The times., 1898-10-16
AT MANILA.
Sights and Uniforms on the Popular
Promenade

Fomtnauc-
Writing from Manila, a recent visitor
says that leading from the walled
city at two of its main gates are
roads which converge and unite at
the Puenta de Espana, the princi-
pal bridge crossing the Pasig. This
bridge is about at the corner of the
walled city and is the great connecting
link between official Manila and the big
modern business section called BenOndo.
In the course of a day nearly everybody
in the town crosses the bridge, and one
can be sure to meet all his friends and see
everybody else if only he waits long
enough at the end. A constant procession
of people and carriages is going back and
forth. II is the Broadway and Twenty
third Street or the place de FOpera'' of
Manila. for sooner or later. all Manila
passes that way. As soon as the Ameri-
cans gained control they divided the sides
between the going and coming All trav-
cling in one direction were made 10 take
one side and all going in the other direc-
tion were made to use the remaining side.
Consequently there is never any con-
gestion.
The Puenta de Espana is one of the
most interesting places in Manila to
study people. for you see all classes. The
Spanish officers riding brisk. smart lit
tie horses. or walking along with mill
some. well-cared-for men. They nearly
all wear boards that are models Of per
fection and thoughtful culture. Then
there are the Spanish gentlemen and la
dies riding in carriages, with coachmen
and tigers. The ladies are usually lit
tie stout. as rule. but very grand-lOOk-
ing. and occasionally a very pretty one
passes. When out riding the ladies al
ways go bareheaded. 1t is considered the
said that. instead of being indignant or
offended. they appreciate the long and
analytic character study that each trim
Castilian gentleman greets and follows
them with. Then. there are the Spanish
soldiers-thin and hungry looking. There
does not seem to be one strong healthy
looking one in town They all wear rak-
ish straw hats. many of which have the
names of the companies or departments
to which they belong painted on the
bands There is stream of them saun-
tering across the bridge from the escoita
TO the walled city and hack again at all
hours Of the day except the siesta hour.
early in the afternoon. They don't seem
to have anything 10 do and appear to
enjoy the job
Then there Is that vast foreign povu'a-
ton the big husky BOYS in brown from
America They go IN lunches. in ones in
I carriages. and on horseback Some have
( blouses. some don't have felt slouch h. ts
/ and some straw hats. and usually each
! one is smoking fat cigar with a ger
/ Geous belly-band around it The sight
/ of four soldier boys in two-seated car
| riage, wearing the homeliest. most seq
I viceable uniform that ever in the history
! of the world blighted the fairness of a
! landscape. smoking cigars and telling the
4 driver to "pronto" to the "Cally Reel is
something worth treasuring in the men,
| ory. The American officers, riding small
ponies. are usually very fine-looking. b.
cause the linen suits they wear. with
| their gold buttons and stripes of blre
trimmings. are certainly striking and eff
fective good many of them have
taken to Khaki or 'carkee' the
brownish yellow material used so gene
ally by English troops in the tropics, and
the combination is all right.
Then there are the insurgent soldiers
and the insurgent officers. the latter witt
blue and white striped uniforms. the samG
as are worn by the Spanish soldiers anC
officers. but with a distinguishing mari
on their rallish straw hats. This mark L
a red. white and blue ribbon. the color,
composing the insurgent flag, with a lit
tie touch of yellow. There are hundred:
of Chinese coolies. carrying on an aver
age of 100 pounds apiece. Then come tn,
men. women and children, natives, wh'
can be roughly summed up as ''yillasers.
etc. There are heavy carts, pulled by wa
ter buffalo or caribou, and carromatta!
and carriages and troops of mar hin:
soldiers. and everything e,se that gees u
make up wonderful panorama