Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1899-03-03
RESIDENTS ALARMED.

Feared thr Rebels Had Effected an En-
trance Into the City.
MANILA. Feb. 23-Last night was
one of terror to thousands Of inhabitants
of MANILA the rebels making good their
oft-repeated threats to the extent Of
burning acres Of buildings, wounding an
officer and three men by firing through
windows during the excitement.
At o'clock an incendiary fire oc-
CURED in Il block of brick buildings
occupied by Chinese on the Gala la
Coste, in the Chinese district A stiff
breeze was blowing and the infiamlna
bllity of the structures caused the blaze
to spread with alarming rapidity. The
city fire department was hopelessly in
competent and the English volunteer
brigade from Santa Mesa was sum-
moned, and with modern engine,
pumping adequate streams from the
canal, succeeded. after four hours
work, in getting the blaze under con-
troll. Hundreds of inhabitants were
rendered homeless.
Compelled to Use Harsl, Measures.
General Hughes personally superin-
tended the police arrangements. The
whole city was thoroughly patrolled
and guards were doubled. Every avail
able man was dispatched to the region
of the fire. Impediments were placed
in the way Of the firelnen and the hose
was cut five different times. This re-
suited in all the natives being driven off
the streets, those in the Immediate vi
cinity Of the blaze being corralled in
vacant lots and guarded until the ex-
citement was over. In many instances
the natives were insolent and paid no
regard to the orders given them and the
soldiers were compelled to use harsh
measures. The butts of their rifles and
their bayonets were freely applied.
The danger from live electric light
wires necessitated the closing of the
circuit in the burning regions and the
only light in certain parts of the city
was that furnished by the blaze.
Bullets Flew Thick and Fast.
Shortly after midnight another big
fire was started in the Tondo district,
where the natives are thick, and when
the soldiers and firemen attempted to
work a regular fusilade of rifle and re-
volver shots were fired from the win
dows and roofs Of the buildings. The
firemen, escorted by soldiers, proceeded
to clean out the houses, while the fire
was unheeded The Thirteenth Mime
sofa were reinforced by detachments
from the Third infantry, the Second
Oregon, the Third artillery and the
Tenth Pennsylvania. Bullets flew in
every direction i'll almost every street In
Tondo and Bonondo districts, causing
the most intense excitement.
Captain Robinson Of Company G.,
Thirteenth Minnesota, and three men
were wounded.
Many ti1nid persons, imagining that
the relels had effected an entrance
Through the American Lines
and We're advancing into the city, hur-
ried frantically from the hotels and
houses only to be stopped at the first
corner by a guard. The sounding of
n;stive bugle call immediately preced-
ing the firing lent color to the story.
Thousands of Chinese crossed the
bridges and plazas under fire, hurrying
with their bundles to the Chinese con-
sulate. All night long the fire. spread
through the Tondo district, sweeping
away rows of houses and devastating
acres of territory.
The damage was inestimable. With
daylight punitive measures were de-
cided upon and the Americans, al
though tired after their sleepless nights
work, soen cleared the district of every
native after slight resistance.