The Alaska daily empire., 1916-04-15

mounted on the fleeter and surer- hoofed horses. escaped Into the noun. tains.
 Providencia aud Santa Ana, from 70 to 50 miles north of the scene of the Guerrero fight, mark the bor- ders of the district where the ene- my had fled. The Villa forces head ed for the hills ard mountains rang ing In height from several hundred to several thousand feet, apparently fhinklng they would find temporary refuge. Among some of these hills the Americans found marks of car riage wheels.
 Was this Villas carriage. or was 1t vehicle carrying supplies to the head of some trail leading to noun tain hiding placer" This was the question every officer asked This was the news hurried back to Gen. Pershing a few hours after the fight It met him already at the front for he had passed through his most ad- vanced base the morning after the Guerrero fight and had Joined Ma jor Robert L. Howse. of the Elev- enth Cavalry lately stationed at Ft. oglethorpe. Ga.
 The command was ordered to block one of the passes through which Villas men might try to escape. Word was hurried back to Major Frank Thompkins. at the advanced base. by automobile Major Tomp- kins is of the Thirteenth Cavalry, the officer who led the American pursuit across the boundary from Columbus the morning Villa raided the American town.
 The officer who carried back word to Major Tompkins asked the auto mobile mechanic one question:
 Have you any extra tires?"
 "Yes." was the answer Not an- other word did the officer speak But he threw the car into high speed over rocks. ditches and hills until the escort riding with him used both hands to keep from being bounced out of their seats. Tomp- kins orders were to close another of the passes against Villas escape The men who had been without ra- tions except such as they could pick up in the country for four days were favored by the arrival of a supply train which pulled in just before they left These cavalrymcn were order ed to leave their swords behind and were told that, no matter how much else they might accomplish, it would be of little avail until they caught Villa himself
 During the night the troopers from headquarters, made a start for their station, which, 1t was hoped. would close the last door by which Villas men might escape northward The men were awakened. given coffee. the first some of them had tasted in several days and which had ar- rived opportunely just before mid night. and then silently assembled by troops. They worked so quietly that 50 feet away from their camp. fires 1t was not possible to discern that an important troop movement was getting under way Once after they left a tattoo of horses hoofs was heard from a mountain trail. but otherwise the departure was un- heard and unseen by most of the men remaining in camp.
 This morning an aeroplane came into headquarters, having picked its way through a snowstorm and com ing through air that was described as "boiling." This condition consist ed of several whirlwinds sweeping down off the mountains upon the table land. the superheated air ris- ing from sand flats wherever the sun shone for few minutes.
 When the sun was out the weath. CT was uncomfortably hot, but when clouds whirled across the face of the sun the men began to shiver with the cold The aeroplane is on dis. patch duty.
 Yesterday while co'ling here by automobile General Pershings escort took the wrong road. riding nearly into town which was believed to be full of Villa followers at Che time. They were within 10 miles of the place when the error Of the road was discovered. Later in the day 1t was reported that two scouts for the Americans were in this town and in possible danger. Volunteers were called for to bring them in So many officers rushed forward to of- fer their services that none of the privates got a chance to join the res cue party The scouts were brought back in safety.
 Several mule packs of Mexican sil- yer money has been sent to Colonel Dodd's troopers to enable them to obtain food and fodder from the Mexicans. Their American money was such an unknown quantity out among the Mexicans that trading with 1t was difficult. At this camp General Pershing has set a limit on the prices to be paid for chickens. This is to prevent bidding up the prices among those with money to spare which might result in a gener. al increase in cost of chickens and raise the limit beyond the means of private soldiers. The price has been fixed at 50 cents to S1 per chicken, depending on the size.