Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-02-13
ROOFS OF HIGH BUILDINGS
RAKED BY INSURGENT FIRE
American Ambassador and Minister'S of Foreign
Powers Protest against 'Barbarous and In
human War Zapatistas Harass FEEDER
erals-Madero Promises Crushing Blow.

.,exlco City, Feb. 12.-Anticipatine
mn early resumption of hostilitics to-
morrow. moro than 600 Americans fed
tonight from their homes to temper
airy ahodcs in the outskirts OF the
ritv. where the danger of the fire VIII
ne minimized
Ambassador Wilson, on Information
from the national palace, knew that
.he government planned crushinS
blow, and, determined to save the
Americans II possible, rented nuner-
nus houses to which, under flags or
truce. agents of the embassy hurrH'u
IN automobiles as many women ana
children as would agree to he trans
ported
The capital was quiet tonight hut
.ba furitive foreigners. fnc1 with
horror by the frightiul honhardm'ht
of the past two days needed htIlc
urging.
wbilc the hombardmcnt was far
heavier to-day than Oh TUESDAY t.'
probahle loss OF life was smaller. This
was due TO the lack OF any effort 10
force thc assault by the fedcrals.
PLACE CASUALTIES AT 800
Tho casualties are estimated Mt not less
than 800 dead and 100 wounded IN tho
.wo DAYS fighting. Two American women
nre dead. shot to pieces by a shell. lh'F
were Mrs. II. W. Holmes and Mrs. Percy
Grnitne. Several Americans have been
wounded But the total number Of nntiVe
.or-comratants injured to-day was un-
roubtedly small. Experience is fast teach
ing the citizens 70 keep out of the lin"
of fire when possible.
The reports from the piaz Headquarters
that his losses have been negligible ar"
received with some doubts.
About ten o'clock Tonight there was
eharp action for fow minutes by a
federal battery against the rebel position
Nut at eleven o'clock tho city was tran
ouil with all the street lights out.
FIRING UNTIL NINE At NIGHT
Mexico City. Feb. l2.-Mexico's capita
was torn asunder again to-day by shot
and shell. II was not until nine O'Clock
tonight that the fire in all quarters
ceased.
Cen Felix Diaz, in command Of th
rebel forces fortified and entrenched il
and around the arsenal. had held hi
ground against the federals. He had don
more than this. He had subjected tn
CITY 10 Il IlDIf ltlllDIc lDHIptii blicHl tiipi
that Of yesterday. He mad enlarged hi
zone Of action, and had sent force
against the national palace.
But tonight Madero was optimistic
,rhroughout the commandment and the al
most continuous rattle of machine gun
and rifles the President went about hi
work IN the palace apparently unpel
turbed He took counsel frequently wit
the finance minister. Ernesto Mader'
From time to time he was in conversauo
with General Huerto the commander-ir
chief REGARDING the plans Of attack. HI
cnur,pe was great. his confidence remark
eble.
Over the arsenal. General Diaz oami
directed the operations. lie rharart w
them as -olcly defensive. He TOO, Was OF
tmistic.
The number Of d,ad and wounded car
not even ho estimated, but It Is larg
For two hours during the forenoon tn
rebel glnners rained shot and shell {
the lofty structures of the city from III
roofs of which federal sharpshooters an
machine gun men had attempted TO rah
the Insurgents in the trenches ana hehil
the parI1cades Of the arsenal.
HEAVY SHELLS WELL TIMED.
The shells from the heavy guns we
Well timed, the explosions throwing pe
haps hundreds of thousands Of bulle
into the roofs, effcctually clearing Il
time at least these buildings OF 4
p.cked men from the federal troops.
Some of the rebel shells and not a fe
rifle bullets reached the national pala
but none did serious damage. but 1t
not believed that Diaz seriously contei
Plates at the present time an attack
Naderoe headquarters.
Madero has promised 10 make con
lined assault on the rebel poaitio
Tomorrow but tho operations Of
lay Indicate that Diaz has much
rosfrvc on the FIRST day OF the ba
,la il was the government forces tn
burned their powder. To-day it W
tht rebel, turn to be aggressive hi
brought forth heavier guns than
had used before.
Two threatening features Of
dav were the appearance in the
sl.irts of the city OF Zapatistas, "
naragsod the government troops, "A
the release from the Belem jail
rcveral thousand prisoners Some
the latter have Joined the rebel ran
but others are foot free, and may tu
to loOting.
PROTESTS by DIPLOMATS.
The American ambassador and the m
l,ters Of Great Britain, Germany
spain made protests to both Madero
lplaz against the "barbarous and inhun
warfare" but their protests have peen
ain a brief armistlce was arranged
z visit OF tho diplomats 10 the Pres'd