The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-26
THE pHILIprINE ISLANDS.


| A Letter that Gives Some Interesting
Facts About Them.
| The following letter was received by MIR.
c. S. Penfield of this city from Mr. A. II.
| Bowman, captain and assistant surgeon OF the
Fist South Dakota volunteers, now stationed
at Manila. Philippine Islands:
| I received your letter in answer to one l
bad written you in regard to these islands
| before leaving San Francisco, and will now
give you few lines in regard to the i'm
presrions have in regard to this climate
and these islands and their resources.
The climate here is not more uncomfortable
than that of Nebraska during the summer
months. The atmosphere is necessarily damp
OH account of the moisture. and upon TAX ng
| exercise one perspires freely. The nights are
| cool and one can sleep comfortably uidsr
bitnEet. On account of the free persrirati9n
frequent baths are a necessity and all resi-
dences are provided with a shower bath, as
most people here prefer that manner OF bath
ing
By high fences or walls to prevent intrusion,
and the windows and doors are left open to
allow free circulation Of air through the
houses; in fact great many houses uie not
provided with windows. blinds being usel in
stead.
Manila has, a population of 100000 people,
diers. about 1000; Chinese, 10000; Spanish
soldiers 10000. the balance being made up
OF natives and mixed races. mostly Chinese
mostly carried on by the Chinese, the retail
bus ness almost entirely. There are lew
Spanish and few from India in the retail
interests being In the hands of Spanish, Eng
lish French and German people.
All business is carried on Ia the most crude
ard aborious way, the only thing modern
here being electric lights,
There is only one, railroad in the ISLANDS
and that is 40 miles long. The transfer busi.
=, Il No., .arfp md an
coolies. There is street car line In the city,
the cars being drawn by ponies little larger
than Shetland ponies. and often TO start tho
cars the people nave TO get out and push.
A modern electria line extending TO- all parts
of the city ought to be very profitable an
yes.Dcat. And II n company should ouy up
to Cn9itc good money could be made out oI
residence property; in fact, II we keep tho
islands I'll property in Manila VIII ennaMse
The lumber business is In the hands Of the
Chinese and Ia carried on IN the most cr'iue
way The logs are squared In the forests and
either transported by boat or OK carts TO tne
city. where they are sawed into boards ana
tibers entirely BY hani and worked b up Into INTO
also. have heard OF but one small sawrnlil
OH the islands. and have not seen piece o,
moulding, door or house finisning oi any
kind that has been made by machinery, con-
sequently everything in the building line is
expensive. although done by cheap labor.
A large factory, for working up Lumber
seems to me would be very profitable m
yeslment Although this country has been
settled for many hundred years II is prac r
tically in state Of nature, II nhving , oaah
aud discourage IN every way the Introduction
OF modern appliances for carrying on me
business of the country, and in that way ell
.be Pasig river which runs through Ma
Mia, has three times the capacity OF the Chi,
cngo river, and with proper. dredging would
| tn fxrfr he
boats OF very light draft are able to come iii
even Mt high tide; all other vessels are obliged
dis posItion will be made Of the Philippines,
. the only news we get Is through the papers,
which IRE month old when we get them,
There is one enterprise did not mention
that would no doubt pay better than any
other and would bring In immediate returns
an an Ice plant with cold storage connected. Ice
il sold here for Nc pei. pound and Is some
thing that Will always be In demand In this
necton with the ice business II one. should
secure the agency OF some of the brewing
companies he could do large and prof.taole
for 20 cents per quart bottle, and is the only
American beer have seen OF the market
here. There is beer made in, San Francisco
called steam beer, which takes cpiy ABOUT
twenty. four hours to make. but which doa5
moi keep we'll. the manufacture Of which
am told Is very inexpensive. wbich nc doupt
n or,e was going into the Ice business here
he should build plant OF sufficient cspacity
to supply city OF the size OF Houston so
he would have plenty on hand for cold stor-
ace as Well as Tor GALE Az trade opens up
one could establish a big, wholesale trade u
H Ice with the steamers which come here from
u co Id Storage could be used here for Al
purposes for which u Is used IN Inc vmase
sueS business here first are going t9 reap
a rich reward. do not think the climate nas
here more unhealthful than that OF TEXAS
s ma Il ia certainly more pleasant than that
q Kansas CITY drras s ss s ana haSe moi
!, a ms "a 81 Temperature above 90 degrees 10
t the shade during the day and J was NY, Su,
nearly ali day that day and dla nHe s sows'
~ course there may be more disagresan,ie
weather hotter weather hare d Sss seps
sss,rrseah;y surprised with the weather Aus
Climate Of the TROPICS 90 Tar. ,..,,ment on
am the only surgeon OF our reSi~sns =