The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-14
UTAH MEN At MANILA
Sweltering Weather, Bats, Lizards
and Electric Storms.
SICK LIST INCREASES
CHRIS WAGNER AND OTHERS
COMING HOME.
Interesting Incidents of Life In the
Barracks-Mutual Improvement
Meeting Interrupted By a Call TO
Arms-Utah Men Opposed to An
nexation of the Philippines.
Especial correspondence

|
Barracks of Utah Artillery, Manila,
Sept. 12.-Today at o'clock the ship
conveying our wounded and sick back
to the United States leaves via Homo
| lulu.
From Utah's troops she will carry
Wilbur Rowland of battery A, who had
an attack of fever, from which he is
rapidly becoming convalescent; Francis
futile of battery A, who passed the
| physical examination in Salt Lake
without having a single tooth in his
head. He has been found unable to
masticate the rough, hard, coarse army
food. From battery B, Chris Wagner
will go. He has had an attack of rheu
matism, resulting from living in the
trenches.
The more we become acquainted with
these islands and this city the more we
believe in the old proverb, He who
goes out of Utah goes out of his
senses"
Last evening, in the meeting of the
Mutual Improvement association. Ser
geant Scott Wells delivered a timely
speech on the retention of the Philip
pines. 1t was based on some things
We have observed since our landing.
He opposed their retention and the es-
iZing scheme it would prove futile. All
who would come would do so with the
intention simply of getting rich and re-
turning to America.
The climate here is abominable. All
business is suspended and the people
sleep during the heat Of the day. Lazi-
ness is the chief characteristic of the
inhabitants. and their invariable motto
is, Never do today what you can put
off till tomorrow"
We could never derive in tariffs and
taxes what the Spaniards have, for out
on the wood pile of these barracks is a
huge mahogany whipping post, inelud-
ing stocks. 1t was with such instru-
ments as these that Spain grew rich
from the poor, ignorant natives. The
task of educating them would be a stu
pendous one, and one that would eat
up all revenue we could collect. SO,
from all we who are here can see, AM
erica. would annex a white elephant in
taking the Philippines.
CALL TO ARMS.
Sergeant Wells address was inter
rupted by the arrival of a message,
which shows the evil fortune of war.
1t stated that the two batteries must
get ready to move in a lighting condi-
ton and remain ready all night. The
meeting was dismissed by a prayer, the
members FASTENED to their beds,
donned their old clothes and brogans,
strapped on their revolvers and assem-
bled around the guns. AS the message
to move did not come, they fell asleep
with all their clothes on, but with their
pistols loaded. The trouble was Occa-
stoned at an old church, half a mile
north of here. Some inSurgent soldiers
were trying to force the guards, Their
demonstration was put down without
bloodshed last night, but the continued
increase in their hostility will result in
blows within a few nights. The sooner
it comes the better, for the boys have
such an antipathy for them that they
would take much more delight in fight
ing them than they did in fighting the
Spaniards.
1t is peculiar to note the great init
macy which exists between the Spanish
prisoners on parole and their captors.
In the large pleasure resorts they
gather nightly and carouse like old
comrades. The Americans treat the
Spaniards and the SpaniardS treat the
Americans. Then, too, they teach each
other the languages. The Spaniard
gives the American the name of an ar
ticle in Spanish, and then asks "Qui es
in Americano?" By this system of
questioning our boys are learning con-
siderable Spanish. and the Spaniards are
learning much English They are be-
coming so expert now that they eX-
change stories of the battles in which
both were engaged.
MARVELLOUS SIGHTS.
Nature shows to Utah but the margin
of her beautiful panorama. Now, as the
dry season, with its days of parching,
burning heat and its cool, frosty nights.
draws on, sights are seen in the heavens
which are marvellous. The electric phe-
nomena are the most beautiful. When
ever two clouds approach each other
a play of electricity begins. It takes the
form of long chains, broad flashes, |
sharp, darting tongues. The different
forms chase each other around the sky
like huge phosphoreScent animals at
play.
But the not, dry days are also hatch
ing out scores and swarms of insects.
Mosquitoes, cockroaches, frogs, ants,
bats flies and lizards are multiplying
and replenish the earth to an alarming
degree. The mosquitoes fight for Spain, /
and fight with vengeance. Sergeant
johnson has been in the thickest of the |
fight with them, and his face looks like
he had just escaped from a smallpox
hospital He says he never saw an
army charge bayonets with as deadly
effect as they do.
Night before last 1 heard great
in the old wall around our
barracks, and soon string of bats be-
gan coming out of a small hole in the
top. l counted 10 of them as they
came out to pursue their nightly fights.