The Chipley banner. (Chipley, Washington County, Fla.) 1893-1943, 1899-03-04
|NCEND|ARY FIRES IN MANILA
AMERICANS HAVE DIFFICULTY IN
sUBDUING THE FLAMES.
HUNDREDS RENDERED HOMELESS
Troops and Natives Have Several Clashes
In which Number ofthe
Latter Are Killed.

A special cable dispatch OF Wednes-
day from Manila says: immense dam
age has been done by fires which are
believed to have been started by insur-
gents Tuesday night.
The fire department experienced
great difficulty in fighting the flames,
owing to defective apparatus.
There was some fighting in the
streets during the night, but the Amer
leans quickly quelled the uprising. A
number Of the insurgents were killed,
and several American soldiers were
wounded.
Alarge market place was among the
first to burn; between 600 and 700
residences and business houses have
been destroyed. Fires were started
at several points simultaneously, and
spreading with great repidity, resisted
the efforts to control them. Hundreds
Of homeless natives are huddled in the
streets, making the patrol duty Of the
Americans very difficult.
Tuesday night was one Of terror to
thousands Of the inhabitants of Manila,
the rebels making good their Oft
repeated threats to the extent of burn
ing acres OF buildings, wounding an
officer and three men by firing through
windows during the.excitement.
Ats o'clock an incendiary fire oc-
Cured in q block Of brick buildings
occupied by Chinese on the Gale
Lacoste, in the Santa Cruz district.
| A stiff breeze was blowing and the in
fammability of the structures caused
the blaze to spread with alarming
rapidity.
The city fire department was hope
lessly incompetent and the English
volunteer brigade from Santa Mesa
was summoned and with modern en-
CINE pumping adequate streams from
the canal, succeeded after four hours
work in getting the blaze.under con-
troll. Meantime the entire block and
the greater part Of two others across
the street were completely Quilted.
Hundreds OF inhabitants were rem
dered homeless.
The Chinese and natives lined the
adjacent streets, while hundreds more,
fearing general confagration, re.
moved their furniture and other port
able goods in every direction within
radius OF O quarter of O mile, when
the alarm was first given.
General Hughes personally super
intended the police arrangements.
The whole city was thoroughly pa
trolled, and the guards we're doubled
Every available man was dispatched
to the region of the fire.
Efforts OF Firemen Resisted.
impediments were place in the way
OF the firemen, and the hose cut five
different times. This resulted in al
the natives being driven off the streets
those in the immediate vicinity of the
blaze being corralled in vacant lots ant
guarded until the excitement wal
over. In many instances the nativeI
were insolent, and paid no regard t.
the orders given them, and the sol
diers were compelled to use harsl
measures.
The firemen, escorted by the sol
diers, proceeded to clean out tn
houses, while the fire was unheeded
The Thirteenth Minnesota was rein
forced by detachments from the Thir'
infantry, the Second Oregon, tn
Third artillery and the Tenth Penn
sylvania. Bullets few in every direc
ton, in almost every street in thu
Tondo and Bynondo districts, causing
; the most intense excitement.
Captain Robinson, Of Company @
Thirteenth Minnesota, and three mel
were wounded.
All night long the fire sprea'
through the Tondo district, sweeping
away rows OF houses and devastating
acres Of territory. The damage wa
inestimable. With daylight measure
! were decided upon and the Americans
, though tired, after their sleeples
> highs work, soon cleared the distric
!. Of every native, after q slight resist
ance.
NuunvppnS RESpITPn-