Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1901-11-23

Marines Have Been Landed From
the Machias to Preserve the Neu-
trality of the lsthmus-CommuniC
ton With Panama Had Been Inter
rupted, but It Has Since Been RE-
established.
Colon. Nov. 21 1.-The Liberals made an
uneApcct, Il attack on Colon at : O'Clock
Tuesday night. The government was
not prepared and there was little re-
sistance Over II men We're killed and
about 80 men were wounded. The
United States gunboal MachinS, how
here. took no part in the proceedings.
On receipt of the news that General
Alban. the military commander of the
isthmus. had started To attack the Lib
erals at ChOrrera, near Panama. the
latter detached 100 men under General
PatinO to attack Colon. This force en-
barkrd on board II train bound from
Panama to Colon Tuesday evening at
I.ascaScades station, previously cult,rg
off tclrgraphc communication across
the iS;hmus. On arriving at the out
skirts of colon. where the government
usually maintained II small guard. the
Liberals left the train and in the initial
skirmiSh which began soon afterwards,
Patino was killed.
The command of the Liberals then de-
volvcd on Colonel Rarrrra. and they
continued their march on Colon, arriv
ing few minutes after the ira II. thus
surprising the whole town. The gov
crnment troops at Colon were oNtnum-
bered by the Liberals. Fighting im-
med'ately began at the barracks, which
was soon taken. There Senior Jacn. Il
judge of the criminal court. was Iii led.
and Scnor MuskuS. the district repre-
sentative of the department of the in
terrier. was mortally wound d.
Fighting subsequently occurred at the
town hall. which was also taken by the
Liberals. Among the prisoners cap
tured by the Liberals there were the
prefect. Guardia, and the comnlandante
of police.
Senor Paroles, the mayor, managed
to reach the gunboat General Finzon
which sailed Tuesday night for a dcs'i-
nation unknown, probably Carthagena.
Communication with Panama was TO
stored yesterday. This reveals that no
fight 'ng has occurred there. that every
thing is quiet and that the city is still
in the hands of the government. The is
sue depends on the result of the fighting
which is doubtless now occurring at
ChOrrera, news of which is anXiously
awaited here.
At a conference between Commander
McCrea of the Mach'as. United States
Consul MalmOre. Colonel Shaler. super
intendent of the Panama railroad. and
Colonel Barrera. commnndnro of the Lib,
erals, the last named was Informed why
the marines had been landed from The
MachiaS Barrcra promised to guard
the city with his troops.
Today trains will he crossing the
sthmCS as usual and there has been no
obstruction of free transit SO far.
The news Of the capture of Coon
which reached Panama wh commllni-
cation with that city was restored. was
a great surprise to the inhabitants of
the city on the other side of the list Sthmus.
C0lOn-whch went by the name of
ASpinwall until the Colombian au,hori-
ties enforced a change in its name by
rejecting all mail matter so add d'c>sCd-
is built in an unhealthy site ON the we'll
wooded coral island Of Mnnzan la, off
the northern coast of the ISthmus of
Panama. 1t is the Atlantic terminus of
the Panama railway. the Pacific ter
minus being the city of Panama, IS
lilies distant.
Colon was originally intended to serve
us a port of transit. 1t developed
within few years TO bc the centre of
supply for many ncighbor'ng towns.
The entire island was cedrd to the rail
way company in 1862 and the growth
of Colon has been mainly due to the
growth of the business Of the Panama
railway and the Pacific Mail Steamship
company. and to the work on the Pan
anna canal. In 1860 the populatit of
the place was about $500: in 1872 it was
$500. and recent estimates of the. num-
br of residents have been as high as
10000
A large proportion of the population
has always been Jamaican and Spanish
negroes. On March 81, 1885,, the place
was almost completely destroyed by fire
\ revolutionary movement under tn
lead of Preston was in progress and had
possession of the place. The govern
ment forces under General Aizpura
marched against the town. and when
the rebel leader found that defeat was
inevitable he set fire to the city in va
rious places, and then made his cscnp'
with few of his followers. The town
was soon in ruins.
The city was then rebuilt. fresh
impetus having been given to it for
time by the work on the Panama caral
On Sept 22. 1890. The town was v'St d
by another destructive fire. three
fourths of the place. including the m, st
important business houses. being laid in
ruins. The loss by this contlagrn ion
was nearly S2.OOO.0OO. Again. on
March 23, 1896. Colon was visited by
big fire, the loss reaching 100000.
Washington. Nov. Commando,
McCrra of the gunboat MachiAS. now Mt
COLI II. has cabled the navy department
as follows:
The insurgents have possess on of the
city. At the request of the proper
authorities have landed force for the
protection of the property of the rail
road.
There has been an alarming spreadof
the plague in south Russia. according
to dispatches from Lembcrg. hundreds
of fatal cases being reported.
Incentive to Kill Burglars.
Findlay. o.. Nov. 21.--One hundred
dollars reward to any citizen for the
capture of any burglars dead or alive