Evening star., 1914-05-03
.FEDERALS FIRE ON
AMERICAN OUTPOST
Attack Water Works Outside
Vera Cruz Following De-
mand for Surrender.
BUT FEW SHOTS FIRED;
THREAT BELIEVED BLUFF
Nearly 1000 Troops Are Sent in
Support-Gen. Mas Cuts Off
Food Supply.


Support-Gen. Mas Cuts Off
Food Supply.
VERA CRUZ. May "A considera BILE
force of Mexicans attacked the Ameri-
can outpost at the water plant nine
miles out al II o'clock this morning, ac-
cording to a wireless message received
here which asked for aid
Supporting troops were at once ordered
forward by train from Vera Cruz to Ell
Tejer, where the water works are
situated
No intimation was given in the wireless
message as to the size and identity of
the attacking force.
But Few Shots Exchanged.
What had promised to be the first fight
. between the United States Army and the
Mexican troops today ended in the ex-
change of not more than half a dozen
shots.
The Mexicans threatened to attack
Immediately unless the Americans sur
| rendered their position at the water
works at Ell Teiar within ten minutes,
but failed to fulfill their menace.
The MeXicans are still holding a posi-
| ton bevond the water works station and
| the American troops have received no
orders to advance. At IL o'clock this
morning a Mexican force. estimated at
| from 200 to 500 men. appeared mile be-
| yond the water works station. AS Maj.
Russell of the marines had received
orders not to assume the offensive he and
| his men watched the Mexicans with much
| interest.
| Suddenly a Mexican lieutenant and
/ ,,yy,iS 'hear 1rhi
| fag advanced and presented a demand
| for the Americans to surrender within
| ten minutes.
Maj. Russeel's reply was:
Hurry right back and do not waste
| any of the time your commanding officer
has stipulated"
Prepared to Resist Attack.
Maj. Russell then made preparations
to resist any attack. at the same time
sending a message to headquarters in
Vera Cruz that his outpost was threat
| ened
| Back at headquarters Brig Gen. Fun
| ston and his staff had been conscientious
! ly working out the details of the new
| government which the brigadier gen
eral had been instructed to establish.
I The wireless message from the water
works station at Ely Tejar brought about
| IA quick change from this comparatively
prosaic work to that of active army
duty.
| Within a few minutes headquarters had
notified Maj Russell that reinforcements
/ were on the way to aid him and In little
/ more than an hour instead of the 240 ma
rines composing the command of Maj
l Russell at the outpost of Ell Tejar there
were in position to support him more than
| Loo men. while the entire garrison of
/ Vera Cruz was ready for any movement
! that might be ordered.
ar,fn Of No. Int try
| Regiment were sent forward under the
command of Col. Robert C. Van Vliet as
! well as two battalions and three COM
| pa MES of marines commanded by Col.
| John Archer Lejeune.
Troops Taken From Outskirts.
| All these troops had been taken from
stations in the outskirts of Vera Cruz,
1 the of the infantry regiment en-
| training for the short run to FL Tejar
1 from Los Cocos, the first station the
4 Mexican railway. where they We're posted.
/ The battalions were commanded by Maj.
1 Charles c. French and Maj. Paul A.
\ Wolf
4 When Col Van Vliet and Col Lejeune
| with their supports arrived at the water
works station Maj. Russell and his men
We're not at all hard pressed.
| The Mexicans had contented themselves
with a scattering fire consisting of not
more than four or five shots at a range
of about l,IW Yards. From Maj Rus
sells lines only one shot was fired.
| The water works station at Ell Tejar
| forms the most advanced post in the
| American lines, and was placed so far
out of the city only because the au-
thorities regarded 1t as absolutely es-
sential to protect the city's water supply.
/ General orders had been given for the
! American troops not to assume the often
sive and not to fire at all unless at
/ tackled.
! 1t is not regarded here as at all prob
able that Gen. Gustave Mas, former fed
! eral commander at Vera Cruz. has any
idea of attempting to re-take the city,
but he is Tightening his long irregular
lines about the city. apparently in an ef-
fort to prevent the entrance from the
| country districts OF supplies. In this
he has been partially successful. and
truck gardeners have found il almost i'm
possible to reach the Vera Cruz markets
with the produce
Threat Regarded as Bluff.
1t is generally assumed that the Mexi-
can threat today &c take FL Tejar was
little more than bluff and it is thought
that the Mexicans perhaps hoped the
American outpost at that place. which
was only little more than half their num-
ber might surrender. that they Nigh,
defeat the Americans before reinforce
ments could arrive.
The Mexican troops We're in uniform
and consisted mostly of infantry but
there We're some cavalrymen, evidently
belonging to the regular establishment
While no fear is felt by the army an.
thorties in Vera Cruz that the Mex.
lean troops will make serious attack. II
is realized that considerable Inconvenience
: soon will be created unless something /.
. done to open the roads into those dis.
! tricts where garden and dairy products
) come from. The supply of any but i'm.
ported articles is becoming steadily small.
| er and the small amount of foodstuffs
brought in from the outskirts of the city
is not nearly enough TO supply the de.
mand. so that prices are increasin a.
the volume of products decreases Littl,
may be expected to arrive here from
, other ports of Mexico. as no ships ar,
, cleared there for Vera Cruz. which is {
: closed port SO far as the Mexican gov
ierument is concerned.