The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-21
Venezuelan Army Wrest Ciudad
Bolivar from Rebels.
Block by Block Possession OF
City Is Disputed.
FOOD FOR TWO DAYS
And Yet the Desperate Fight
ing Continues.
An Artillery Duel in Progress
When Dispatch Was Sent.

Soiedad Venezuela, Monday, July 20.
= Since the last dispatch was sent to
the Associated Press at o'clock yester-
day afternoon, the battle beween the
revolutionary forces at Ciudad Bolivar
and the Venezuelan government army
commanded by General Gomez has
ragged madly. Block after block was
disputed the government troops enter
ing the city slowly. All the houses had
been barricaded and the revolutionists
had been forced from fiat roofs called
Azotoas.. When the revolutionists final
ly abandoned the houses after having
taken all that could be used for barri
cades. or to otherwise stop the advance
Of the government troops. they were i'm
mediately occupied by the government
soldiers who bored big holes in them so
as to communicate with the next house.
The city appears to have been struck
by a cyclone.
At 7 O'Clock in the evening the gov
ernment forces arrived near the center
OF Ciudad Bolivar. For two hours pre-
viously firing had diminished but con-
tinued with more vigor at 10 O'Clock at
night and Illuminated the sky.
At 3 O'Clock in the morning, when the
inhabitants OF the commercial and for
eign parts of the city, near the Alameda,
saw lne ADVANCE OF the government
troops, they abandoned their homes and
sought refuge in other parts of the city,
crossing the streets amidst a nail OF
bullets and shells, the women carrying
their children, the strong helping the
weak Many men in trying to protect
the women fell, struck by bullets.
In the middle of the streets, what with
the firing, the yell OF the wounded and
the crying of the women and children a
terrible scene was agitnessed, bad enough
10 disgust anybody forever with civil
war.
The government troops. however. act
cd with humanity, especially the forces
OF General Rivas, who. fighting bravely,
was the first to order the attacking par
" to be merciful.
At s o'clock this morning the goveEn
ment generals, having effected juno
tiOn of their forces, north and south and
having received further supplies of am
munition, decided 20 push the attack on
the center Of the city. At 10 o'clock the
government troops had captured the
north side of Alameda, the public park
of Ciudad Bolivar, which has been de-
fenced by a double row of barricades-
Behind one of these were found more
than 20 dead soldiers lying on top of
one another, while wounded men were
seen on all sides.
At 10 o'clock the government COM
manders, seeing that only the artillery
could make a breach in the barricades
fire on them and at the same time the
Venezuelan fleet, which had changed its
anchorage so as to bring it's guns to
bear effectively on the city, opened fire.
The soldiers on both sides have had
no food for two days, no ambulances
are being used and yet the fighting con-
tinues.
Monday, p. m.-The advance Of the
government troops have reached the
market place. The old customs house
and the waterworks have been taken.
The Dalton block. the property of the
United States consul. where all the lead
ing German and French firms reside, is
now being attacked. The Jail is the
center of a terrible resistance. All the
defeate revolutionists have concen-
trated there. 1t is estimated that more
than 200 men have been killed in that
vicinity.
The artillery of the revolutionists is
fiercely replying to the attack of the
fleet.
For two hours past the fleet has been
Smelling La SOledad, which has suffered
terribly.
The capitol is still in possession OF the
revolutionists but the complete success
of the government forces is assured.