The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-31
BEN HARBOUR WRITES
Ex-State Senator Is Now In the
Philippines.
SOLDERING IS QUEER"
SPANISH DID NOT MAKE 4 VERY
= GALLANT FIGHT.
Manila a Dirty Hole-The Spanish
People Are Very Bitter Toward
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Laid Down
Their Arms and Vacated-Sani-
tary Measures Badly Needed.


late, Sept. Is has written very in
teresting letter TO his friend stephen
Tyne of this city, in which he says:
This soldering IS queer business.
Sometimes I think 1 like it, and some
times I don't. OF course, 1 didn't like
starving, as we did on the boat If l
live thousand years 1 shall never for
get those awful days on that hell-born
transport. We had in the hold OF the
snip tons upon tons of the best OF pro-
visions, yet we were fed with spoiled
beef and rotten vegetables Since ar
irving we have Jared better, but still
I think we are being robbed Of about
half the government allows us. The
discipline is not as severe as looked
for. Of course, there are some restrie-
tons which viii strike you as being
odd. For instance. the Y. n. c. y. has
opened a reading room and writing
room right across The street from our
barracks but we are not allowed to go
over without a pass written by the conn
pany. commander. 1t is a cOurtmartial
offense to so up town without pass,
and there are certain portions of the
city that we may not go TO al all without
a special permit from the brigade COM
Tuander. our routine work in barracks
A is very light Reveille at $50, break
fast at c, drill from to S, dinner at u,
supper at g. and retreat at $50. We
are only at our barracks, however,
about half our time. Our regiment is
doing outpost duty, that is, guarding
the approaches to the city. We so out
for As hours at a time and see to it
that none of Aguinaldo's army steals
a march on US. The situation has been
somewhat mixed until day before yes
terday. Up to that time the insurgents
had occupied about half the town
They came in when our army entered
the city. They Immediately quartered
themselves in the best barracks and
proceeded to post sentries and estab-
lish guard posts and guard houses. 1t
is thought that over 10000 entered the
city before our people could throw out
n picket line and stop them. Our folks
regard Aguinaldo with considerable
suspicion, hence the ceaseIess watch
that is placed upon him and his 10000
armed men who are camped round the
city. Well, the insurgents in the city
were given until noon yesterday to lay
down their arms and get out of the
City. They elected to get out, and today
there are none to be seen anywhere.
That simplifies the situation. When
we go out on outpost duty now we VIII
only have to look one way, instead of
every way, as heretofore. Last Sunday
we were out in a locality called Pace.
My post Joined the insurgenU post.
When Mr.. Filipino walked the full
length OF his beat he and 1. were close
enough to pass cigarettes back and
forth. He didn't propose. however to
lose all the beauties Of a tropical night
by walking up and down the road. so
he disappeared in the trees. About
O'clock in the morning l heard queer
noise down on his post. 1t sounded like
a squad of men loading their rifles. 1
could see about 20 men, but could not
see what they were doing. SO 1 started
ha = 70 to I hse6
GOT five steps off my post before the
gentry jumped out OF the trees and
made a thrust at my belly with his
long bayonet. Fortunately for me, 1
had my gun at a ready" and warded
il off. There we stood looking at one
another like two fools, with our bay
onets crossed. I began to think. and
think fast, and the more l thought the
more I could see that l was in bad
fix, for I was was off my post and on
his. which was against orders. He had
a right to kill me, and l had no right
TO kill him. I concluded that the safest
thing for Is. A. Harbour TO do WAS to
get back to his post, so I stepped back
a long step. The Niger Jhtes. Uacr. -44-
bolt of his gun and shot a cartridge
iiito the barrel and stood at a ready.
] slowly backed down to my own lines.
AS soon as 1 reached my post he turned
on his heel in a military way and took
up his march. He strutted away like
victorious rooster, never even look
ing back over his shoulder to see what
I was doing. The more I think over
that little side play the more convinced
I became that the niger got all the
glory l didn't tell the officer of the
guard all the details. I told him I
wandered off my post a few feet and
the insurgent sentry halted me. If we
have to lick those fellows, l hope I can
catch a glimpse of that yellow niger
It would be some relief to take shot
at him. anyway.
We found the Americans in the city
when we reached here. Our Is days
stay at Honolulu just cost US our
share in the battle The Spaniards
made miserable pretense of fighting.
The poor fools were too busy counting
heads and saying Latin prayers to do
IA.ich fighting. They fell back at every
Uley and surrendered without honor
ISrredit. They were disarmed and al
ldwed the freedom OF the city. They go
about the streets down town in droves.
They are black-eyed. vicious-lOOlHng
devils They hSte the Americans and
they hate the insurgents; in fact, they
look like people that put in all their
time hating something. The Spanish
women are bitter. Lord how they do
scorch us with their looks. have often,
when on guard. stepped their carriages.
/ would search for contraband goods,
would growl under his breath and the
SenoF>tas would cloud up until they
looked like she devils. Sometimes
would take off my hat and bow my
apologies for detairing them. but never
cs-Iid get a smile or even q pleasant
look for c1y politeness. Hating Amer
leans viii hereafter be a dominant trait
IL Spanish character for generations to
come.
Mcnilc is fun of interest to me. You
could "a: n many day around the
odd city. Tt is surrounded by two
bridges still in use. The walls are from
with dark Dungeons where many a
Starvation. ! saw several rooms that
closed up with masonry. 1t didn't take
TO- Others were walled up all but a
littlS I'D could be pushed in. The for
t.6cations. although very old, are well
f,r. served. don't believe that 10, COO. 900
A,me-io- rs. The natives are small and
Tho are cry cunning folks and will
do not 7-ltch them. / think Manila will
country gets possession. 1t will be- the
crime Of the century for it to go back
To Spain If that is done those vile dun
geons viii soon be filed with native
chiefs and soldiers.
n al, ~ a, nd