Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1898-09-30

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brick and mortar scattered in every
direction. Right in the entrance
was a pile of rock under which, !
have since been told, several Span
iards we're buried. l also heard
that two of our big shells killed
over 100 of the enemy. The gar
rison became panic-stricken and
ran like scared sheep, and never
stopped until they got inside the
walled city. By that time they
had enough. They didn't want
any more Of our way of fighting. l
have been inside the walled city
several times, and since / have
seen their Notifications l can't un-
derstand how they gave up SO
easily. l do not put myself up as
knowing very much about military
matters, but I will say this much:
Had our army occupied the place
there is nc other army on the face
of the earth that could have driven
us out Of it. So much for the bat
tie of Manila. I will now give you
a very short sketch of the town.
The old part of the city is about
400 years old. The streets are
very narrow, the sidewalks three
feet wide, the buildings look old
and rickety and cannot lay any
claim to beauty. On the inside,
however, they are pretty and CON-
Portable. Each one is surrounded
by a high stone wall with broken
glass bottles set in cement on top.
All the windows on the ground
floor are iron barred. They look
more like jails than dwelling
houses. In addition every house
seems to contain half a dozen half
starved curs as a further protection.
1t looks like everybody considered
everybody else a thief. There are
some splendid old churches here.
l have not seen them on the inside
yet, but will the first opportunity.
l only wish you could see the
, street cars; it would make you
laugh. The population is the most
cosmopolitan l eve saw. You
can stand at a street corner and in
half al hour you car see represen-
tatives of every race on earth.
Some things are very cheap here,
! while others r very high. For
: instance, you can buy your wife a
fine silk dress for $40, while you
: will have to pay from 81 to Sc fol
Q an old rooster; five cents each fol
v chicken eggs and eight cents each
for duck eggs. Tobacco is cheap
you can buy a fairly good cigar fo1
: two cents and a splendid one fol
five. BY the way, 1 have a box o
: them laid away for you. There i
not much more to tell. The boy
e are well but their patriotism i
about IL out. They are simply
q disguised and are treated shame
" fully. Something is wrong some
7, where. In the first place they d
J. not think they are getting tn
n amount of rations to which the
II are entitled. In the second plac
II they are in rags. If my compan,
N were to march through the street
~ of an American city quite a nun
II Der would be arrested for indecer
re exposure. They are a disgrace I
"a our rich and wealthy country, br
m it is not their fault. There al
ia probably some 10000 Spanis
ne prisoners of war in the city of Mani
H. and I have to see the first one Y,
IT. that is not better dressed than OF
he boys. Often one of them will con
or to me and ask me to give the
ia leave to go to town. Many a POI
n devil l have to refuse because l a
I'M ashamed to have him seen. Mu
"a, ply is still sick. He has asked fl
M leave Of absence and w
N sail for the U. S. in twelve or Fl
a teen days. l hope to be home
'ys Grangeville by Christmas. / mu
us close for this time. Give my be
Up regards to the people of Grangevill
m and tell them that Company &C
us, is all right, even if they did n
me seem to think so while we we
In with them. l wish to say that
get the old reliable regularly al
by you may be sure that we apprecia
nd your kindness.
.ed Very truly yours,
Ism H. H. HARTMAN.