The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1898-07-16
LIFE IN PHILIPPINES.
RESIDENTS LEAD AN EASY HAP
PY-Go-LUcKY EXISTENCE.
Climate Is Pleasant one-PrincIpal
Product Is Tobacco and Women cigar
Makers at Work Present an Exceed
insly Picturesque Appearance. a

one OF the most delightful climates
on the globe is that of the Philippine
Islands. The soil is rich and with
little cultivation produces bountiful
crops OF hemp and sugar. From north
10 south the islands extend 1,05O
miles. They are 700 miles from east
TO west and Of the forty islands com
posing the group the most important is
Luzon, of which Manila is the capi-
tai. Luzon has an area of $50 by 175
miles and was founded by the Span
lards in 1871, since which time the
country has practically belonged to
spain. Fifty years before that time,
or in 1921, Magellan discovered the
Islands, but their conquest was made
by Legaspi, who, with six Augustine
monks and handful of soldiers, de-
teated the natives. Spanish accounts
lay stress on the circumstance that
the conquest of the Philippines was by
means of gentle and persevering per-
suas1on," it being in that respect in
strong contrast to the treatment &C
corded the natives of the Spanish
American colonies by Cortez and Pr
zaTro
The bay of Manila, where the vic
torious American fleet under Commo-
dore Dewey is now riding, is far south
east OF Hongkong and is one of the
most spacious and beautiful in the
world. Around the old city is
crumbling stone wall 300 years old.
And following the sweeping curve of
this wall is the Calzada-a fashionable
drive lined with almond trees-which
every evening presents gay scene of
carriages filled with cavaliers and
ladies, without head dress. There is
usually no dust, the air is balmy, and
the heat is tempered by the sea breeze.
Three times week a native band dis
courses excellent music along the CAL
zada and in the streets from morning
till night there is a veritable swarm
Of people. Manila is the most Eu-
ropeaniZed city Of the east, a tropi-
cal compound of Naples and Venice,
modified by Chinese thrift English
energy, Spanish slOwness and Indian
jolly indifference. OF the 10000 or
more persons in the province the
greater part are Tagals, mostly la
borers, agriculturists and boatmen.
Chinese have all the petty trade and
they number about $4,000; 5000 Span
iards have permanent homes there,
while large sprinkling of Mestizos
or half-breeds, with all the vices of
both races, some 500 English and other
Europeans, with fewer than 100 Amer
leans, make UP the population of Ma
Mia. In the two best streets of the
town, the Escolta and the Rosario
there are department stores where al
most everything can be purchased at
a reasonable price. These stores are
owned by Mongolians, mostly from
Annoy, who undersell other nations,
and for this the Chinese are hated
Indeed, for all others born in the Phil
ippines the peninsular Spaniards has
only contempt, his hatred and jealousy
being especially marked toward all
foreigners. Earthquakes are common
In fact, the soil of Manila is so I'M
stable on account of earthquakes that
gas pipes have been found impractic-
able, so that all street illumination is
by kerosene. In the shops and houses
cocoanut oil is used for lighting pur-
poses. All the lamps are swinging,
so as to Withstand the sudden jar Of
an earthquake, and for the same rea-
son all the native houses are made of
bamboo. From November to April the
temperature, though often reaching 80
degrees Fahrenheit, is not oppressive,
the nights and early mornings being
generally cool. In the rainy season,
from May to November, the heat is
like that of our dog-days, enervating
and unhealthful for strangers. When
the thermometer indicates So degrees,
or even 68 degrees, it feels chilly and
blanket at night is comfortable
Endemic diseases, however, are rare,
for the air is pure and with ordinary
precautions the climate may be called
healthful one. In such q climate
dwellings are constructed with a view
of shutting out the suns heat and at
the same time securing light and ven
tilation. Glass is unknown for win
dows, all of which slide on all sides
of the house. These window frames
are ordinarily six feet high and three
or four feet wide, the panes being two
inches square and made of the shell
Of a translucent oyster, SO arranged
as to let in a soft glow of light and
to keep out the glare and heat and
the peeping eye that may be about.
The floors are all polished, there be-
ing no carpets nor curtains nor uphol-
stery to collect dust and harbor in
sects. Housekeeping cares are light in
Manila, life there, it is said, being es-
okgva 70