Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-03-17
ACTUAL FIGHTING
AT ANY MOMENT
Advance Squadron Is Closing
in; First Column Will Join
1t Near Mormon Colony;
Pursuit Costing U. S. $4O,-
600 a Day; Congress Up
Holds Wilson

lei Paso, Texas. March 11.-ENpec-
tation along the border was keyed to
it's highest pitch to-day by the general
belief that before nightfall the ad-
vance guard of the American eXpe-
dtionarv force would have entered
Villa territory n the mountains OF the
Casas Grandes region of Mexico.
While the censorship prevented any
official news of the whereabouts OF the
American columns, reports brought by
Americans arriving from the interior,
coupled with the calculations of men
thoroughly familiar with the territory
over which the eXpeditionary force Is
passing, made il reasonably certain
That the United States soldiers must be
close to the district where Villa is be-
lieved to exercise his greatest influence
and have the Target number of sym
pathiZers.
Making Fast Time
New definite facts about the Amer
lean expedition to-day stood out with
considerable clearness as the result OF
official published reports and the news
brought here by Americans who have
been in touch with some portion OF
the American movement.
1t seemed certain that OF the two
columns which are somewhere in
Mexico" one was constituted for
speed, while the other apparently was
moving more slowly. The swift
footed column was the auxiliary army,
seemingly mostly cavalry, which went
into Mexico fifty miles west of the
main army of General PershinS when
his forces crossed at Columbus, n. NJ.
Columns Will Meet
The secrecy which has surrounded
the movements of the main column
has been slight compared with the
record of this western force. There
is reason to believe, from the Off
cial announcements, that the western
column may have gone into Mexico
earlier than the main body. Every
report arriving here asserts that the
western wing has travelled the far
ther. By these same reports, the two
columns will form a junction near the
threatened American Mormon colo
nists, probably in the Casas Grandes
region.
Discuss GaITisoning
Carranza officials, it was learned to-
day, have been discussing with some
concern whether American troops,
during the Villa pursuit, would have
TO occupy any Mexican cities and the
effect of such occupation upon Mex
lean public sentiment.
The Carranza officers have frankly
expressed the hope that the garrison
iile VI lliN NlNl'S Ndl ne ltII TO lnelf
own troops. The American armys
choice of the Chihuahua desert as its
place of entry precludes for the pres
ent such problem as city garrison
duty.
1t is estimated here that the cost
of the Villa pursuit at present is up
ward of $4,000 per day.
While the possibility that actual
lighting with the Nillistas might be-
gin at any moment, interest was re-
doubled in every item of intelligence
that threw any light on the attitude of
the Carranza adherents and more es-
pecially on that of the five detach-
ments of Carranza troops who are de-
clared by the officials of the de facto
government to be operating against
Villa.
No Close Cooperation
Andres Garcia, the CarranZa consul
here, who is recognized as the closest
man to the first chief on the border
refused to make any definite statement
[Continued on Page 1871