Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-22
Communication in Northwest
ern Mexico Has Been
Partially Restored.
PROVES MATERIAL AID
TO CONSTITUTIONALISTS
Gen. Carranzaa's Three Sisters
Forced to Ride on Federal
Troop Train.

IL
cember Accommodation by rail
and wire have been partially restored
throughout northwestern Mexico. ac-
cording TO an announcement made by
Ignacio Bonillas, secretary OF commu-
nications in Gen. Carranza's provisional
cabinet. This is assisting materially
the constitutionalist campaign by put
ting the various insurgent leaders in .
close touch with the general head
quarters here.
Telegraph lines have been restored
In the states of Sinaloa, Sonora. Chi
huahua and Durango. which comprise
800 miles long and about 500 miles
wide. In this territory the federals
hold only the coast towns of Guaymas
on the gulf of California and Mazatlan
oincials assert that only the presence
| OF two federal gunboats on the coast
mas prevented the capture of these
points
| Further Restoration.
Secretary Bonillas announced today that
within few days teiegraphic communi-
cation would be restored between No
gales, on the Arizona Sonora border, and
Juarez, on the Texas-Chihuahua border.
by way Of Torreon. Already the border
telegraph lines between HermozilIo and
chihuahua City have been put in working
order.
Gen. Carranza received from his home
at Saltillo, Coahuila news that his three
| sisters. Ursula, Hermelda and Mariana
de Carranza. had been forced to ride on
| a federal troop train. This followed pre-
v1ous reports that federais had compell-
ed the wives of constitutionalist officers
| to ride on patrol trains to prevent at
tacks by insurgents In that vicinity.
Residence Sacked.
Friends Of the constitutionalist COM
mander confirmed the report that his
Saltillo residence had been sacked by the
federals. who carried away furniture and
carpets and either destroyed or appropri-
ated library of 5000 volumes.
MEXICO CITY, December 22-Federal
Isuccesses at Topic and Mazatlan on the
PACING coast OF Mexico are reported in
ofIicial advices received here today. The
rebels are said to have been severely
punished in a fight with the federal troops
eight miles from Tepic the capital OF the
Territory Of the same name, while the
federal forces which had been besieged
at Mazatlan for many weeks are said to
have assumed the aggressive and to be
forcing the rebels back toward Culiacan.
capital OF the state Sinaloa.
Wheeling Ordered to Tampico.
Upon receipt Of dispatches from Rear
Admiral Fletcher, in charge OF the Amer
lean battieships In Mexican waters, the
Navy Department has ordered the gun
boat Wheeling to proceed from Vera
Cruz to Tampico, where. the department
| was informed. hostilities between tho
federal and rebel forces have been re-
sumed. The English cruiser Suffolk was
also reported to have been ordered by
| Rear Admiral Sir Christopher Gradlock
| to proceed at once to Tampico.
Troops Would Leave Texas Border.
Numerous appeals have been made 10
Secretary Garrison to withdraw some, ir
not all. the troops of the second division
In camp at Texas City. Tex. under COM
mand Of Maj. Gen. w. III. Carter. Some
of the officers and many of the troops OF
that command have complained OF the
ldiscomforts they are enduring. IL is rep
| resented that the weather is trying and
the surroundings far from pleasant. In
time OF rain the camp is badly flooded
The men are said to be discontented and
| the desertions are far above the usual
lpersentage- More serious is the refusal OF
| soldiers discharged at Texas City to re-
enlist.
| After thorough consideration OF the SUBJ
ject, Secretary Garrison has concluded
| that the withdrawal of the troops from
Texas City at this time would have a det-
rimental effect on the Mexican situation
| So long the troops remain at Texas
City there is the impression i'm Mexico
that this country Is maintaining an atti-
tude of vigilance, ready to intervene. if
necessary. While the troops undoubtedly
would be more comfortable at their regu-
lar stations and while they might easily
be sent into Mexico from such stations, il
is believed that any extensive withdrawal
of troops from the border now might pro-
mote trouble.