Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1913-06-03
FEDERALS WERE CRAFTY
BUILT A RARBED WIRE FENCE
AND CHARGED 1T WITH ELEc-
TRIO CURRENT.
THIS REPULSED The ATTACK
BUT THE CoNsTlTUTioNAlsTs
oVERcAME HANDicAPs BY
TAKING POWER PLANT.

Brownsville, Tex, june 3-After
four hours OF fighting it is reported
the city Of Matamoras, Mexico, has
been captured BY the constitutions
lists.
The attack Of the forces OF General
Lucio Blanco, the constitutionalist
leader, on the city OF Ma emoras be-
gan at 1880 o'clock today, the attack
being made in skirmisn line order.
The shooting was started by small
line Of constitutionalists visible
from the American bank OF the Rio
Grande, who were attempting to gain
the Matamoras electric .ight plant, a
mile out Of the city.
At 1 o'clock the first official report
from Matamoras stated that the at
tacBing lines had been repulsed three
time and that four federals of a small
force fighting in the neighborhood Of
the light plant had been wounded
during the skirmishing there.
The shooting was brisk from the
start and continued for quarters
Of an hour. then the firing was car
ried on by both sides in desultory
manner. The entire forces of General
BIanco, numbering about 1900, are
being brought into the attack. The
lines are approaching the city from
the west with apparently the heaviest
firing to the south Of the city. The
federals are entrencned on the out
skirts of Matamoras and in addition
to the embankment behind which
they are firing, they are protected
to some extent by narbed wires charg,,
ed with electricity. q.
Major Estaban Ramos, commander
of the federal forces, was seriously
wounded in the charge Of the revolu-
tionists on the Matamcras electric
light plant which they succeeded IN
taking at 2:15 O'Clock this afternoon.
There was, a lull in the firing, the
rebels taking new positions for hur-
ried attack ON the Notifications south
OF the light plant. BY capturing this
plant they put out of commission the
electric wire fence which the feder-
ais had claimed killea 60 Of the en-
emy.
One federal cannon was brought-into
action at the very start Of the fight,
but was given up after one shot had
been fired from it into small houses
in which it was thought rebels were
hiding The houses were blown to
kindling WOOD but no men were in
them.
Ten thousand rounds of ammuni-
tion were taken to Matamoras short
ly before noon today, and just after
the load was carried over the Inter
national bridge protest was made
by Dr.. Antonio Garza Gonzales, Car
rama consul here. He was referred
by the military authorities in charge
to the president Of the United States
A permit for passing ammunition was
issued several weeks ago, but it mad
been allowed to remain in this city
An old trestie owned by the Mexican
National railroad caught fire durins
the fight and has been burning brisk
IL ever since. Three fires are visible
in as many parts OF the city,
one Of the federals captured a few
days ago by the rebels was forced b!
them to give the location Of dynam1t'
mines planted near the light plant
One mine was fired without any in
jury SO far as can be learned.
Two Mexicans watching the fight
ing from the American side wer
hurt BY stray bullets. Both Wounds
men are in a serious condition.
1t was iea1ns1 ssh1s es7t1rz the los
Of Major Ramos. Captain velez an
two lieutenants, a score Of federal SO
diers we're killed in defending tn