded about the headquarters
of the American commanders to plead
for clemency in behalf of relatives
fathers, husbands, sons, etc. When
told that the prisoners will be taken
good care of and we'll fed, they are
unable to understand the situation.
The American troops are said to be
in the best of spirits. They look upon
the fighting rather as picnic than
war. They realize fully that the Fill
pinos are no match for them. A Colo
radoan discussing, on Wednesday, the
capture of the waterworks, said it re
minded him more than anything else
of a rabbit drive on the Colorado
plains.
During Thursday the Filipinos fired
a number of shots at the American
positions with field pieces. The range,
however, was so great that no harm
was done, and the Americans did not
see fit to reply.
Agoncllo, the Filipino agent now
in Montreal, is doing considerable
talking. He says that he is in position
to prove that General Otis made
the attack of Saturday night on direct
and special orders from Washington.
He claims also that the Americans
will be very anxious for peace before
they get it. 1t is not conceded that
Agoncillo amounts to much, however.
A Washington dispatch of Thurs.
day says that at that time General
Miller was expected to begin, within
4S hours, all attempt 10 occupy llollo,
on the island of Panay. This move
ment would have commenced some
time ago, but was deferred on account
of the massing of the insurgents around
Manila. Iloilo is the second impor-
tant city of the Philippines. The
Fifty-frst Iowa regiment was Sent to
occupy it some weeks ago. The Span.
iards, however, had already evacuated
the city to the Filipinos, and as the
Filipinos were inclined to resist, it was
not thought advisable to force the issue
at that time. The Iowa regiment also
had been on shipboard ever since leav'
ing Honolulu, and it was thought de-
sirable to allow the men to stretch
their legs for few days before giving
them active service. The Filipinos
have been boasting their ability to hold
Iloilo against the Americans, and it is
probable that General Miller's occu'
L.. har. lI Iltrh.