Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-02-21
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UNITED PRESS LEASED wiRE.l
Mexico City, Feb. 20.-So swift
were the current and startling events
since Tuesdays conclusion of the 10
day conflict here that It was not un-
til today that the half-crazed popu-
lation found time to look about at
the havoc it wrought. 1t is a pan
Drama Of death and destruction that
is presented to the eyes Of thousands
Of curious citizens and foreigners
who are swarming the streets.
The spectacle here is infinitely sad.
Hundreds Of beautiful homes carrying
gaping holes and tottering walls can
be seen on all sides. Scores Of the
splendid public buildings and bust
ness structures are battered and
marred But in the poorer districts
the tragedy manifested is most ter
rible. Hundreds of houses in this
quarter are literally in ruins, while
upon the doors Of a thousand SCARED
and crumbllng dwellings hang bands
of crepe.
This city which Porfirio Diaz de-
cided to make the most beautiful in
all America, is shattered and wrecked,
It's destruction could not be more
complete II 1t had been visited by a
mighty earthquake and riyen and
twisted.
| witnessed the opening act in the
fearful war drama in the Zocala and
the plaza before the national palace.
On Sunday morning, February 0, the
news was flashed over the city that
a new revolution had begun and that
Generals Diaz and Reyes had been
liberated. saw both those leaders
escorted to the palace by soldiers
through a crowd Of cheering and eX-
cited people, filling the huge plaza,
and overflowing the blocks into the
streets opening up on 1t. Long lines
of infantry stood backed against the
palace wall and scattered lines OF
sklrmishers who were lying on their
bellies few PAGES in front Of them
Facing the ranks Of infantry, a hun
dred feet distant, the first cavalry
regiment stood in single line, troop
ers knee to knee and the officers
drawn up before them. Thinking II
a demonstration in honor Of the lib
Grafton Of General Diaz, walked be-
tween the lines, curious to see what
was going on. strolled half way
to the length Of the palace and back
noted many machine guns ranged
on the palace roof, but did not imag.
ine they were to be used In real war.
fare. was slowly crossing the plaza
en- route to the cable office to send
out the news Of the liberation OF Dia1
and Reyes, when the lines of soldiers
I had so casually inspected opened
fire with scattering volleys, The ma
chine guns instantly answered
sweeping the crowded Zocala ant
sending a storm Of bullets into thu
throngs Of unsuspecting women, chill
dren and men.
With the first volley the terror
stricken crowds scattered everywhere
the women shrleking and falling
to be trampled on by the fleeing
thousands. / ran with the rest fo
San Francisco street. saw mel
and women fall on every side from
the bullets Of the federal machine
guns which flew high and wide II
every direction, except into the rankt
Of the rebels.
On reaching San Francisco street
ran another block before ! saw al
open doorway | darted in, followed
by seven men, every one Of whom
was wounded. Thence | watched thu
flight Of thousands down San Fran
cisco street,
Into the horde OF refugees swep
rlderless cavalry horses, their hoof
beating down men and women anC
trampling those who already had fal
len could see dozens Of the ref
ugecs fall from the bullets Of Thu
machine guns which soldiers from
the palace trained directly on thC
crowd until the streets were swep
clear OF all but the dead and thu
wounded. Two hundred and eight,
bodies were removed from the streets
around the Zocaa as the result o
the first massacre and fully 500 non
combatants were seriously wounded
After the first slaughter DIa2 leo
his cavalry and artillery on the gal
lop 10 Culdadcla and the arsenal
which were captured after a shNrl
battle. DIa2 then Immediately mr..
ranged to Withstand u protractct
siege, assisted by General Mondragon
the most expert artilleryist IN IN,
Mexican army The government was
caught unprcporcd and could not i'm
modlatcly assault the rebel position
Madcro spent all Monday in send.
ing trodps and placing batteries od.