The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-16
A LETTER FROM MANILA
Some Interesting Souvenirs From
John B. DAILY.
IN PLEASANT QUARTERS
Lack OF Nerve Was the Reason the
spaniards Didn't Put UP a food
Fieht-Americans to Blame for
a Drunken Row.

John b. DAILY. formerly the we'll
known solicitor for Oppenheimer OF this
city. and now with the Montana regi-
ment in the Philippines has written a
letter of exceeding interest to one of his
friends I'm this city. The letter is writ
ten from Cavite on paper belonging to
the frigate Santa Rosa and dated 1904.
Enclosed In the letter Is a curious man.
uscrlpt of the date 1874. which is drop
that was made before the foot of white
man had rod the soil OF Montana.
The letter Is as follows:
Dear Friends: l take pleasure In
informing you that we have arrived all
right in Cavite, eight miles from the
promised land (Manila). We arrived
on August ~. after a voyage OF 20
days from Honolulu. We had splendid
weather all the way except two rough
days in the China sea. Our bill of
fare was the same as from Frisco,
only rottener. The meat was on the
bum, and we had slum soup for break
fast and dinner. beans for supper. In
fact, we were hungry all the way over,
but have been filled up since we land
ed. We are encamped in the old Span
ish barracks that Dewey captured.
The insurgents are only a block away
from us. We are on the sea shore and
have very pleasant quarters. We did
not arrive in time to participate I'm the
fall of Manila. They say the Spanish
had a fine fort. III they only had the
nerve they could have put up a good
fight. but old man Dewey's fleet was
right out i'm the harbor and had its
guns i'm working order. Consequently
they called IL of as soon as their honor
was indicated.
Company T.. of our regiment, went
on picket duty the night we landed.
and killed two insurgents and captured
three. They had been stealing brass
and lead from the cruisers that the
Americans sank. 1t seems they are
very short on lead and ammunition.
We do not have any trouble to get
along with the insurgents. We go up
town every day. right through their
lines. They had a fight a week ago
with the regulars and killed two and
wounded two. II was a drunken row
and the Americans were TO blame Tor
IL. American beer Is 20 cents per glass,
whisky 40 cents. egg five cents each
bananas 10 cents per dozen, but as
we get s2.07 In this native money. for
gold, IL Is pretty cheap. We get paid
Saturday and will sneak over 20 Ma
Mia IL they have boats enough to carry
us over. The only ones here are old
ones captured from the Spanish. |
swlped this paper from the old arsenal
library. IL comes in handy
I'VE can hear all kinds of peace ru-
mors every lay, but do not know
whether to believe them or not. The
cable Is in working order to Hong
Kong. We have heard that peace VIC
declared and we were all going home.
Also that General Merritt and Admiral
Dewey were going to Paris as peace
commissioners. Also that old Weyler
had been hung and Sagasta assassi-
mated. The weather is awfully no ana
the mosquitoes are all working night
and day shift. They claim now that
there are only 1000 Spanish soldiers not
captured or have not
Most of them are about 300 miles from
here. The Americans will not allow
the insurgents inside of Manila, unless
they leave their arms of before com
ing in. They have discharged all the
native police and nave soldiers doing
police duty. My candid opinion of
both the natives and Spanish is they
are a tough lot of customers. The
Spanish will shake hands and say to
us: "Oh Americans, good man. Span
iard's friends" Philippines will say the
same thing. The Philippines are a
mixed race. They are about the size
uf the average Japs, but look more
I'm ~ - - .'s
tive soldiers at a distance you would
think they were a band of school boys
drilling. they are so small. | know we
will not have any trouble II we have TO
lick them. They are more of a trad
ing people than anything else. All have
about Sc worth of stock in their stores.
When they bring anything To market
from the country they carry II on their
shoulders just like the Chinese peddlers
in Butte. They all own from two to
fOur dogs. and from six to 10 kids.
Their costumes are out OF sight. At
least we haven't seen any yet worth
mentioning. From what We can see of
the islands so far. they seem to be very
pretty and fertile. There Is not the
variety Of fruit here a person would
expect to find In the tropics. Perhaps
his Is on account of the war. We
have plenty of bananas. They ask 10
cents for cocoanuts. We haven't seen
a melon or canteloupe since we ar
rived. Irish potatoes are five cents
each. onions the same and quite scarce.
Apples do not grow here. The milk is
from goats and water and Is 10 cents
per pint. Condensed milk is 40 cents
per can. sardines 80 cents. Tea and
rice are very cheap.
"One of our boys dug up a ive-inoh
shell yesterday that Dewey shot into
the fort. IL weighs about 30 pounds.
and is over a foot long. Young Harry
Paxton has "A relic that takes the bun.
He broke into a tomb i'm the church
and got a skull. I judge that the orig
inal possessor VAS a very c~ongenial
person. Judging from appearances.
The skull is still grinning."