The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1913-12-05
STARVING FEDERALS
LEAVE CHIHUAHUA CITY
GENERAL MERcADo, HIS SOL
D,ERs AND HUNDREDS OF GIVE
LiANs LEAVE ON FOOT.
OROzCO-SALNAR TO THE HILLS
General Villa, With the Rebel Army
viii Make An Attempt ~ Cap
ture the Fleeing Fed
eraI Armies.

Juarez. MeX.-Rather than endure
taryation, the federal troops have
evacuated Chihuahua City, according
to adyices received Tuesday by Cen
eral Francisco Villa, the rebel leader
The evacuation leaves the city open
TO possession by the rebels. The town
was besieged by rebel troops weeks
ago.
The report received by Villa states
that Salvador Mercado, military gov
ernor of the state, with 2,O0O fedefai
troops, had left on foot for Ojinaga,
on the United States border near
Maria, Texas; that Generals Jose Ynez
Salazar and Pascual Orozco, with
more than 1000 federals, had retreat
ed to the mountains west OF the city,
and that hundreds of civilians, lnclud-
ing women and children, who were on
the verge of starvation, had started
ont to walk to the United States bor-
der
Besides being the capital OF the
state, Chihuahua, with normal popu-
lation of $4,000, is the second city OF
Northern Mexico. Neither IN the Ma
dero revolution nor in the present up
rising has Chihuahua been taken
from the federals. It's garrison and
the commanding positions for sharp
shooters and machine guns afforded
by the cathedral and public buildings
heretofore had presented formidable
barrier to invaders. 1t is believed a
fight in the city would result in great
loss of life and property.
Conditions in the city were said to
be such that life there was no longer
endurable. The Spanish viaduct which
conveyed water from the mountains
was reported to have been destroyed
and the food supplies exhausted.
General Villa said Federico Moye
a prominent merchant, had been
named civil governor of Chihuahua
state. his selection being based on'the
belief that he would be acceptable to
the rebels.
"The report of the capitulation Of
Chihuahua is authentic" said Villa
1T came to me in an official dispatcf
which said the city was evacuated OF
Sunday. A rebel courier at once Sc
out and rode 100 miles northward
where he met the rebel advance guard
This was a point called Villa Ahu
mazda, where we have established
telegraph communication. | have
transmitted the details to Genera
Carranza, the head of the revolution
1T is my purpose now to send
force to intercept Mercado, who i
fleeing to Oiinaga, and also to car
ture Orozco and SalaZar. Our mail
body probably will concentrate at CHI
huahua preparatory to the adyanc
southwark. We will be nearing tn
City of Mexico within month.
Five hundred thousand dollar
worth of provisions and clothing an
100000 from the Banco Minero wer
confiscated in Juarez by Villa to SUI
port the rebels. The property wa
taken through the refusal of me
chants to accept paper money issue
by the rebels. The storekeepers, mos
of them Spanish, appealed to Unite
States Consul Edwards and late
closed their shops and handed owe
the keys to the consul,
Consul Edwards later returned til
keys to the owners, saying he coul
not guarantee the safety of the pro
erty. Meantime the places were force
open and the goods and money take
1t was said the property was insure
in an English company against loo
ing.