The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-04-28
A CITY
DESTROYED
By Use Of Dynamite And
Kerosene
Mexican FedeTaIS Destroy City OF
RueYO Laredo, Mexico.
FIRE ON AMERICAN TROOPS

FederaIs Prepare and Execute Plan
For General Confiagration Before
pashing South = Eleven Mexicans
Killed and Score Wounded In Clash
With Uncle Sans Soldiers-Mexi-
cans Driven Across Border.
Laredo, Tex, April 25. - With at
feast II Mexican federals killed and
more than a score wounded by dyna-
mite, and with black pail of smoke,
heightened by flames in countless
places, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, just
across the river from this city, pre-
sents spectacle of desolation and
ruin.
Dynamite and the torch succeeded
each other in their destructive work
The Mexican federals, repulsed in
several attempts to blow up the inter-
national railroad bridge, turned their
attention to their own town. Every
building devoted to public use and
dozens of private stores and the
! larger residences including con-
vent and church, were razed, and
the work of destruction was made
more certain by liberal use of kero-
sene. The federal troops, with few
exceptions, left after completing their
task, the larger number fleeing in
trains.
Before dashing south the federal
troops prepared for general coniia.
| grafton. The fires, which were light
ed at the moment of departure, as
sumed giant proportions within less
than five minutes. Many of the
| houses were of stone or adobe and
under ordinary circumstances would
readily burn, but kerosene and other
combustibles had been used, causing
every house fired to burn rapidly.
The tower on which machine guns
had been used during the battle in
January fared up like torch when
the match was applied.
The first signal which drew the at
tention of the people of Laredo to the
city across the river was the sound
| of rifle fire as the train was pulling
out The Mexicans fired at the Amer
can soldiers at Fort Mcintosh and
the fire was returned at once by the
| Americans.
Smoke was seen issuing from many
buildings around Central plaza. The
municipal building and the American
consulate are on opposite sides o.
the plaza and they began burning 81
multaneously, as did also the post
Office building next door.
A few moments later flames broke
out of the windows and roofs of sew
eral other buildings, and deep ex
plosion was heard, one of the houses
being blown into ruins.
The troops at Fort Mcintosh were
Immediately ordered out and the peo
pie were driven back from the rive
bank on this side when the soldier
went into action machine sul
platoon at Fort Mcintosh went int,
action, with the result that severa
Mexicans were seen to fall. Severa
attempts we're made to blow up tn
Mexican end OF the internationa
bridge, and sharpshooter ON top o
,watertower at the plant killed on
man seen to approach the bridge. An
other man who tried to dynamite tn
Mexican end of the railroad bridg
was killed by American Soldiers. Bat
!. terry A. of the Third field artiller
took station near the power house o
the Laredo electric light company
After silencing the fire Of Mexicans
part OF the Ninth infantry was with
drawn to the river front, the remain
der still guarding the border.
Rumors that some American SO
diers were wounded proved to b
without foundation and no shot
struck in the central part of the city
Colonel Crane Of the Ninth infantr
|. said a rigid patrol Of the city, parti'
1 ularly the business section and tn
, American residence section, would b
, kept, and that every precauio
would be taken to prevent outrage
!, by any of the refugees.