The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1913-02-13
Mexico City in State
of Siege.
NO SECTION IS SAFE
Heart Of Capital the Battle
ground and Many Build
ings Are In Ruins.

Mexico City, Feb. 13.-Desperate
fighting between the rebels and fed
erals continues in the streets of the
city, the heart of the capital being
the battle-ground.
The English legation building is
under fire of the rebel batteries and
the federals under Madero have sta
toned guards to protect it.
General Diaz. the insurgent leader,
began an attack on the national pal
ace at s:45. The cable office has
been hit repeatedly by shells, the
Mutual Life Insurance company build
ing near by is burning, the American
club and Porters hotel, where many
Americans reside, have been riddled.
To add to the horror the Diaz
forces captured the famous Belom
prison and from 5000 to 5000 desper-
ate prisoners have been set free.
While noncombatants undoubtedly
have been killed 1t Is hard to esti-
mate the exact Dumber and no re-
ports are availsole as to the losses
of Madero ard Diaz. Both command
ers have equal forces, about 1000
men eacn, md there seems to be no
chance of peace until one or the other
is victorious.
4 Alfonso Miranda, one of the Zapat-
lists, arrived here with 500 men and
Is harassing the federal troops.
No Section of City Safe.
The long range of the heavy guns
used by both sides and the rapidly
spreading battle zone makes no Sec
tion of the city safe. There has been
great suffering among the poor on ac-
count of the high prices of food Eggs
and milk are almost unobtainable
at any price.
The well-to-do have barricaded
themselves In their homes and have
laid in food supplies to last several
days.
No protection is guaranteed to for.
eigners. The American legation is
being guarded by its members and
volunteers from the colony here Re-
peated demands by the diplomats
that hostilities cease have not been
respected
The rebels hold the Y. NJ. C. A.
building and the federalists are di-
recting terrific fire against it, Can
non have been placed on the roof by
the defenders and the streets are be-
ing swept in every direction by rain
of shrapnel.
The federal troops reopened the
battle in the streets of the Mexican
capital at 6:35 Q. m. with a light artil-
lery fire.
The action soon became general, all
the artillery on both sides being
brought into play The cannon fire
was augmented by sweeping salvos
from the machine guns, while the in.
fantry came into action with volleys
and individual shooting.
Streets Like Armed Camp.
The streets of the capital during
the hours of darkness had the appear
ance Of great armed camp. Soldiers
of all branches of the service slept
on the pavements.
In many parts of the city the elec-
trio wires were cut by bullets and
this resulted in long stretches OF al
most complete darkness. Thousands
OF residents took advantage of this
to escape from the danger zone.
The suggestion of the foreign diplo-
mats that neutral zone be estab-
hshed is considered unfeasible by the
government, which points out that 1t
Is impossible to foretell In which d.
recticn the action may be shifted.
The rebels seemingly are employ
ing heavier cannon than they did pre-
viously. They directed their fire
toward the national palace and on to
the higher buildings In the center of
the business district. on many OF
which federal machine guns are
mounted and federal rifiemen are
posted.
A number of robberies were COM
mitted by the lawless elements, en-
boldened by the withdrawal OF police
protection. Numbers of boys and
ne1 took Krss& risks in footing the