The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-03


started.
On the streets in the vicinity OF the fire,
which was within two blocks of the Escolta,
the widest confusion reigned for some time,
people scurrying here there and every
where The blaze had started I'm a row of
two-stGy modern buildings, with brick
foundations on the Gale Ia Coste. in the
center Of the Chinese section, and as sew
eral Of these had been fired within a few
minutes of each other. it soon assumed
alarming proportions. The local fire brigade
turned out with commenda BILE promptitude
but with more zeal than discretion, proceed
ed 10 pour three tiny streams of water
from as many lines of hose upon the redhot
brick walls of the first building fired. which
was already doomed. instead of attempting
70 prevent those just adjacent from iGnit-
ing. The consequence was by the time
General Hughes and his men arrived on the
scene and commenced to clear the streets,
the fire was spreading on both sides of the
Gale In Coste and stiff breeze was tanning
it forward. During the excitement the hose
was cut five times and other impedimentS
placed in the way of the firemen.
NATIVES ROUNDED Up
on learning this General Hughes issued
orders 10 his men TO shoot the first man
who interfered with the checking of the
flames or attempted to start others. Sever
al natives who picked up burning wands
and darterd off with them, were either shot
or bayonetted by the guards, and then the
general roundup of all natives on the
streets in the vicinity was ordered. AS
thousands of people were vacating their
houses and carrying off their effects, and the
sidewalks and roadways were Uttered with
furniture for blocks, this was a work or
some difficulty, but by degrees the soldiers
corraIled hundreds of protesting natives and
hustled them into yards and vacant lots
whore they were guarded until the excite
ment subsided.
About 9 o'clock the European volunteer
fire brigade arrived the scene with n
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 east
side of the street and a block and half
west of it had been completely gutted
From a spectacular standpoint the fire was
a magnificent sight, the flames leaping from
the wooden structure fifty feet in the air,
while millions of sparks glistened among
the rolling clouds of smoke and fell In
golden showers upon adjacent roofs. Scores
of fires were started by these sparks to
windward. but as every one was alive TO
this danger they were promptly quenched
in their incipiency.
Shortly after midnight, just as the weary
workers and watchers were returning TO
their quarters, congratulating themselves
that the fire, bad though it was, had been
no worse, another blaze was reflected from
the smoke-beclouded sky in the direction
IL. a1xy
populated native district in the city which
had always been identified with the rebel
cause, preparations were at once made for
the trouble. and it was not long in coming.
No sooner had the fire brigade coupled its
hose and commenced TO play upon the
flames which had again started in block
of buildings occupied by Chinese, than
shots were fired at the men from the win
dows of adjacent houses. Companies + and
NJ, of the Second oregon Volunteers. and
Nj and +. of the Thirteenth Minnesota Vol
unteers, under Major Willis. were hastily
reinforced by Major Goodales battalion of
the Twenty-third Infantry. and an attempt
was made to clean out the neighborhood
A FIGHT WITH REBELS.
Suddenly, however, shots were fired down
a half-dozen streets at once and when this
fusilIade was followed by volleys from
Mausers in the vicinity of the railway sta
ton it was realized that the enemy had
sneaked around to the left flank of the out-
posts at Caloocan by way of the creeks ard
estuaries in the Vitas district, and that there
was other work than fighting fire TO be done.
As the strength of the enemy was unknown,
il was a ticklish situation 10 cope with, but
it had TO be met and the Americans, regulars
and volunteers alike met it like men. a
skirmish line fully a quarter of mile long,
was formed and advanced under cover of
huts and trees until the rebels were discov-
cred behind hastily formed barricades OF
paving stores and street rails, commanding
two streets and within two stone buildings.
The firing from bushes and shacks became
so hot that it was found necessary to set
fire to other shacks to windward in order TO
smoke the rebels, and this having been done
an advance was made upon the barricades.
Both were carried with d rush, but the
rebels made a determined stand within the
ruin of an old church, and it was not until Il
detachment of the Oregon Volunteers
flanked them from an adjacent brick build
ing that they were moved. Thirty were
shot within this inclosure and six more in
another. Once the rebels commenced to fall
back il was easy TO keep them moving, al
though they threw up barricades and hastily
entrenched thmselves near the terminus af
the Malabon street railway. This however,
occurred all of Thursday morning. the rebels
not being driven out of the city limits until
long after daylight. While they left 1l3 dead
on the ground and several hundred were
taken prisoners, many escaped into the
swamp lands north of the city, this side of
Caloocan, and are still believed to be in hid
ing there. In order to guard against further
attacks of this nature, the whole of this
section has been cleared, all the native
shacks have been destroyed by fire.
The American loss was one private of the
Twenty-thrd Infantry killed, an officer and
three privates of the Minnesota Volunteers
and a private of the oregon Volunteers
wounded.
While all this was happening beyond the
scene of the fire, the flames rapidly con-
sumed whole blocks of bamboo structures.
the popping of the exploding canes conveying
the impression that battle was being fought.
So long as the fire was confined 10 this class
of buildings no effort was made to suppress
it; but when it spread to other streets lined
with stone and brick buildings battlioa of
the Twenty-third Infantry relieved the ma
tive firemen and fought the flames until noon
when they finally subdued. 1t is i'm
possible To estimate the amount of damage
done by those two fires fully 1000 buildings
being destroyed, together with their con-
tents.
NOTES FROM BATTLEFIELDS.
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