The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-01
A Quartette of Soldiers In the
City.
ENDURED MANY HARDSHIPS
MINNESOTA MAN TELLS THE
STORY OF THE CAMPAIGN.
Soldiers Are Now Getting Used to
the Climate and Are Quite Com
fortable-Dewey the Idol of the
Army and Navy-Conditions
Greatly Improved.

A quartette of army boys who par
ticipated in the capture of Manila and
who are direct from there, spent yester-
day in the city. They are: Musician
F. D. Lontius, Fourteenth regulars, of
Chicago, and Corporal A, ]. Andrews,
artiffcer Charles Bush, and Private j.
a. Waldo, Thirteenth infantry, United
States volunteers, of Minnesota. The
men are now on their way home two
on sick burroughs and the remaining
two on detached service. Their faces
readily bespeak of Manila's tropical
cline as we'll as the 'hardships through
which they have passed.
Corporal Andrews, who was inter
viewed for The Herald yesterday, re-
lated the adventures of the land forces
during the campaign and described
some of the sights to be seen in the
subjugated city. The climate, he says,
is not very agreeable because of the
intense heat, but the boys are now
becoming acclimated and great many
would rather stay there than come
home.
SOLDIERS GETTING USED TO IT.
Pain, rain, RAIN said Corporal
Andrews, day and night, is what we
encountered upon reaching Manila. We
got used to it, however, and in short
time went about our work with scarce
ly a thought of it. We had some pretty
tough times over the grub question.
We ran short even While on the water,
and what made it worse was the sea-
sickness. Most of the boys had never
seen the ocean before, had just left
good comfortable homes and for them
to be put on short rations, consisting
of bad bareback etc, was indeed I'M
fortunate. Well, when we finally
reached Manila bay everyone wanted
to see Dewey. They didn't seem to
give a d about the country, but that
man is more than idolized by both the
army and navy men.
Things went along alright after We
landed, but it was long time before
we got into miXup. We did have
plenty to eat, though, such as it was.
We found a lazy, shiftless set of ma
tives, dirty and half-clothed, but they
seemed to be good -natured and got
along nicely with the soldiers, except
that they would steal anything they
could lay their hands on. They aren't
criminals. but simply don't know any
better. They might be called half
civilized.
THE WOMEN.
THE women are without doubt the
homeliest lot I ever saw. They tramp
around or ride in their peculiar vehicles
all the time. The lower classes are
sometimes seen to sell fruit, but other
wise it is a mystery to me how the
people live even as they do from hand
to mouth. What work is done is among
the females-much after the style OF
our American Indians
THE health of the troops in general
is good. There are many cases of sick
ness, it is true, but from all I ear hear
since coming home, the country isn't
a marker TO Cuba in this respect.
Il heard it stated many times, in
fact it seems to be quite the general
opinion that the only reason the Span
ish officers made a fight at Manila
City was because of their fear of the
Spanish government and oourtmartial.
They made some resistance, but it was
very easy for the Americans. The
Utah boys were in the thickest of the
tight and did themselves proud. Since
the battle part of our regiment has oc-
cupied what was formerly an elegant
church and the other half is located in
a store-house. There were some beauti-
full buildings before the battle.
SOME HORRIBLE SIGHTS.
q saw some horrible sights in walk
ing through the streets. Half-starved
and half naked prisoners were on ev-
cry corner crying for something to
eat. have in my frank of relics some
bullets which | extracted from a big
backstop in front Of which the Spanish
shot their prisoners. The stand was
literally a bank of lead, which will give
an idea of how often they used to go
through this performance. There We're
prisoners in the Spanish dungeons
who had no idea at all of the cause of
their confinement. OF course our gov
ernment liberated them as far as posi-
BILE, but it is horrible condition of
AFFAIRS
Mr. Andrews thinks there will yet
be trouble with the insurgents, who
are very unappreciative. He believes
it TO be a good country for Americans
soldiers. as soon as discharged, will
settle there, and go into business.
All the visitors speak in the very
highest terms of the v&lor and sol
dierly qualities of the Utah artillery
men under. Captains Young and Grant,
and say they made a splendid record.
Musician Pontius is extremely anx-
ious to return and contemplates spend
ing a very pleasant winter in the
Philippines. 1T is a great country
and I'll be glad to get back in six
weeks" he said. Il know of a dozen
or more men who are coming home for
their families and will return to spend
the rest of their days there.
Mr. Pontius went east last night and
the others of the party will continue
their journey today.