Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-31
AMERICAN TROOPS
CAMP ALMOST ON
MEXICAN BORDER
Will Prevent Any Firing
Into U. S. Territory by
Villa Forces.
ATTACK AT AGUAPRIETA
MAY TAKE PLACE TO-DAY
Re-Enforcements for Carranza
Commander Arrive by
Special Train.
COME FROM LAREDO, TEXAS
Trenches Around Threatened City
Like Latest Ones in Euro
ATTACK AT AGUAPRIETA
MAY TAKE PLACE TO-DAY
COME FROM LAREDO, TEXAS
Trenches Around Threatened City
Like Latest Ones In Euro
pean War Zone.

DOUGLAS. ARIZ.. October 3o-Three
thousand men OF the Sixth United
States Infantry Brigade intrenched to-
day within rev feet Of the Mexican
boundary. ready to interfere II an at
tack on the Carranza garrison of Aqua
prieta, Sonora, by the Villa army. cx-
pected on Sunday or Monday. should
result In shooting into American terri
tory.
BriEadier-General Thomas +. Davis,
commander. said he would take every
precaution TO prevent any firing into
Douglas
''I do not propose to see an American
town shot up" he said
Villas advance guard. under Colonel
Thomas Franco, reached San Ber-
nardino. twenty miles east. on the bor-
der, to-day Colonel Franco said Villa
was in personal command of the army
General relias Gales. commanding
Aguaprieta received re-enforccmcnts
late to-day. The first Of nine trains
bearing troops and equipment from
Laredo. Tex. arrived II bore field
guns, ammunition and vehicles of all
sorts. Other trains were expected TO-
night and tomorrow
Colonel Franco declared villa felt
friendly toward Americans. and de-
sired to avoid trouble.
villa. Franco added. had 1000 men
and six four-inch guns.
The movement OF troops from the
camp two miles east OF Douglas 10
points along the border began this
afternoon.
AMERICAN TRENCHES WITHIN
TWENTY YARDS OF MENICANS
The American trenches begin at
point "A few feet west OF the United
States custom house and end within
less than twenty yards Of the Carranza
trenches at the rear of Aguaprieta
MeNicans working in these trenches
dropped their picks and shoveis and
Joined the throngs OF gesticuIating
Mexican men, women and children.
watching the work Of the American
troops.
Twenty-two Americans from FL Tigrc
seventy miles southeast OF here. for
whose safety fears were expressed
crossed the border to-day at Naco
Ariz.
Niggerhead. a black Butte family re-
sembiing the cranial outlines OF an
Ethiopian, which rises out OF the
desert nine miles east of here marks
the portal OF mountain pass through
which General Villa was expected to
swing about 5000 men 10 attack or be-
siege the CarranZa garrison at Aqua
prteta. Sonora, opposite here. Besides
his 5000 soldiers. Villa was author!ta-
lively reported TO have twenty-eight
field pieces. To oppose him General
Pelias Gales. the Carranza comma nder.
has approximately 800 men and ten
to twenty field pieces
General Villas army to-day reached
the Calledos ranch. some eighteen miles
southeast OF Aguaprieta, In Bernard!no
Valley. Just on the other side OF the
Chirichun Mountains. This placed him
on 4 fairly easy march TO the barbed-
wide entanElcments fronting General
Calless elaborate system of defense
VILLA IS EXPECTED
TO ATTACK TODAY
Villa is expected to attack to-mor-
row. Although already possessed OF
fairly effective system of protective
works. General Gales had his men en-
ploy their final waiting hours to-day
adding to mazes of trenches and re-
doubts.
Not IA blade Of grass grows in Aqua
preta. and dust whirls sent dancing
about by winds. coated gray and brown
faces and blue ovcralls of the soldiers
as they labored with picks and shovels
under the eyes of women and children
who fringe every Mexican military en-
campment or battle field.
The city of Douglas extends to tho
border line. but is sparsely built for
perhaps half Il mile north from the
boundary. Facing this open space. the
Carranza soldiers finished day Il
trench line which completed around
Aguapricta band of offensive works
that extended roughly, three quarters
of mile north and south and about
a mile and a quarter east and west.
The town itself, with its adobe build
ings, tents. go-downs and iean-to bar
racks. housing thousands of refugees,
driven in by the Villa advances, lies
within and overlooking this ellipse OF
works.
TRENCHES LIKE LATEST
ONES IN EUROPEAN ZONE
Trenches, which are the work OF
Colonel Max Joffre, Chilean engineer.
are like the latest ones i'm the Euro
pean war zone.
Ridges above five feet from the ton
of the trenches provide resting places
during any lulls in tho battle. while
cutters at the bottom serve for drain
age. On the ridge level, between every
traverse. or kink. in the trench line arc
bombproof dugouts for tho protection
OF soldiers when shrapnel shells come
too thickly.
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