The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-03

engine and after hours work the fire
was controlled. Meantime the whole OF
the block in which the blaze originated.
two-ihirds of that on the other side OF
the street ana block and a half was COM
pletely gutted.
shcriiy after midnight. just as the
weary workers and watchers were repair
ing TO their quarters congratulations them
selves that The FIRE, bad though 1; was
had been no worse, another blaze was re-
fected from the smoke becloudcd skies in
the direction of Tondo. This being tho
mos denscly populated native district In
The city. which had always been identified
with tho rebel cause, preparations we're
at once made FOR trouble, and it was not
long in coming. No sooner had the fire
brigade coupled it's hose aud commenced
10 play upon tho flames. which had again
started In a block OF buildings occupied by
Chinese Than shots were fired nj the men
from windows OF adjacent houses. Com
panies L and II OF tho Second Oregon
volunteers and NJ and +. Thirteenth Min
nesnta volunteers under Major Wills
were hastily reinforced by Major Goodale's
battalions OF the Twenty-third infantry
and an attempt WAS made to clean out
these neighborhoods. Suddenly, however
shots were fired down half
fisillade was followed by volleys from
Mausers in the vicinity OF the
railway station 1t was realized the enemy
had sneakcd around to the left flank of
the outposts az CaloocHn by way of inc
creeks and estuaries in The Villas district
and thai there WAS other work than
fighting fire TO be done. AS the strength
Of The enemy was unknown il was tick
lish situation TO cope with but it had to
be met and the Americans, regular aud vol
unteers alike, met 1t like men A skirmiEh
line fully quarter of mile long was
formed and advanced under cover of
houses and streets until the rebels were
discovered behind hastily formed barri-
eades OF paving stones and street cars
commanding two sireots, and within two
stono buildings. The firing from bushes
ana shacks became SO hot that II was found
necessary to set FIRE to other ahacks to
windward in order to smoke the rebels
out and, this having been done. an ad-
vance was made upon the barricades
Both were carried with a rush, but the
rebels made determined stand within
the ruins of an old church, and It was
not until detachment Of the Oregon vol
unteers ilanked them from an adjacent
brick building that thoy were moved
Thirty were shot within this enclosure and
six more In another
once the rebels commenced TO fall bacl,
1t was easy to keep them moving. although
they threw up barricadcs and hastily en-
Tenched themselves near the terminus of
the Malabon street railway. This how
ever, occupied all OF Thursday morning
the rebels not being driven out OF the CITY
limits until long after daylight. While thew
left lis dead on the ground and several
hundred were taken prisoners. many es-
capped into the swamp lands north Of the
city. this side OF Caloocan. and are still
believed TO be in hiding there In order
to guard against further attacks of this
nature the whole of this section has be n
cleared, all the native shacks having beeri
burned. The American loss was one pri-
vate OF the Twenty-third infantry killed.
an officer and three prlvates OF the Mime
sofa volunteers and a private OF the Oregon
volunteers wounded.
While all this was happening beyond the
scene of the fire. the flames rapidly con-
| stunned whole blocks OF bamboo structures.
the popping Of exploding canes conveying
tho idea that battle was being fought. So
( long as the ire was confined to this class
OF buildings no effort was made to sup
! press 1t, but when 1t spread TO other street,,
J lined with stone and brick buildings a bat
talon OF the Twenty-thlrd infantry re-
lieyed tho native fremcn and fought the
/ flames until noon, when they were finally
subdued. It is impossible TO estimate the
( amount Of damage done by these fires.
fully 1000 building being destroyed together
with their contents.