The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-04-27
BOMBARDED
; WALL LOOKS
GOOD AS NEW
ALL DAMAGE SPOTS FROM FEB
RuARY's RAIN OF SHOT AND
SHELL IN MExIco's CAPITAL
CITY HAVE BEEN HIDDEN BY
woRKMEN.

Mexico City, April 26.-When tour
lists again visit Mexico City they may
be disappointed not to find on all sides
evidence of the damage done by shot
and shell during the ten days fighting
in February. Already masons. brick
layers and carpenters are obliterating
the scars of that conflict, and it will
not be many weeks before the appear
ance of the capitals buildings, both
public and private. is wholly normal
Rarely have contractors here gained
such quick results, and never, perhaps,
has it heen demonstrated SO well how
little plaster and kaIsomine will
make bombarded wall appear "as
good as new" The capital today is
city Of patches. Much of the damage
done by shells was not apparent from
the exterior. since in hundreds of In
stances the shells tore their way
through the walls before exploding,
leaving in sight outside only holes often
not more than six inches in diameter.
The explosion on the inside of the
house resulted in greater destruction.
Due largely to the fact that most OF
the buildings are of some form of store
or cement, there were few fires Per-
haps nine houses out of ten have for
their outer finish coat of thick plas-
ter easy for the bullets from rifles and
cts Of plaster filed the holes and a dab
of tinted kalsomine completed the res
toration. The same method was used
in filling the holes left by shells and
but little more work and ma terial
was necessary in repairing q large
MURDER Of the bigger gaps made by
repeated pounding of cannon.
In few cases. however, it will be
many weeks and possibly months be-
fore the normal aspect of the streets
is restored. There were a few build
ings where the damage was so great
that mere patching will not suffice. AL
though monuments of one kind and an
other and statues erected in honor of
this and that hero are scattered
throughout the city, few of these were
damaged. The most complete piece OF
destruction OF this character was that
of a clock tower erected in Bueareii
street. This was shot to pieces. The
government made no effort to repair
Il but, removing the debris, built on
the site a flower garden. Since sod in
stead Of se5d was used there already
is big circle of green, and in this
were planted flowers already in bloom.
Il presents an appearance OF having
been there for some years.
Prepared for Revolution.
Before the present provisional gov
eminent was established it was evil
dent to many students OF Mexican af-
fairs that President Huerta would have
to confront another revolution, and
within a few weeks it was demon
strated that his problem was larger
than that of his predecessor, but In the
first week of April there were few
who would venture a forecast Any
guess at thar time as to the turn of
events might have been made, but the
one which appeared nearest was that
the rebellion would grow steadily. in
power.
The government forces had made
little real progress against the rebels
in the north. but, to offset that, came
reports of disaffection in the ranks of
the Sonora rebels aHrd OF scarcity of
funds both in that region and In Goa
hula, where Venustiano CarranZa, ex-
governor, was directing the campaign.
The turn most uncertain was in the
south, where the government still was
delaying its action against Zapata who
had checked negotiations for peace by
holding prisoner Colonel Pascual Oroz-
CO. father of General Orozco, who had
gone there as an authorized peace COM
missioner. There yet was hope that
Zapata might CO. operate with the gov
eminent, which, however, declared its
intention of sending against him an
enormous punitive column in case he
did not yield.
Was Savage Warfare.
One thing which did appear certain
was that if the war in the north and
the south continued it would be of a
character more savage than any yet
conducted in Mexico. Heretofore both
rebels and federals had shown dis
position not to attack each other in
cities but the fighting in Parral and
dozens OF smaller towns had served to
indicate that hereafter neither side
would be disposed to respect positions
simply because noncombatants might
be endangered From the south came
reports that Zapata had served definite
notice on property owners that they
must contribute periodically the
amounts he demanded for the main |
tenance of his army or be prepared to