Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-08-12

1
| A few hours after the capture of the
blOckhouses Companies | and D were
selected to join a column which Colo
mel Stotsenberg of the Nebraskas was
to lead for the recovery of the Manila
waterworks pumping stations from the
| hands Of the Filipinos. The natives
were shelled out of the works on the
bank of Mariquina river while the
troops were taking the blockhouses
| Before leaving. they disconnected CYL
| inders and other important parts of
| the machinery. Dashing forward in
| the wake of the shells and the patter-
| ing bullets which rained over the hill
| side, the Colorado boys swooped down
| upon the building and hoisted a flag,
| then took possession of the stone bar
| racks for a citadel against the return
of the Filipinos. Being in no mood for
| further fighting with the captors of
their blockhouses or thinking they had
rendered the works useless, the natives
But the works were at standstiIl and
Manila in danger of a water famine.
A tedious search in all the hooks and
crannies Of the buildings, in the wells
Of the vicinity and even in the deep
water Of the river failed to bring to
light the important links which would
set the machinery moving.
With great cunning the insurgents
had chosen the most convenient and
most unlikely place for concealment-
the cOalroom, where there remained
pile Of coal resting upon a clay floor.
Underneath the center Of the pile were
the coveted parts, but in the haste of
leaving, under the pressure of the
American shells, the diggers had left
a showing of fresh clay, which attract
ed the eyes of Artificer Guy Hays Of
Company |. Hays kicked the coal one
side and found soft soil to his feet.
Getting a shovel, he began to dig, and
others fell to work with him. Soon
they struck something hard, and in
few hours the waterworks of Manila
were gushing abundant supplies for
the thirsty inhabitants and garrison.
Those exciting hours of Feb. 5 and
were followed by a long wait of the
Colorados in the main works around
Manila. But on March 16 the regiment
moved out upon the Maraquina road
to guard what it so gallantly won six
weeks before, the extensive water
works plant on Maraquina river. The
pumping station. reservoir and pipe
line connecting offer front of four
miles, exposed at every point to Filipi-
no attack. This line the Colorados
covered, and Colonel Mccoy at once
set about finding what was on his
front in way of fighting natives. He
went out on the 10th with 125 men
under Major Anderson. marching upon
the town of Old Maraquina. The in
surgents were fortified there and gave
good battle. doing some especially
fine shooting.
Private McCauley, Of Company E,
describes the advance as follows: The
line of skirmishers," he says, made It's
way through the fences, and as we
passed an open spot in the timber
fringing the river, there came from the
canetield on the other side yolleys Of
Mauser bullets. For the first time in
our experience the insurgents shot low
and had our range to perfection. If
our company had been in close forma-
ton, there would have been a tale of
death to tell. No sooner, however, had
the bullets begun to sing than the
Colorado bugle sounded 'Lie down"
and Commence firing" So fiat on our
bellies we threw ourselves and raked