Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-05-12

hlcles awaits hire. and the rayeler NAV
axe his choice of the two-wheeled and
one-horsed "calesa,'' at two ''reales'' the
hour' or the more luxurious barouche
Drawn by a pair of ponies. for which he
must pay 81. The hotels are uncomforta-
ole and badly kept: but a person well in
lroduced is rendered the hospitality of the
private mouse of the foreign merchant
10 Whom he may come commended.
Inc city and suburbs of Manila contain
a population Of 800, 200 souls. including
natives, Chinese, Spaniards. and foreign
ers OF all nationalities The walls in
closing IL constitute a fertilization of
some strength, although they would af-
iord scant resistance 10 the terribly de-
structive power OF modern artillery.
The greater part of the dwelling houses
are capacious, and constructed with es-
peclal reference to the depredations OF
earthquakes 10 which the islands are sub
Ject. Although imposing in appearance,
on account of their ample dimensions. the
buildings are devoid of architectural
merit. A frame of hard wood rests upon
a basement. or ground story, of stone,
with the roof sloping TO the four sides of
the building and covered with red tiles.
The upper. or main story. projects be-
yond the basement walls and is closed
in on all sides by sliding shutters which
thus form a corridor or closed balcony
from the heat OF the sun and the inclem-
ency of the weather. Light is admitted
through many small panes of oyster shell.
a material admirably adapted to the pur-
pose, as IL is translucent ard sufficiently
communicative to divest the suns rays
of a large portion of their neat. The Hv-
ing rooms are usually open upon the prin-
cipal floor, and consist of a "sala" or
drawing room. a "caida' or hall. and two
or more sleeping apartments, The kitch-
en- and servants offices are generally sit
uated in ~outbuildings or in smaller struc-
lures attached to the main edifice. The
"caida' serves also as "A dining room and
communicates with the basement by
means of a stairway. In many houses
there are both sleeping and living rooms
in the Easements, hut such apartments
are deemed damp and unwholesDme and
are mostly unoccupied. The basement is
entered from the street by a doorway
sufficiently wide TO admit the entrance
of a carriage. and when not in use the
basement serves as a coach house. the
stables being either situated within the
inner courtyard or in the patio" al the
rear of the dwelling. Without the city
walls, the houses are chiefly detached:
bat within the Qualifications, or inside the
city proper. they are built in blocks ahut-
| ting Immediately upon narrow "trottoirs''
which are paved with bricks or f~1agStones.
The streets are unpaved and consequent
~ fall into bad repair during the rainy
season. No complete system of drainage
exists. and the immunity from epidemics
or malaria enjoyed by the city is Doubt
less owing TO the great heat OF the trop-
zeal sun. which In summer keeps the
ground baked and dry. while the enor-
nous rainfall during the wet months ef-
fectually cleanses the surface and drains.
The river is the great highway com
municating with the LAKE OF Bay and
drains by means of its ~innunlerable
49,. 1893 1,,,ga yfns,,s 1rgr
between the foot hills and the bay of Ma
Mia. The lake is distant nearly eight
miles from Manila in a direct line, but
following the tortlfous course of the Pa
sig the distance is quite double Ii is a
fine sheet of water covering an area sixty
miles long by went wide and Is en-
closed on all sides by hills OF consider
able height. 1t is navigable only for
"cascos'' or the native cargo boats and
'.proas," although small steamers OF light
draft now ascend the rivers and enter the
lake.
The native population of the country
surrounding Manila is 10 a great extent
employed in the cultivation of rice and
eugarcane. to the growth OF which the
soil is well adapted. Blu: one crop of rice
Is raised each wear. The farmers await
the approach Of the rainy season before
preparing the ground. The parehed fields
which have lain f2ilcw from December
to July are hard and u~nyieldtng TO the
pillow. until well saturated by the earliest
showers They are then broken Up by
| rude nlows drawn by water bufaloes. and
afterwards reduced 20 a consistency of
stiff mud by narrowing. This operation
completed. the fields are ready to receive
the tender shoots OF rice which have
meanwhile been sprouted in a corner of
the fields especially prepared and irri-
gated for the purpose. The task Of trans
,,la ming &c ranidly narfnrme1 and nnnr-
ished by frequent showers-the rainy seq
son now having set in-the crops are
thriving in a surprisingly short time. AT
this time of the year the landscape as
sumes its most pleasing aspect: the whole
face of nature appears covered as with a
carpet of verdure: the trees, many OF
which have shed their leaves during the
dry season. now don a brighter costume;
while the country round seems refreshed
and reviviied. The rains cease in De-
cember. when the work of harvesting is
commenced. The paddy is stacked upon
the fields and the grain leisurely threshed
from il, either by hand against an unin-
ciined sieve of cane. or tFodden out by the
feet of buffaloes within a circular space
of ground smoothed off for that purpose
The natives are immoderately fond OF
sweet and succulent sugarcane, and con-
sumo enormous quantities of IL.
The population OF Manila is of a very
mixed CHARACTER. anu Cotlp ~ istc. beSiNtS
the native or predominating element. a
large number of Chinese and mestizos.
According to the censu of 1873 there
were residing In Manila some go foreign
ers of European origin; 4.1S9 European
Spaniards. 1877 Chinese, 49, 66 Chinese
mestizos, 3,S49 Spanish mestizos, 160.S96
TagaIogs. or Indians. OF the total
lation of $50 600 souls, only 10,G20 resided
within the city walls. The population OF
the Philippines was. by the same census,
computed at upwards of 5.OOO.000. The
latest census shows no important varia-
ton from these figures.
Spaniards of European birth fill nearly
all positions OF public trust under the
government, and but few OF this class
follow mercantile pursuits. Foreigners OF
other nationalities are almost exclusively
engaged In commerce. The Chinese are
shopkeepers, merchants. artisans and
common laborers, and form a highly i'm
portant item OF the population. From the
earliest colonial days, and even prior to
the advent of the Spaniards. China was In
commercial communication with Manila.
Large numbers of Chinese have at va
rlous times formed settlements at, and
contiguous TO. the capital; and the old
chronicles of the Spanish padres record
.aneuinary conflicts between the natives
and these alien c~olonists. The Chinese
have. however. with a persistence natural
10 their character. maintained their reia-
lions with the islands. Notwithstanding
the jealousy and dislike with which they
have ever been regarded by the natives.
10. vx.nNantzAa As tAn