The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-06-27
WAR At THE
WATER WORKS
COMIC ACCOUNT OF A FIGHT
THAT DIDN'T TAKE PLACE
NEAR VERA Cruz


Of the Mexican demand that the
United States outposts surrender
and the subsequent surrender, is
from the pen OF a London Express
Correspondent:
We had red-hot fight today
and our war correspondents covered
themselves with glory. l wish l
could say that the troops were
equally successful, but as a matter
of fact they had fewer opportunities.
1t was like this: At the pumping
station, upon which this city chiefly
depends for its water supply, and
which is some nine miles on the
other side of nowhere, is an Ameri-
can outpost of $50 marines.
To them appeared suddenly out of
the blue, two Mexican cavalrymen.
under a white flag. They explained
that they represented a mixed force
OF five hundred federals, and that
unless the outposts surrendered
within ten minutes, things would
happen.
The commander OF the marines
replied that in that case they had
better return before the ten minutes
were up-which they did.
Thereafter the marines. waited for
nothing happened. They heard,
however, five rapid shots fired from
somewhere, which presumably rep
resented the Mexican army. One OF
the marines thought he saw some
thing, SO he fired too. and did not
hit it. And that was the end of the
engagement.
There is not much in this story to
write about, but the effect upon our
war correspondents was extraordi-
nary. Our numbers, including latest
arrivals, must now be about seven
hundred, and not one OF them but
was in himslef perfect At Of &C.
tivity Never was seen such a buck
ling on OF swords and spurs and
breastp1ates and cowboy hats and
accOutremenJS generally.
- And there arose at once the ques-
ton OF horses. The pumping sta
ton, as / have said, is nine miles on
the other side of nowhere. Some
of us as was only natural took cabs
was in himself a perfect Al of ac-
count. Others as being more prop
erly military decided to buy or hire
horses. One gentleman, my very
good friend, was luckier than the
commonalty. He met Mexican gen.
tleman of shabby appearance, in the
street, riding upon a four-footed ami
NAL about the size of Great Dane.
He approached him at once, and,
after a spirited contest, purchased
the animal for s35 CMex), which at
present rate of exchange is about
2 pounds 15s., a price which includ-
ed saddle, bride and other inciden-
tails. Then he proceeded to mount
| have heard, though / will not
vouch for it-for you cannot believe
word you hear in Mexico-that he
was seen some hours later stagger-
ing thru the northern suburbs carry
ing the exhausted charger over his
shoulder.
| personally took a cab and told
the man to drive me to the battle
field. After he had driven about
two hours We met the Mexican army
It was resting under tree, and it
was smoking cigaret, and it's rifle
was about twenty yards away from
It was very comfortable and quite
happy. / could have captured it and
thereby ended the peaceful occupa-
ton" Of Mexico, but as a non-com-
power, SO / only asked it where the
fighting was. 1t yawned and waved
its arm s1eepily and said "Quien
sabeo" which is Mexican for .'How
the devil should 1 know" And then
it asked me if 1 had any news to
give it, or any cigars, or any money,
because it was very poor man. /
gave it cigar of exceeding rankness
and it lighted it and became much
more amiable and explained to me
in so many words, that it had not the
vaguest idea what all the trouble
was about, and had I.
Just then the cabman, who was
consumedly bored by the whole pro-
ceedings and had just missed kill
horse with his whip, explained to me
that he would want twenty pesos al
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