Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-09-29
A WHEELING BOY
And an Old Employs Of the
Register
WRITES AN INTERESTING LETTER
OF HIS EXPERIENCES WHILE
IN THE PAY OF UNCLE SAM IN
THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.

The following extracts are from a let
ter written by Norman S. Wood, form
erly Of this city, who was at one time
a compositor on the Register, and who
was well known in this city. Mr.. Wood
enlisted in the Second West Virginia
Volunteers, expecting to see service in
Cuba, but was disappointed, and after
being mustered out, enlisted in the re-
gular army, with the stipulation that
he be sent to the Philippines. He was
assigned TO the Twenty-third Infantry,
at that time in the Philippines.
JOLO, P. l., July 81, 1899.
Mr.. E. M. Pierce, Wheeling, w. Va.
Dear Friend:I received your very
welcome letter, date May 80, the day l
left Frisco, yesterday, and was glad to
hear from you. l am glad to read a
letter like yours, as it had a little news
in it, in fact, a great deal of news,
while others who wrote me took up
most of their letters in asking me TO
tell them about the Philippines.
l would like to have a paper or two,
as they are a rarity out here.
| will try to tell you a little some
thing of my trip out here. Well. on
May 80, at 4 p. M, the U. S. transport
Grant, ASS feet long and five decks,
with hunks for 1900 men. left San
Froancisco, having on board the Six
tenth u. s.. Infantry, and 800 recruits
for various regiments already here, in
charge of a captain of the Eighteenth
Infantry.
On June 6 we arrived in Honolulu, to
coal, and l was much pleased with that
city, which much resembles Birming-
ham, Knoxville and other southern
cities, and l hope Uncle Sam excludes
Japanese and Chinese. and holds the
islands.
On June 9 we started again, and on
the 18th Of June we passed the 180th
degree of longitude, and jumped a,day,
to June IL, a strange thing to us. On
June Goth, at 10 p. M, we passed a live
volcano in mid-ocean Gust a little is
land), with flames and smoke coming
out.
We had just a perfect holiday excur-
sion, and spent the weeks reading ON
deck, and sleeping, and we had good
food. June 25th, at 10 p. M, the re-
volving light on Corregidon showed its
bright light, and by II the brilliantly
lighted water front of Manila showed
up. We stayed aboard till the 10Th,
when we went ashore in Chinese car
ros, in a drenching rain, and were quar-
| tered at Fort Santiago, by the arsenal,
in that part of the city. called the
Walled City. The wall is about 20 feet
| high, and very thick; is surrounded by
a moat, and has several gates, APP
preached by draw-bridges. 1t is said TO
be the most perfect type of the walled
city in the world. In this part of town
the streets are very straight and mar
row, and all at right angles, with side
walks two or three feet wide, and the
buildings all look alike. They all
have stone or cement first stories, and
wooden second stories that project, and
each occupies a whole block, with a
s%ally-port in the middle of the block,
and a court and stairs leading to the
living part, as no n lives in the first
story. There are no windows; just
panels O. lattice work, with small shell
| squares fitted in, and the panes slide
back and forth so that the whole side
Of the block can be thrown open. OF
| course there are many great churches,
and some are very large, and there are
numerous squares or plazas. The
Palace, on the Plaza de Palacio. is a
fine marble building, and in it General
! Otis makes his headquarters.
Over the Pasig is New Manila, not
so fine as the Walled City. Over there
is the Escolta, Manila's main street.
1t is noted for its bazaars and their
displays of pearls and diamonds, and
rich silks and dress stuffs.
The Pasig is damned with craft of
| all kinds; as in the Orient, with it's
teaming populations, many live on the
water.
We did no duty IN Manila, and were
/ attached to goth infantry for rations.
| walked with q crowd out to Caloocan
one day, and many of our boys rode
out to San Fernando, on the railroad
captured by Uncle Sam, and operated
by the soldiers. Ii required no money
for us, only a leave OF absence. The
/ distance is forty miles, and that is the
| extreme limit of our lines from Manila.
At Calumpit the insurgent lines ap-
proach to within I miles of Manila.
On Friday, July IA, we of the 18th
and 23d were loaded on another boat,
| and left at 10 a. M. We all got awfully
| seasick, as the China sea is a rough
body of water, in great contrast with
the Pacific. That night great waves
dashed over our boat, and there was
2 feet of water in our sleeping quar-
tiers, and that got there before the
hatch was finally tightly closed. |