The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-04-03
MANILA UPRISING.
Story of the Attempt Made to Burn
the City.


the City.
Staff Correspondence Of the Associated
Press.
MANILA, P. l., March 1 (via Steamer
Nippon Maru 10 San Francisco, April D.
After many false alarms and frustrated
attempts, the repeated threats Of the
rebels to burn Manila and massacre every
European and American within it's walls
eliminated in a disastrous con1agration
and an attempted uprising, which was
promptly checked, on the night of Wash
ington's birthday.
A quteter day than that Of Feb % 1t
would be difficult to imagine. About sun
down, however, the town bestirred itself
and the streets were soon filed with peo-
pie. Just as the long strings of car
riages which daily pass and repass each
other on the Luneta were forming for
procession homeward a dense black col
umn of smoke rolled UP above the inter-
vening roofs. and almost Immediately
afterward red glare was reflected from
the sky. The fire was in the Santa Cruz
district, in row of two-story modern
buildings, with brick foundations, on the
Gale la Coste, in the center Of the Chi
nese section, and as several of these had
been fired within a few minutes of each
tions. By the time Gen. Hughes and his
men arrived and began to clear the
streets the fire was spreading ON both
sides Of the Gale la Coste and a brisk
wind was tanning the flames onward
During the excitement the hose was cut
five times and other impediments placed
in the way of the flremen. Gen Hughes
issued orders to shoot the first man who
interfered with the checking Of the flames
or ATTEMPTED to start others. Several ma
t1ves who picked up burning brands and
darted off with them were either shot or
bayoneted by the guards, and then a gen
eral roundup Of all natives on the streets
In the vicinity was ordered.
About o'clock the European volun-
teer fire brigade arrived on the scene with
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 that on the op-
posite side Of the street and a block and
q half west of it had been completely
gutted.
Shortly after midnight another blaze
started in the direction of Tondo. This
being the most densely populated native
district in the city, which had always
been identified with the rebel cause. prep
arat1OnS were at once made for the
trouble, and it was not long in coming
No sooner had the fire brigade coupled
Its hose than shots were fired at the men
from windows Of adjacent houses Com
panies E and M of the Second Oregon
volunteers, and M and F, Thirteenth Min
nesota volunteers, under Maj. Wills, were
hastily reinforced by a battalion of the
Twentythird infantry and an attempt
was made to clean out the neighborhood.
Suddenly, however, shots were fired down
half dozen streets at once, and when
this fusillade was followed by volleys from
Mausers in the vicinity of the railway sta
tion it was realized the enemy had sneak
ed around to the left flank of the outposts
at Caloocan by way of the creeks and es-
tuaries in the Vitas district and there was
other work than fighting fire to be done
A skirmish line fully a quarter of a mile
long was formed and advanced under
cover of huts and trees until the rebels
were discovered behind hastily formed
bardcades Of paving stones and street
carts, commanding two streets and with
in two stone buildings. The firing from
bushes and shacks became so heavy that
an adyanke was made upon the barri-
cades. Both were carried with rush,
but the rebels made determined stand