The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-07
PHILIPPINES QUEER CAPITAL
LIFE IN THE STRANGE CITY
OF MANILA

The Most Peculiar People and the
Most Peculiar Costumes of the
WOrld--Everythfn Done on the
Credit System-The Cost OF Lfy-
ing Very Cheap-The "Beds of
Torture"
From the Chicago Chronicle.
One peculiar business custom Of Ma
Mia would prove immensely popular in
American cities, though 1t would hard
ly survive beyond the first month of it's
Introduction. This is the famous "chit."
or credit system With some triding
exceptions no one In Manila ever thinks
OF paying cash for anything he buys.
Items are not Charged" as with us,
but the purchaser always writes his
name on piece Of paper with an 81
. U" and the amount of the indebt-
edness above it.
This custom has become universal
and doubtless originated in the cloth
ing worn by men, their white suits not
being provided with pockets in Which
any considerable amount of coin can
De carried. Bank notes are unknown
In Manila, the Mexican silver dollar be-
Ing the basis of all the circulating me-
dunn. Gold is sometimes employed. a
dollar having double the purchasing
power of a silver coin of the same de-
nomination.
The improvident credit system is uni
Versal there, everything from a chick
en- to a cook stove being exchanged for
promises to pay. There are, of course.
exceptions, postage stamps, street car
1are and other small matters being
paid for in cash. But there comes a
day OF reckoning, the first Of each
month. One who has been living for
thirty days without money must then
provide himself with a bag of silver
ard spend the day in redeeming his
paper" On the first pay day he
learns that the natives in trusting him
nave followed custom rather than
relied upon his honor They carefully
bite each coin and ring it on the floor
before making up their minds to ac-
cept 1t as genuine.
TOO HOT FOR FASHIONS.
Fashion cuts but a sorry figure
throughout the Philippines. Well-to-
do castles and Europeans wear a. uni
form suit, constructed with reference
to comfort and GOODNESS. 1t consists
OF two pieces. a top jacket, cut to fit
close about the neck, and a pair Of
loose trousers. These are both of
strong sheeting and cost-rnade to or
der-only 81 suit. A broad -brimmed.
thick felt hat, light under vest, socks
and white canvas shoes, and you are
dressed for all seasons OF the year.
About eighteen OF these suits is re-
garded as a fair outfit for a newcomer.
Thls seems good many, but they are
changed every day, and oftener in the
event Of rain, which no one seeks to
avoid, rather enjoying it than other
wise. Umbrellas are only carried ais q
protection against the sun.
The dress Of the woman is somewhat
more elaborate. For the most part
they wear a brilliant calico skirt with
a long train, which is generally tucked
under the belt in front; short white
waist. with immenee pima fiber sleeves
that show the arms, and a costly pima
handkerchief folded diagonally around
the neck.
The cost Of living is extremely low in
Manila, and a residence there makes
one shudder at the prices charged in
America. A gentleman who lived there
for some time wrote as follows touch
ing the household expenses of himself
and a friend:
Eve had a good house, with three
bedrooms, parlor and tiled-foor dining
room; hallway, reading-room, Iitch-
en-, boys quarters and bathroom, with
tiled tub and shower. A small stable.
garden and ten-foot-iron fence to keep
out the burglars, who used to grease
themselves and prowl around naked
at dead of night, seeking to steal po-
MES or even carriage lamps, completed
our establishment. Our cook, to be
ready for unexpected guests, served
dinner each evening at 4 and got but 40
cents to provide raw material for six
courses-including the firewood neces-
:, LII
thing going into the general mess ac-
courthouse rent ($15 a month";, wages
of three servants. food, drink, ice and
light-Was added up and divided by
two The result was astonishing, as
500 was the sum total of my monthly
share"
REFRIGER4ATORS OF NO VALUE.
Fresh meat and fish cannot be kept
in the tropics, even where ice is en-
ployed, and must be eaten in the day
that the animal is killed. The market
place is an interesting scene from 6
to 10 o'clock in the morning. when all
the native and Chinese cooks come
to make their purcha ses. Their bas-
ketS filed, many of them mount the
little tram cars and stand on the plat
forms plucking the feathers from the
live chickens, ducks, ETC., as they ride
The fowls are not dis
patched until the arrival home of the
master or mistress, when their heads
are cut off and they are made ready
for the pot or oven. They are always
fresh, though decidedly tough.
The engine for cooking, which is dig
rifed by the name stove" is a small
earthenware concern shaped much like
a shoe and not so very much larger.
In front is an opening for putting in
small pieces of wood. Upon the stove
rests single pot. kettle or oven. These
stoves cost only rs cents each. and each
and every well regulated kitchen con-
tans at least half a dozen of them.
The native cooks never bake bread, al
ways securing it from Chinese bakers.
1t is of poor quality at best, and is
usually eaten in the form of toast. Ten
pounds of ice are delivered each day
for SIS a month.
Good servants can be secured at from
eight to ten Mexican dollars month,
many of them supporting families on
that sum. The immense number of
white suits worn in Manila would ar
que large laundry bills, yet the reverse
is true. Washing for an entire month
costs only 81, and the laundryman does
not grumble at the full hampers ones
servants hand out to him. He does the
washing in the river. and does it we'll.
never injuring clothing, though ne
bangs it against fiat rocks in a manner
that is quite surprising. He builds
fire in a huge hollow flatiron, but man
ages to do the work-a mystery in it
self-without burning the clothing.
The regulation bed common in the
is wonde fui machine, alb
overpowering at first sight
though one gets used to it and comes