New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-13
Battery Begins Firing.

While the officer was speaking he was
motioning orders 20 his men. and in
couple Of minutes they had unlimbered
the gun. slipped a shell into the breach
and let go.
Small arms firing had been increasing
all the time. From the direction Of the
Citadel came an almost continuous rat
tie Of rifles and the tap. tap, tapping
Of rapid fire guns. Bullets were spat-
tering all about, fortunately most "f
them flying high and thus lessening
the danger. They whined through The
branches Of trees, clipping off leaves
and small branches, until the ground
beneath was Uttered.
Half dozen shots were fired from
the field piece in an effort 10 elevate
the shells SO they would drop into the
Citadel. The range did not satisfy the
artillerymen. and quickly the mules
we're hitched to the piece and caisson
and the gun was moved further up the
PaseO. nearly to the new Peace M0np-
ment. There the men reopened hro'
but their aim was bad, and the only Ell
feet the fire had that was apparent was
TO batter badly one side wall OF a big
residence standing on trianguia"
piece of ground between the insurgents
and the Paseo. Before the house was
struck the residents fed.
This lasted for perhaps an hour, the
rebels making no attempt to answer
the discharge Of this piece, but from
further downtown almost continuous
detonations of artillery showed that
brisk firing was going on in other d.
rections.
Before recommending fire at the
Peace Monument the officer in charge
OF the gun sent notice to the British
Embassy that the building would be IN
the line Of fire II the rebels tire" shehs
toward the gun and suggesting mat
the place be abandoned. Minister
e,ronpe refused to leave. Nine, 800
and 10 o'clock came, with brief lulls in
the firing. 1t was uncertain and 'lck-
ush work venturing out of the shelter
of houses and walking in the streets
extending at right angles TO the Cita-
del which IS perhaps a scant mile trom
the American colony. Finally, al W
o'clock. the Tribune correspondent ana
another American abandoned their au-
tomobile and essayed TO gain the cable
office on foot. Just as they were leaV-
liracflW no
correspondents house, raining shrapnei
with a clatter on the roof. Fragments
tore away a part Of the cornice a1d
broke window iii house across inc
street This was the only shell that
was sent in the direction of the Amei!-
can colony this morning. II was pos
sible to collect a handful Ct twisted
and battered bullets almost anywhere
within the limits Of square.
60 far as could be ascertaincd no for
eigner or Mexican was injured in he
colony to-day.
Little Interest in the SIums.
BY. making long detour to the north,
crossing the Paseo and passing through
the section known as San Rafael and
San Cosme, il was possible 10 approach
the centre of the city by way Of Puentc
de Alvarado and Avenida Hombres H.
lustres on the north side Of the Ala
media. Although small arm firing con-
tinued until nearly noon, when San
Juan de Letran and the cable office
were reached, none OF the bullets sped
over the parts of the city which The
correspondent traversed IN four or
five mile walk.
Some of the slums and most unin-
viting parts Of the capital are situated
here. but there was no disorder, and