The Oskaloosa herald., 1913-02-13

Gen. Felix Diaz.
Mexican rebel army of Salazar is lay,
ling waste the farm land and burning
Iall towns and destroying property OF
both MeXcans and foreigners. Colo,
mia Dnblaff, an American town, is re.
ported to have been fired while other
colonial towns are in grave danger of
being destroyed. Mine property is
also being wrecked. AS an explana-
ton of their wholesale disaster the
rebels declare that Mexicans have
taken refuge in these towns to escape
service in the rebel army
Mexico City Being Wrecked.
| Mexico City, Feb. 12.-The roar of
scores of heavy cannons and machine
guns stopped for a second now and
then to give the infantry a chance to
shoot at any head that appeared on
a roof or at any of the windows of the
buildings where the followers of the
Diaz revolution have taken up their
abode. The bombarding of the ar
senal and the heavy firing of the ma
chine guns was kept up until noon
The Smelling of the high buildings
where Madero's machine guns were
working continued with deadening
effect and many were killed. A shell
struck the cabinet Office where a
United States correspondent was
/ working and exploded, wrecking the
room adjoining his. Many of the
highest buildings in the main business
section OF the city have been shelled
and the damage will be heavy. Three
thousand prisoners were released
from Belem prison during the fighting
and are scattered over the city. An
archy prevails in several sections of
the city while the bombarding in the
business streets continues.
During the firing today shell
struck the Mutual Life Insurance
building, four stories high, and eX-
lploded. The building caught fire and
will probably be destroyed.
Diaz Holds the Arsenal.
Diaz remains in the arsenal with no
thought of leaving it, He continues
on the defensive, answering shot for
shot His artillery silenced a num-
Der of federal guns with excellent pre-
cision
! 1t is believed that at least 200 have
been killed on each side. A number
Of noncombatants were also killed by
the bursting of shells in all parts of
! the city.
The American consulate and the
corner of Balderas and Avenida Jua-
rez was badly damaged by the fire.
SO far as known no Americans have
been killed.
! II is believed that the fight will con-
tinue two or three days unless rebel
achievements arrive in such force as
to make the government position un-
tenable, Large mounted patrols are
abroad in the city to keep down the
mobs.
Two Americans Wounded.
! DR.. ]. II. McCressen of Lincoln
Neb., was shot through the hand
Mark Johnson, a negro of Madison, III.
was wounded in the shoulder. A man
named Osborn was shot through the
side.
The Red Cross and White Cross hos,
pitfalls are filled with wounded. , One
assault was practically wiped out.
Three terrific assaults on the ar
senal we're repulsed by General Diaz's
forces.
Loss of Life Heavy.
II is impossible to obtain any &C
curate estimate OF the number OF
troops engaged in the battle, but they
are estimated at 5000 or 1000 To
each side.
Shot and shell have been passing
over and dropping into the American
colony since the battle started 1t is
located directly in the path of the fire
iron, the arsenal when il is directed
where Madero's troops are advancing
along Chapultepec avenue.
Warships on Way to Mexico.
Washington. Feb. 1.-THE battle
ships Virginia and Georgia OF the
Third division of the Atlantic feet left
Guantanamo, Cuba, for Vera Cruz, &C
cording to a wireless dispatch from
Rear Admiral Badger to the navy de
APARTMENT.
Acting under instructions from the
state department, which requested
that ships be hurried to Vera Cruz as
soon as possible, both boats were In
structed to steam under forced draft
and II is expected they will maintain
q speed OF Is knots all the way te
Vera Cruz. arriving there either Fri
day night or early Saturday morn
ling