The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-19
Military Conditions in Mex
leo City Without Prece-
dent in HistOry-COn-
tinuOus Fighting
STRICT CENSORSHIP
KEPT BACK DETAILS {
Il OF REAL DISASTER
Story of Mondays Fighting. Re-
vealed by Courier Dispatch, De-
picts Horrible Situation.
Dead Strewn Over
the City

Mexico city, February 15.-eBy courier
to Vera Cruz. February 1s)-All the hor-
rors of bomhardment have been eSper-
fenced by the residents Of this city Tor
many days. and to those that might De
expected have been added the effects OF
Vicious machine guns and rifle fire in the
streets at a range sometimes OF less than
100 yards.
Scarcely district of the capital has
escaped injury over and through every
quarter at some time shells have torn
and screeched and exploded. Little round
hells from the automatic pompoms have
added to the terror and destruction.
Hundreds Of buildings attest BY their
hole marked sides and wrecked Interiors
to the destructive qualities OF modern ar
tnlery
How many have been killed or wounded
is question which none can answer with
any exactitude 1t Is doubtful whether
even the government records will over re-
veal the correct number.
From a source usually considered care
ful and conservative It has been stated
20O0 while the total of the wounded
amounts from 1900 80 1p.oo Tile great
majority Of these are not soldiers. but
men. women and children unable 70 es-
cape the lines of fire, This estimate wes
made after hearing the reports Of scores
OF officers of the White and Red Gross
Societies ana Of the hospitals
It Is well known fact that detaeh-
ments of 50 and 100 men have been slangh-
tered here ana there at various times
when caught in the narrow streets and
moved down by machine guns.
Carts Piled With Corpses
Carts piled nigh with corpses have been
seen to be driven past certain point to
o spot in the outskirts Of the city whore
the bodies have been burned
Every morning may be seen what APP
pear IN the zone of the actual fight to be
piles of burning rubbish. These heaps
are for the most part rubbish but the
odor of burning flesh tells another story
A practical though sruesome method
has been utilized In one place The gas
escaping from a broken main has been
lighted and there IN that steady flame has
been improvised crematOry
! In the basement of an apartment house
n few blocks form the arsenal Is the grave
| IL
/ American women killed early in the night
| ing by the entrance into her home of
| she'll For three days her husband re-
/ nained alone there with the corpse, una
Bile to remove Il and unwilling TO leave II
| pertaps 10 suffer further mutilation
| Soldiers entered the apartment where
| ne kept vigil and before his eyes robbed
the place He managed to find boards
| and carpenters tools and nails In the
/ building and constructed a coffin. into
which he laid the body of mis- wife. He
carried II to the basement and there
dug and filled her grave.
Business ParalyZed
The absolute cessation of all indus
trial business activity is fast reducing
an enormous number Of non combat
ants to state bordering on starya-
tion. The more fortunate are in many
cases able to take care OF themselves
but the closing OF the banks has made
precarious the condition even Of some
of these
The provisional banking institution
established for American residents who
find themselves In difficulties has been
meeting their demands with currency
Aside from the question of money,
however. tile situation has been rem
dered more difficult by the failure of
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