Madero Gets Reinforcements But Fails to Rush the Rebel Positions.

New York Times 100 years ago today, February 14, 1913:
HEAVY FIRING ALL DAY
Fifty Reported Killed Inside the Palace — American Club Riddled by Artillery.
DIAZ DEMANDS SURRENDER
Food Supply Short, and, with Banks Closed, Thousands Are Without Funds.
WILSON ACTIVE FOR RELIEF
His Plea to Madero Prevents Cutting Off of Telephone Service That Aids Refugees.
REBELS' POSITION STRONG
Surety of Supply of Ammunition Gives Them a Big Advantage Over the Government Forces.
Special Cable to The New York Times.
    MEXICO CITY, Feb. 13.— Five days of fighting in the streets and the exchange of artillery fire finds the forces of President Francisco Madero and Gen. Felix Diaz still locked without apparent advantage on either side. All to-day the rival forces kept up a heavy cannonade, while the people were huddled in basements in misery and want.
    Gen. Diaz extended his lines somewhat and advanced his guns so that he could batter the National Palace, the stronghold of the Madero forces, but he could not force a surrender.
    The fire of his gunners was remarkable for its accuracy. Shells were dropped around the Federal guns in terrifying and destructive fashion.
    In the interior of the palace the Government losses are said to have been large. It was reported at 4 o'clock that the dead numbered fifty, and that many more had been wounded.
    This superiority of the rebel artillery is said to have spread demoralization among the forces of Madero, but the officers have been able so far to hold their men under discipline.

Madero Short of Ammunition.
    President Madero to-night is said to be planning still more desperate measures to oust the Diaz forces from their position at the arsenal, Young Men's Christian Association building, and prison. He is placing batteries of five and ten guns to bear on these buildings, and is preparing to raze the buildings, that lie between. It is also understood that the Government is bringing up mortars, which will be used to drop shells into the rebel strongholds.
    The Maderista, however, are badly hampered by lack of ammunition. The rebels got a plentiful supply in their seizure of the arsenal, while the Government was thus deprived of what had been counted on to meet an attack. During the day the rebel fire was much stronger than that of the Federals, to whose guns ammunition was sent in small lots.
    It is charged by the Diaz leaders that the Government had employed the Red Cross emblem for the transportation of supplies for the batteries.
    Some of the Government officers admit that the fight seems to be going against them. Their forces have been greatly troubled by the tactics of Diaz in placing machine guns and sharpshooters. The latter have been effective in picking off the Federal gunners.
    There are reports that the Government is planning to transfer the capital to Puebla. Some troops and artillery were sent there this afternoon.
    Foreigners, who are huddled about the various diplomatic quarters, are anxious for the arrival of marines. They are in great distress. Many of the women have become hysterical and are hard to control in view of the danger to their husbands and other relations who are looking after their safety.

Diplomats Seem Powerless.
    Further diplomatic representations to the Government are believed to be useless. President Madero presents an obdurate front when approached by the representatives of foreign nations, and in some cases has refused to answer their requests and protests.
    His attention has been called officially to the bombardment of the American Consulate, following the landing of several more shells there. It was pointed out in reply that the Government cannon had to fire over the Consulate, because otherwise it would be impossible for them to hit the arsenal.
    The diplomatic white flag has been fired on repeatedly. The Government troops refused to recognize the Red Cross and fire on all the ambulances of that organization.
    Only the White Cross, a private organization of the Maderists at the time of the Madero revolution, because the other organization was controlled by friends of Porfirio Diaz, is permitted to work without molestation. President Madero's wife is at the head of it.
    A shell broke in the Hotel des Jardin also this morning, but nobody was hurt

Poor are Near Starvation.
    In the poorer districts of the city food is scarce, and the situation there is pitiful. Some of the famishing people are harassing the people on the outskirts of the city in their search for food.
    The poorer classes to-day came in for their share of the terrors of the fighting, too. The Government placed cannon in the Peralvilla and Colonia de Bolsa slum districts, and the rebels returned the fire, dropping many shells among the hovels. Gen. Diaz showed his resourcefulness by attacking this battery in the rear.
    While the artillery engagement was at its height this morning the American Club, on Sixteenth of September Street, a block south of the Alameda, came under a hot fire, and many shells were sent into it. Although many Americans had gathered there, none of them was wounded. The pictures of American Presidents, however, were shot up, only that of Col. Roosevelt escaping damage.
    Capt. W. A. Burnside of the Fourteenth Cavalry, Military Attaché of the American Embassy, arrived here last night with his bride. He states that the shells used by both sides in the bombardment are of the most dangerous variety.
    One of these shells, fired by a rebel gun, landed this morning in the midst of a troop of cavalry and killed and wounded many, including three officers.
    Such reports as come in from the country indicate that it is in a state of anarchy. Uprisings and fighting are said to have occurred in many cities.
    Persons who have seen President Madero to-day say that he has lost his optimism and good spirits, but shows no inclination to give in. He demanded the surrender of Diaz this morning in answer to the shells of a big siege gun which hit the palace. It is expected that fighting will continue to-night by the light of the Chapultepec searchlights. There is much difficulty in passing from one part of the city to another, due to the strict guard kept. Even diplomats are taken to the palace before being allowed to go to the cable office.
    Cease firing was sounded by the Government at nightfall. Gen. Diaz reciprocated. A few desultory shots were heard at 7:30 in the vicinity of Peralvilla. Alfonso Miranda, the Zapatist leader, was reported foraging in that colony. The Government troops sacked several stores to-day. They said they were starving.
    The Government received 2,000,000 rounds of small-arms ammunition this afternoon. It was brought by 100 men from Vera Cruz. The Colonel in command of the escort reports that there were hostile demonstrations at all stations along the line. The troops were insulted but not attacked.
    Dias lost seventy men at the mounted police barracks to-day. The place was attacked by rurales with machine guns. At the same time 100 men of the seventh battalion deserted to Diaz.

Americans Stick to Posts.
    Some Americans and some servants volunteered to stay at the American Club to-night. American linotype men volunteered to get out the Mexican Herald to-morrow.
    The cable operators are sticking nobly to their posts despite the fact that their families are in the danger zone. They have not left the building for four days, and have been working almost constantly, Manager Woodcock is working twenty hours daily. Messengers run the lines under a rain of bullets.
    Quantities of projectiles fell in the vicinity of the American Embassy today, being overshots directed toward Government batteries in front of the British legation. No Americans there were injured.