The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1899-03-01
BY THE TORCH OF INCEND|AR|ES.
MANILA AFLAME.
Natives Damage the Fire-Fighting Apparatus
and the Property Loss Is Enor mous--
Several Insurgents Killed. I.

The rebels of the Philippines are now
usiSg the torch of the incendlary. Inn
mense damage has already been done
by the flames, not to the Americans
but to the possessions of their own
people.
There was an outbreak of incendiar-
ism, accompanied by fighting, in Ma
Mia Thursday evening. The casual
Ties were few, but the property loss Is
normous.
The fire department has experienced
Ireat difficulty i'm fighting the flames,
wing to defective apparatus. 1t Is
eported that the natives have damag-
ID the apparatus.
There was some fighting In the
streets during the night. but the Ame-
r'cans quickly quelled the uprising. A
number of the insurgents were killed
and several American soldiers were
wounded.
A large market place was among the
first to burn. Between six and seven
hundred residences and business hous-
es have been destroyed. Fires were
started at several points simultaneous
ly, and spreading with great rapidity,
resisted all efforts to control them.
Hundreds of homeless natives are
huddled in the streets, making the
patrol duty of the Americans very diff
ficult.
The enemy's sharpshooters have
been particularly active about Caloo-
can for the past few days. Special at
tention was paid to the three-gun bat
terry near the railroad and the inn
provement of the rebel craftsmanship
was very noticeable. The rebels fired
volleys at the battery, their bullets
frequently skimming the tops of the
sandbags. A lieutenant of the Twen-
tleth Kansas volunteers and three
other men were slightly wounded. A
l,l rt. ..@--
The rebel battery has not been used
since shell from the United States
double-turreted monitor Monadnock
exploded over II Saturday.
The enemy's fire was SO hot during
Friday night In the vicinity of the
Higgins house that the headquarters
was removed to a church 400 yards in
side the line.
A few small fires have destroyed the
native shacks IN various parts of the
city.
The Twentieth infantry Is being dis
embarked from the transport Scandia.
The regiment will be encamped on the
water front at the former quarters of
the Tennessee volunteers, temporarily.
Gen. Otis Saturday cabled the war
department as follows:
Manila. Feb 25.
"Scandia arrived last night. on
nights 21st and 22d and yesterday
morning insurgents troops gained ac-
cess to outskirts of city behind our
lines. Many In hiding and about 1000
entrenched themselves. Completely
routed yesterday, with loss of killed
and wounded about 500 and 200 prison.
ers. our loss very slight. City quiet
confidence restored; business pro-
gresslng."
Admiral Dewey has cabled the sec
retary of the navy that the battleship
Oregon should be sent to him immed-
lately for political reasons.
This information came in the follow
ing cablegram from General Otis:
condition of affairs quiet, progress
ing favorably. Anxiety need not be
felt in regard to. the situation. VIII
send small body of troops to Cebu,
where navy took quiet possession"
Admiral Dewey later cabled the
same news. 1t Is the purpose of the
admiral to establish the sovereignty of
the United States. at Cebu. the cap
ital OF The island, which Is populous
town of $4,000 inhabitants. 1t Is not be-
lieved that any serious difficulty will
attend this undertaking, as the in
surrection has never gained any
strength there.
War department reports say the is
land of Cebu Is the most important
province of the Nisayas group. its area
| being 1000 square miles and its popula-
tion more than half million. Under
the Spanish regime the capital was a
| city of considerable commercial and
| political importance.
I