The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1913-02-20
BATTLE STILL ON
IN MEXICO CITY
FederaIs Fail to Rout Diaz From
Arsenal.
LITTLE CHANGE IN SITUATION
Rebels Take Advantage of Armistiee
and Secure Food supplies-For-
eioners Fleeing to Vera Cruz
Censorship Is Strict.

censorship 10 Strict.
-
Mexico City, Mex, Feb. 1S.-Failing
in every attempt to rout General Diaz
and his rebels from the arsenal, Col
onel Navarette, commander of the fed
eral artillery, advised General Huerta.
commander-in-chief Of the federal
forces, that it would be impossible to
take the arsenal by storm or breach
it's walls unless le could secure a di-
rect range for his heavy field guns.
General Huerta, Immediately on re-
ceipt of the message, directed the fed
eral sappers or engineers to raze the
buildings between the San Juan mar
ket and the arsenal with dynamite.
Little Change in Situation.
But again, the rebels effectively
stopped this strategic move. as they
did when the plan was attempted last
week. and there is practically little
change in the situation except that
during the armistice Sunday the rebels
were enabled to secure great quanti-
ties of food supplies, and at presnt
they are in better position 20 stand
a siege and beat off their assailants.
Americans and other foreigners con-
tinue to leave the city for Vera Cruz.
The exodus was started during the
armistice. and the two trains which
left here were crowded, among the
fugitives being many wealthy and in
fiuential MeXicans whose homes have
been wrecked or destroyed.
Censorship Is Strict
The Madero government continues
its strict censorship on all dispatches,
and it is reported by operators that
several diplomatic code messages were
turned back At the cable office 1t
was reported that rumor was in cir
culation among the diplomats that
more. than likely an American force
would be ordered from Vera Cruz 70
the capital unless there was decided
Improvement in the situation within
the next thirty-six hours.
The federals again concentrated their
attacks on the arsenal from south and
east sides. The fire from the machine
guns and rifles was almost incessant
during the morning. and only in the
afternoon, after both sides had spent
their energies and were forced to stop
serving the guns through exhaustion,
did the volleys become infreQuent.
Force FederaIs to Retreat.
Effective work was done by the
rebel gun crews on the roof of the Y.
NJ. C. A. building in forcing the federal
engineers and artillerymen engaged in
mining and blowing up the buildings
between the citadel and the San Juan
market to retreat.
The rebel fire was at all times
stronger thar the federals, and it is
reported that the federals are facing
another shortage OF ammunition
The national palace was again
shelled by the rebels, but was not
damaged to any great extent, as many
of the shells fell short or went beyond
their intended mark. They did great
damage, however, to surrounding
buildings.
1t is not believed that the loss Of
life and number of men wounded was
large on either side, as most of the
firing was indirect or at long range.
Madero Gets Reinforcements.
President Madero received heavy re-
Inducements last night when the
Twenty-elgnth regiment, with four
pieces of light artillery and one NOR
tar, arrived from Toluca.
With the leaving Of a train last
night for Laredo, via Vera Cruz, all
train service out Of the capital to
points north was cut of.
The American embassy announces
that it will publish in English news
paper to allay the anxiety of foreign
ers who are not now receiving any
news as no other papers have been
published for week.
De La Barra Missing.
Although Juan Sanchez Azcona, pri-
vate secretary to President Madero,
denied the report that Senior De La
Barra had been arrested, 1t is known
that the provisional president is miss
ing and 1t Is believed President Ma
dero has ordered him arrested IL
found.
President Madero said that from
this time on he would give no quarter
to the enemy. He asserted that he
would attack the arsenal in full force
and capture the DiaZ stronghold or
compel the unconditional surrender OF
the rebel force.