The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-09-29


descriptions are graphic and lifelike,
and by the kindness of the young Ia
dies and Mrs Young The Herald is
enabled to print the letters, which
are as follows:
Manila, Aug. 26.
My Dear Margerie-I received your
letter, but think OF it, it was dated
July 49, and now it is Aug. 20, and 1t
just came. IT is 5000 miles from Ma
Mia 20 Salt Lake, or one-third the
distance around the world l am glad
you are having an enjoyable summer,
although it seems to be so warm with
you Cor to have been, rather that en-
jOyment was out of the question, eX-
cept on trolley parties Or at the lake, or
Lagoon. 1t is not Very warm here. L
am satisfied it has been much less
warm than at home. Although we are
so much nearer the equator (the lati-
tude is 15l5 degrees, while at home it is
~ degrees), yet for some reason 1t does
not get so warm as it does at home. 1
attribute il to the immense quantities
of rain that fall. Raini Why, the sky
at home has really not learned how to
do it. 1t viii rain here for an hour or
two in the morning and clear up, and
then start in again in the afternoon
and pour down for few hours and
then rain all night. OF course not every
day-We have now had three days
pleasant weather, during which there
has been no rain-that is quite eXcep-
tional.
You should see Manila--no doubt you
would like to-but few people ever
come here. Vessels from the United
States to China go north of us. Those
from Europe keep closer TO the CONT
nent in the China Sea-so this interest
ing old town is almost unknown to the
ordinary globe trOtter. And yet it is
quite place. l have not yet learned
how many people, but there must be
500, OO0-thatS as big as San Francisco,
and five times as big as Salt Lake
and such a population, too, so mixed
up, so peculiarly clad, so peculiar in
their modes of living, etc, that one can
be interested at every turn of the road.
The extreme northern part of the city
IS inha bited by FiliDenos Ito use the
Spanish spelling). Their houses are
on stiltS-all open underneath for ven
tilation and to keep them away from
the floods caused by the rains-the
houses are covered with leaves, both
on the sides and roof-long, dried
leaves, skilfully fastened on. You en-
ter by funny little ladders, and when
you get inside you find floors made of
split bamboo, that is, strips of wood,
like laths, with slots between them, so
the air can come through. The wood
through, as you imagine you will. If
there is a baby in the house it is
rocking in a square hammock Slung
across the corner-a bench or two con-
stitute all thefrniturey At night the
inmates bring forth mats made of veg
citation, and lie on them with no COW
ering, and with a piece of wood for a
pillow. / often used to wonder why
these eastern people used hard wood
for pillow. but since trying to use
a feather pillow in this warm country
when the nights are close. 1 have my
self found IL agreeable to substitute
even book or some other hard object
in order to keep cooler.
BUSINESS QUARTER.
Next to the southwark is the city.
and is found the business quarters. And
here are found swarms and swarms
of Chinese and their sinking little
stores and shops. and also their mar
ket dry goods and chinaware stores;
also the stores of the Spanish and
other merchants and the hotels and
warehouses.
l know ii would surprise you as it
did me. to see street after street filled
with drug stores. perfumery shops, dia-
mond stores, tailoring establishments,
grocery stores. clothing stores, dry
goods stores, and, in fact, representa-
i've VI dll i1lGS u lfttue, anu Dig ones,
too; and also TO see fine little park,
with paved streets (all the streets are
paved and are lighted with electricity
and cement walks around it. and foun-
tains within; and skirting the park on
the other side of the street, two great
three or four-Story hotels (Hotel de
Oriente and Insular), very ornamental
and within very elegant and luxurious.
This part of town has great ware
houses, some OF them a block long and
several stories high. The river runs
through here. It is crossed by two big
bridges. The banks of the river are
stone walls, and little boats, and big
boats, and steamers, and launches from
the war vessels are running backward
and forward, and across all the time.
South of the river, and next to the bay,
is the walled city. This is great fort.
The only entrances are through three
or four gates in the high wall. To get
into these gates you must cross
bridge over a moat; the gate is sus-
pended with chains, and may be lifted
up across the gateway in the old mid
die ages style. The walls are high, and
outside there are two big bitches, filled
with water Cannon are on the walls
and the latter are moss covered. For
some distance around are acres of
grass. and trees. and beautiful walks
and drives. Within are narrow streets,
great cathedrals and the palaces of the
captain general and of the archbishop
1 tell you, the Spanish official knows
how to do things. All is magnificence-',
marble, splendid furniture, carriages,
baths, etc.
SOUR-FACED PRISONERS.
Here at the present time also are the
thousands and thousands of Spanish
soldiers captured by the Americans the
other day. They are such sour-vis-
aged crowd. They are sleeping in
churches and all sorts of places. They
are well clothed, but we are feeding
them.
South of the walled city are, first. a
park, and then residences, some very
beautiful
Along the water front are several
batteries, which the Spaniards did not
dare to open or fire, for fear of bring
ing Dewey's ships down on their heads,
so to speak
Street cars, pulled by the little
horses, and little two-wheel cabs, and
the little ponies of the country-run
around by the thousands
When you get through with this let
ter, ii must be mammals to keep. I |
shall not have time TO write all that
stuff over again.
ABOUT THE PEOPLE.
Manila, Aug. e. 1898.
My Dear Mary:
1 told Margerie about the city. 1 am
going to tell you something about the |
people OF this PARKWAY land.
First-the Filipenos. They are a |
small race Of people. OF course there |
are tall ones among them bat on The /
average they are small