The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-04-22
Carranzistas Concentrating in
Manner Indicating That hey
Have But One Object
VILLA REPORTED AS
NEAR SOMBRERETE
Cabinet Considers Critical Com
dition But Will Make No
Change Until General Scott
Reports

II PasO, Tex, AprH 2l.--Th8
position of the punitive expedition
and its long line of communities
ton is becoming more perilous
every hour. In the opinion of mili-
tary men here.
Concentration of Carranza
troops In Northwestern and
Southern chihuahua IL being
pushed forward with more yigor
than the dc facto government ever
displayed In its hunt for Pancllo
villa.
Coincidentai with this shifting
of Mexican troops into Western
Chihuahua from many points was
the movement tonight of train
loads of achievements to Column
bus from border stations. I'm
usual military activity 10 report
ed from Columbus, but details
are lacking, due to the censor
ship.
An officer said here tonight that
General Funston, like a careful
soldier, was apparently "prepar-
ing General Pershing's column
for AN attack from any quarter
by "a force of any size
Meanwhile the forces in Mexico ara
digging in all along the line of
communication Entrenching began
ten days ago at Colonfa Dublan, the
first supply base south of Columbus
Pits were dug for artillery and
trenches for the infantry Now comes
the information that all, the detach-
ments and larger camps strung along
the 350-mlle supply line from the
border to Satevo are entrenching.
Ammunition Going Forward.
More significant, perhaps, than tho
movement of reinforcements to Co.
lumbus is the fact that for the last
few days ammunition has been the
main cargo carried south by the truck
trains. Reserve supplies sufficient to
last through several battles have been
concentrated at strategic points along
the line OF communication. Machine
guns, too. are being sent south in fast
increasing numbers.
Four hundred Carranza troops will
leave Iuarez tomorrow morning for
Madero
General Gabriel Gavira, the Car
rama commander in Juarez. stated
tonight that they were reinforcements
for the garrison at MADEIRA. since
MADEIRA is in no danger of attack tho
need of reinforcements is not quite
clear.
der General Luis Herrera have gona
into camp at Parral. where the first
demonstration against the Americans
took place
From Central Mexico and Western
Sonora, Carranza columns are moving
toward Chihuahua.
Troop trains are in motion between
Saltillo and Torreon carrying soldiers
northward One OF these trains was
dynamited this week by Villa bandits
under General Canuto Reyes Two
hundred CarranZa soldiers are report
ed to have persisted in the attack that
followed. This news was the first de-
finite information reaching the border
that troops are being drawn from
Central and Northeastern Mexico 10
Chihuahua.
For Ave days nothing has been
learned of the position OF General
Arnulfo Gomez's army of 5000 men.
last reported nearing the Pulpito and
ojitos passes IN the Sierra Madrs
mountains on the western border D.
Chihuahua.
villa Near Sombrcrctc.
Villa is still in the vicinity of SOM
brerete. seventy miles southeast OF
Durango. according to reliable reports
reaching the border from the south
II IL the belief in Torreon and Chihua-
hua that he is attempting to make .
tunction---if indeed he has not al.
ready made it--with General Pedro
Bracamonte, who commands \ bandit
force Of approximately 2,000 men II
the Sombrerete district. Rracamonts
was q general in the old Federal army
under Porfirio Diaz and is thought to
be operating in conjunction with the
Diaz revolutionists south Of Mexico
City.
Mining men here have abandoned
plan to place civilian guards at their
properties in Chihuahua