Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-16

THE OFT UMW.A co
'geles ami find out if possible the enc
my's strength. The only way to do
this was to draw their fire, which was
done. The Iowa boys then took the
place, sending back word to the di-
vision that they could hold it for
hours. They were ordered to retire,
as Macarthur said he had no orders to
take the place. The next day the Sew
enteenth infantry went up but could
not get near, and the day after the
Twelfth and Ninth infantry were sent
to take 1t, and after hard fight cap-
tured it with nine, killed and eleven
wounded.
"The prospects for the well-to-do
Americans with push and energy will
be excellent in few years, when the
instruction is quelled and things have
settled somewhat. Our people who emf
CRATE to that country will loose some
of the energy with which they are
characterized, and will in measure do
as the rest do-take it easy. I saw
corn just coming out of the ground,
and little further on saw it in the
ear and still further on saw it ready
to be shucked, so you may know that
vegetation grows all the year round.
The land is rich in minerals, and the
Montana fellows who were with us and
know about those things, said there is
gold in the sand on the river banks.
The land all belongs to the church. and
the government recognizes its claim.
An American cannot buy a foot of it.
The church will rent a section to some
well-to-do Filipino and he will sub-let
it down to the half-acre to the poorer
native. 1t is no nlace for laboring
man with the competition he would
have to meet in Chinese and Filipino
labor. AS in all tropical countries
where vegetation is luxuriant insects
are sure to abound, and Manila and the
country roundabout are no exception.
We could not sleep at night because of
the mosquitoes, unless we rolled up in
our heavy army blankets, and that was
quite a discomfort; the pismires, too,
gave us trouble, crawling over us by
the millions. Many of the boys were
troubled with what is called the "Fil-
ipino itch" which is a sort of ring
worm and causes much discomfort. Yet
with all these ills and pests to contend
with, am glad / went, but I would
not go again; no, sir, not for any
thing. @ .4,..
"We left the firing line in September
and after wait in the barracks at Ma
Mia were put on board, the transport
Senator, bound for home. We had or
ders to stop at ,Nygasaki, Japan, for
coal, and as soon as we had filled our
bunkers, we set q straight course across
the Pacific for San Francisco. The
rest of the fellows were given permits
sion to stop at Yokohama, and we
wanted the same privilege, but General
Otis would not grant it, saying that the
orders We're from WASHINGTON and he
could mot change the sorder n-of, our
route. Neither would hellet, us cable
Congressman Huh, from our district.
to intercede for us, SO we quietly. wait
ed until we touched at Nygasaki, and
sent the cable, regardless OF what had
been said to the contrary. The nee
essary permission was granted, and af-
ter taking in that city we sailed + :
Yokohama. At this place we boarded
the train for Toxic, where we saw the
imperial palace, and many other won
derful things calculated to make west
ern eyes open to their fullest extent.
The railway line from Yokohama to
Toxic is about forty miles in length,
is equipped with Baldwin and Schnec-
tedy locomotives, and while the road
does not make very quick time, the
rolling stock is of the best. The Jap
anese are rustlers, and no mistake.
They will almost force you to buy,
and If you are not SO inclined will ham
mer the price down and nearly give
the article away. 1 saw elegant tea
sets sell for rs cents, and other things
in proportion We saw the palace from
the outside, but the, Aikade neglected
to invite us to tea. They are very
sturdy people, both male, and female,
and are very patriotic. They cherish
the memories of their war with China
the same as we do the memories of the
Revolutionary war.
"We left Yokohama about October /,
and ran into the edge OF the typhoon
that was thought to- have foundered
us. At one time there were 767 enlisted
men seasick, and you can imagine the
rest. Barring that eNperiencelwe had
a pleasant run to San Francisco, land.
ing there October az iAea 81 a5ii
When Mr.. Balm had finished his story
a friend standing near and who, had
not heard all of the conversation, ask
ed if he had related his experience with
Admiral Dewey, and it was brought out
in this wise:
"Before the trouble began" said Mr.
Balm, 1--WE were stationed at, Cavite, and
one evening four of us were indilgins
in the soldiers pastime playing cards
1t was in the evening about dusk
when someone came softly up and we
did not see who it was until he was
right on us. We then saw it was the
great Dewey, who is known as strict
iidisciplinarian, and every man jumped
TO his feet, dropped his cards, cracked
his heels together and came to atten-
ton. / happened to be the man near.
est him, and he said: "Who, are you?
| replied in weak. voice: "I'm prI.
Iyate." sand Pm an admiral" he
Numbered, and passed on. In shor,
time he came buck, and we immediate
| ly repeated our former performance
of coming to attention, but Dewey
merely said in very mild voice:
Don't let me disturb you, boys We
l Il, II, ~ =.