The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-18
GUNS ON IT'S AFFAIRS
CRUEL IRREVERENCE OF WAR AS
SHOWN INSTHE PHIL
IPPINES
ST. PAUL MANS DESCRIPTION
Vivid and Even Breezy Description
of Some Phases of New and Old
Manila That Have Escaped Other
Soldier Correspondents - Cor
EeOus Cathedral Now "a Vermin-
Infected Barracl6 for Prisoners.

C. A. O'ReilIy, of Company D, OF the
Thirteenth, writes ID friend in this
city OF some balance sheets which were
left by the inspector general of the
Spanish army when he went out OF
power. He says:
My confidence in the American press to do
full justice to our recent unpleasantness is
so great that l am going to leave the battle
strictly alone. But this quaint old town
would furnish material for many an interest
ing article. The city consists of two almost
distinct towns New Manila and Old Manila.
New Manila outside the walls, contains mos.
Of the bu sinesS portion, and some very fl
factories and is inclined TO be m d r.. In
the store windows l have seen American
sewing machines. bcy cles, has and Mil
waukCe beer. The street service IS vile,
and l am sure that if Mr. Albrecht and
Moritz Helm would take enc de r-und
this town they would forever after leave
Mr.. Lowry 70 enjoy the benefit of his lines.
The cid town is a decided curiosity l am
told most of il was built about 80 years
ago. II is almost level, an6s only a few yards
above high water mark, 50 that the natuI al
advantages for toitifyIng II W>re very Ight
This fact however, did not preve t the
builders from making it one OF the most
strongly fortified towns on e-r h. l find
the walls, in spite of their age, firm. The
stone is as solid as granite, and the mortar
rather better than the s-one. TIE bull ders
Of those days knew something about mortar
that do not. Approaching the wall from
the outside. the first obstruction encountered
IS series OF barb wire fences calculated to
try the patience ard cutc.e Of the intruder.
Next comes the outer wall, with broken glass
fixed in the cement, and its outer slLpeNcov-
cred with pointed bamboo stakes. Inside is
an old-faShiOned moat capable of h -lding ff-
teen feet Of water. Then comzs sh er ior-y-
foot wall covered from end to end with guns,
some of them of the '95 KTupp model, and as
good as any guns on earth. / nave made
complete study of the fertilization, and haz-
ard the opinion that, garrisoned by such an
army ours. and leaving out OF cons.dera-
If 40
earth could take the town. In-i5e the walls,
even the idea of Gefen e seems TO nave pre-
dominated in the construction of the town:
Every block is d fortress. Every row OF
buildings presents a front as solid ard I'M
broken from end to end though hewn f. ON
solid rock. The only means of entrance to
q block is q gate Of heavy wood, reinforced
by one Of iron. The windows a=e i IRON
barred. The roofs are all covered with H. e.
proof tile.
other except. the churches, which are a COM
plete departure from the style referred to-
Viewed from the outside, they are heavy.
cumbersome and mossgrown. The artistic
commences at the door. They were built from
100 to 500 years ago, thus escaping the some
what disagreeable tendency OF our age TO sac
rifce beauty and symmetry the shrine of
utility. Perhaps he most worthy of mention
is the old Cathedral, occupying the greater
portion Of a very large block and having
three main entrances. The ceiling is easily
the most beautiful feature and is supported
by upward of 100 immense pillars of solid
stone beautifully carved and painted, repre-
senting two distinct styles Of architecture, the
DOric and Corinthian, and SO arranged as to
completely remove the general effect Of heayi-
ness which So often accompanies massive
affairs Of this kind.
There are no pews in this or any Of the
churches.h single row of seats on either
side completes the furniture. The first altar
stands near the front entrance and Is about
forty feet high. Immediately behind this Is
the orchestra, consisting of an immense organ
ana a slightly elevated platform with seats
for perhaps 100 musicians. Extending from
this 10 the farther end of the building is an
iTon-railed walk at the end of which stands
the main altar. This altar defes my weak
power of description, and occupies almost as
much space as the average st. Paul church.
The secondary or smaller affairs, eighteen In
number, are arranged on either side of the
church and are not mere inches In the wall,
but distinct churches, each complete in itself,
some OF them 100 feet in length. The
dedicated to the blessed virgin Is the most
beautiful feature of the whole building. The
puTest art marks floor, walls and ceiling,
producing a. effect that goes a long way
toward repaying one for trip to the Phil
ippines The lighting is electric and is fur
nished through twenty distinct chandeliers,
each one containing eighty globes and hun.
dredS upon hundreds of cut-Siass pendants.
The paintings are mostly from France. Some
are from Italy, and very few from Germany.
All Of this art is now being used a bar
racks for Spanish soldiers. The floors are
covered with dirt and vermin. Cots are ar
ranged in all parts of the church Hammocks
ere swung from altar to pillar and the air
Of sanctity that should pervade the place is
completely swallowed up in the horrible evil
dences of war.
How do I like Manila? That depends. The
Thirteenth has had no reason to complain.
We had honors galore. First of all, we were
given the place of greatest responsibility on
the day Of the capture. Better than this we
were spoken of in terms of highest praise
by Gen. Macarthur. Next, we were made the
police force and now dozen men from our
regiment and Company have been appointed
a bOdy-guard for Gen. Macarthur. This last
takes away from the company and places
US in very delightful quarters, and yet we
= would all like to awaken in st. Paul tomor
row morning.
The Spanish senoritas are very beautiful
but somewhat shy-as yet The Spanish men
are very agreeable The natives are profuse
in protestations OF love for Americans. The
Chinese and Japs almost extensively po-
lite. The natural resources of the islands are
supposed to be great, and as they are unde-
velOred, there must be wealth here. The
natural assumption is that as as we are
free we will have no other wish than 10 set
tie down and become a part of the country.
But all want to go home.
The climate Is enervating A few days ago