Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-02
FOOD TRAINS ARE READY
TO RELIEVE MEXICO CITY
They Are Heavily Guarded and Will
BE Rushed to Starving People
in Capital.
RAILROAD OPENING is TEST
II Carrnnza Cannot Keep Promise to
Maintain Line From Vera Cruz in
Operation, Then United States Will
Take Hand.

WASHINGTON. August l.-Announce-
| mont or the rcoccupation of Mexico
City by General Gonzales's army was
followed to-day by a statement from
General Carranza's headquarters at
Vera Cruz that immediate efforts would
be made to send foodstufs by rail- to
the starving people of the capital The
| State Department had no direct ad-
vices as to tho situation in Mexico
City.
Heavily guarded trains. it was re-
ported, are being prepared to leave
Vera Cruz with provisions to supple
ment food being taken into the city
by the army of occupation. Reopen
| ing OF the railroad line will furnish
an important test for the effectiveness
OF military operations of Carranza.s
forces to protect means of transporta-
tion from the east coast 10 the capital,
officials here believe. Much depends
they say. upon the success of this un-
dertaktnE because the United States
government is determined to relieve
the famine in Mexico City il Carranza's s
| forces cannot do it,
| Information of Carranza's plans
came 10 his agents at Washington in
a message from Carranza's Minister of
Foreign Affairs who announced that
| the railroad between Queretaro and
AEuascaltentes. connecting Gonzales
with General Obregon's forces, would
be reopened.
NO RESISTANCE MET BY
ARMY Of OCCUPATION
Reports reaching here regarding the
present situation in Mexico City say
that an advance guard of Gonzaless
| army has taken possession OF the city
entering without meeting resistance
and that General Gonzales himself ar
rivcs there tomorrow.
Troops have been stationed on the
outskirts to guard the railroad lines
and waterworks. and assurances have
been given to the Washington authori-
ties that order will be maintained and
| normal conditions restored as rapidly
as possible.
Since the announcement. officially
confirmed in State Department dis
patches. that General Gonzales drove
Villas dying column under General
Fierro from Pachuca, little has been
heard of this southern division of
Villas army. Villas agency issued "A
statement tonight declaring that tho
flying column was operating in the
| states OF Hidalgo. Vera Cruz. Puebla
! and Mexico" In this case IT may he
able to menace the railroad Ia Vera
Cruz.
Nearly all officials are OF the opinion.
based on the history OF events for the
past two years. that no faction can
hold the railway between Mexico City
! and Vera Cruz while another faction Is
in arms in Mexico.
| CARRANZA MUST WIFE OUT
VILLA AND ZAPATA FORCES
These officials arc OF the opinion
that unless Carranza annihilates the
Zapata and villa forces. II will be
necessary sooner or later for the
| United States to take charge OF the
railway and keep it open. 1t is uni
versnlly known now that foreign ma
tions have been pressing the United
States to keep communication open be-
| tween the Mexican national capital and
Vera Cruz. Navy people point out
| to- night that the burden Of this work,
| II ii becomes necessary. would fall on
Captain MacNamec with his very small
| force now off Vera Cruz.
The Carranza agency said tonight it
had been Informed by Mr.. Acuna. Car
ranzas minister for Foreign Affairs, at
Vera Cruz, that Carranza will send
| 1000 tons of -four. corn. beans. barley
lard and dried meats into Mexico City
| This, tho dispatches say, will be in
! addition to the supplies which General
| Gonzales Will carry with him into the
city OF Mexico at the present reoccu-
| patton"
The Carranza agency also claims that
Carranza has set up civil govern
| ment at Oueretaro. and that similar
government will soon he esta b,ished at
! Aguascalientes. II is claimed that
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