Perth Amboy evening news., 1913-02-14

forces had tori their way through the
heart Of the city for hours nothing
like n de- isiye result had been a%chiey-
ed either by the federals or the rebels
II had )een practically an artillery
duel. although occasionally small arm
fire played IA vicious part in the hat
tie. The swift and crushing action
promised by the government WAS not
realized. On the c%ontrnrv. the lighting
was Of q monotonous regularity, the
federal troops slowly pounding the
rebel position and e~ndeavoring to 81
lence DiaZ's guns In order that the
final charge might be made with less
sacrifice Of life. To this the rebels
replied with n steady fire. but they
were more chary in throwing away
their ammunition and appeared to take
better ain than ever.
Tie nrst feany srnrp small arm en-
gagement occurred when the federal
forces moved into range, The infantry
lighting lasted only II few minutes and
was succeeded Ivy n more intense can
| nonade from the rebels at the arsenal
No serious attempt had been made to
| rush the Notifications of the rebels. but
| General Huerta had dispatched from
the vicinity of the National palace a
considerable force of federal cavalry.
The ~cannonade then lost most of its
viciOusness. and 1t seemed the rebels
| were conserving their fire. although
they continued to throw shells toward
the palace. One federal battery kept
steadily In action at the Colonia sta
ton on the Paseo Reforma and an
other on San Juan de I.etran street.
Rain OF ShrapneI on Cable Office.
Shrapnel from bursting shells In the
steel shutters of the cable office. where
In the correspondents were fling their
accounts OF the battle. The manager
thought seriously Of closing down the
office to protect his operators. but was
prevailed upon by the correspondents
to remain open. even under fire. There
IL no way Of getting news out of this
mad city except by the we wires con
Meeting the office here with the cable
end In Nera Cruz.
Thousands Of Mexican families are
concentrated on the lower floors and
In the easements OF residences and
other buildings. trusting to the series
of floors above them to protect them
from the hail of bursting shrupnel.
In the American embassy dozens of
American citizens We're provided for
Blankets aud mattresses Were spread
Oh the floors. and every chamber In the
place was utilized as a sleeping apart
ment for some one. Other American
families crowded III promiscuous cor
fusion in rented apartments and other
buildings. furnished in some cases with
nothing more than mattresses and q
blanket or two.
Francisco de In Barra. former pro
yisionai president. became u refugee
und remained at the British legation
after he had approached President Ma
dero ON the question Of compromising
with the rebels. to which Madero I'M
meiiately refused to listen.
The question of food supplies through.
u the capital has no been solved
Even the soldiery experienced the dis
comforts of short rations. The rebels
managed to run into their lines during
the night seven big wagons full of
tld and two wagon loads Of milk.
out provisions generally within the
zone of the m%utineers were said TO be
growing scarce.
Fire on Cross Societies.
Since a party Of the niaz supporters
discovered an auto ambulance of the
White Cross conveying ammunition for
the Madero forces neither the Red Cross
nor the White Cross. a rival Organiza.
ton. has been recognized by them. and
when the Maderists saw that the Uiaz
soldiers were firing on the two branch
es of relief they also refused longer to
recognize these einblems of mercy.
The result has been that both branch
ca Of relief work have withdrawn from
the streets. The dead are left to tester
and the wounded to suffer.
Most Of the rebel fire was directed at
the federal batteries. but one of Diaz's
batteries of big guns from time TO time
dropped shells over the city into 10
Gallo In front OF the National palace
and into that ancient building itself.
the walls OF which withstood the bonn
bardment well.
At the beginning of this FIRE there
was a great force of federal soldiers In
the Zocalo. When the shower OF shells
became hea vier Il federal battery re-
eeived orders to reply with vigor. and
under cover Of this the federal soldiers
moved west and into cover on l%ndepen-
dencia street. 1t was explained by the
federal commander that this move was