The Elbert County tribune., 1899-11-30
Letter From
The PHILIPPINES,

py relative OF Miss Mary Jack.
son, OF Fondis, and was sent tbe
TRIBUNE by her for publication,
Servia, Negros Island, p l.
Oct. 80, 1899.
Dear Father
| thought | would drop you a
few lines to let you know that
am still in the land of the livino
and am having one of the finest
times at present l ever had in nv
life, and will continue so until
after the November election. We
have subdued this island and wa
now proceed to Americanize il.
and This is about the way we do
1t: In each town we place ten
American soldiers. Some are
under officers and some are under
Don-commissioned officers. Aslbis
town is under Corporals Hemphill
and johnson It's our duty first to
have the voters register and John
son is inspector of the election.
We also tend to the ships that
come in and see that there is moth
ing on board but what is on her
manifest papers; also to see that
rice is not sold in larger quantities
than l peon, or 1877 pounds. (this
is to guard against the rebels get
ting iD; and to see that there are
no armed ships in. We also aid
the native police TO quell riots.
l am now well acquainted with
the city officials and at times they
invite me to dine with them and
to banquets and dances. Dad,
you would not recognize me now
to see me in white duck clothing,
straw hat and tan shoes. But L
must tell you this part OF it too;
when we first came to this town
there were no cutters or drainage
system. l put about half of the
town at work making cutters and
the other half cleaning up. Two
weeks later when Lieut.. Hunt
came down from Victoria to in
spect this town he was surprised
to see the drainage system and how
neat the town was. The Lieu
tenant asked me where l learned
the art OF drainage. | laughingly
told HIM in the city of Cannelton,
State of Indiana, under the di-
rec.ion of old Garrett Minnett.
After the election we go to some
other island; | suppose it will be
Panay, and lick the insurgents
there. The last letter l received
from you was dated June 20.
Well, Dad, | will tell you some
thing that will be new to you.
All we have to do to get drunk
here is to climb cocoanut tree,
tap it, and hang bucket. 1t
tastes like sweet cider, but oh my,
how drunk you can get on it.
The name of this liquor is stub
bic" called by the soldiers cocoa
nut beer. The soldiers have good
health over here, but if one be-
comes affected with his kidneys,
he might as well pass in his
checks
Tell George that Fred Starkey
will never get well. The doctor
SAYS the chances are against him.
Old Farrell is on six months fur
lough. George Korber was dis
charged and went back to the
states. All the old soldiers when
their time is out will go back to
the states, and say they will never
soldier any more. believe Uncle
Sam should have 800, 200 soldiers
over here to fight these people
right. You had better get the
rest of the boys to do something
else but soldier. Well, hoping
to hear from you soon, | remain
Yonr son,
WIN. HEMPHILL.
P. S.-Just got your letter
from you dated Aug. u. l had
this letter sealed ready to send
away and opened it to put IN
these words. With the letter
came order TO be prepared to move
in "a hours, and l know what ii
means. sTis another fight ana a
big one, and probably at Santa a, "a
Barbara. Hoping | do as well ID
the next fight as | have done III
nv former ones, remain.
~ VIM. II.