Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1913-02-20
Bombardment in Streets Of Mexican
Capital Continues.
SHOT AND SHELL SWEEP CITY
American Women Among Those Who
Fall Under Rain of Bullets-Ad-
vantage Apparently With
Rebels.

cans fed from their homes to tom.
porary abodes in the outskirts of the
city, where the danger of the fire will
be minimized
Ambassador Wilson, on information
from the national palace, knew that
the government planned a crushing
blow. Determined to save the Amer
leans, if possible, he rented numerous
houses to which, under flags of truce
agents of the embassy hurried in mo-
tor cars as many women and chill
dren as would agree to be trans
ported.
The capital was quiet at night but
the fugitive foreigners, filled with
horror by the frightful bombardment
of the last two days, needed little
urging.
While the bombardment was far
heavier than on the preceding day,
the probable loss of life was smaller.
The casualties are estimated at not
less than 800 dead and 1900 wounded
in the two days fighting.
Besides two American women who
were killed, several Americans have
been wounded. But the total number
of native noncombatants injured was
undoubtedly small.
The reports from the Diaz head
quarters that his losses have been
negligible are received with some
doubts.
About 10 o'clock at night there was
sharp action for a few minutes by a
federal battery against the rebel po-
sition, but at II o'clock the city was
tranquil, with all the street lights out.
Washington, Feb. 13.-Alarmed by
reports from Ambassador Henry Lane
Wilson that the combatants in the
City of Mexico were. training their
guns in such direction as to increase
the danger to Americans and other
foreign residents, the State Depart
ment hurriedly dispatched instruc-
lions to Mr.. Wilson to warn all non
combatants to keep out of the fight
ing zone.
Late developments in the situation
were awaited by Secretary Knox and
other State Department officials at the
Knox residence, where messages from
Ambassador Wilson were received
and answered.
The City of Mexico, Feb. 13.-Mex-
ico's capital was torn asunder again
by shot and shell.
1t was not until o'clock at night
that the fire in all quarters ceased.
Gen. Felix Diaz, in command of the
rebel forces, fortified and entrenched
in and around the arsenal, had held
his ground against the federals He
had done more than this He had
subjected the city to a more terrible
bombardment than that of the day
before. He had enlarged his zone OF
action, and had sent forces against
the national palace.
Both Leaders Optimistic.
But at night Madero was optimistic.
Throughout the COMPARTMENT and, the
almost continuous rattle Of machine
guns and rifles, the president went
about his work in the palace appar-
emily unperturbed He took counsel
frequently with the finance minister,
Ernesto Madero. From time to time
he was in conversation with General
Huerto, the commander-in-chief, re-
garding the plans of attack. His con-
fidence was remarkable.
Over at the arsenal, General Diaz
calmly directed the operations. He
characterized them as solely defen-
sive. He, too, was optimistic.
The number of dead and wounded
cannot even be estimated, but it is
large. For two hours during the
morning the rebel gunners rained shot
and shell at the loft structures of the
city, from the roofs Of which federal
sharpshooters and machine gunner
had attempted to rake the insurgents
in the trenches and behind the barri-
cades of the arsenal.
The shells from the heavy guns
we're timed, the explosions throwing
thousands of bullets into the roofs, eff
fectually clearing for time at least
these buildings Of the picked men
from the federal troops.
An American Woman Killed.
One American woman was killed
and another fatally wounded by ex.
ploding shells.
Some of the rebels shells and not a
few rifle bullets reached the national
palace, but none did much damage.
1t is not believed that Diaz seriously
contemplates at the present time an
attack on Madero's headquarters, how
ever.
Madero has promised to make a
combined assault on the rebel posi-
lions, but the operations Indicate that
Diaz has much in reserve. On the
first day of the battle it was the gov
eminent forces which burned their
powder Then 1t was the rebels turn
'gressive. Diaz brought forth