The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-22
Funerals Luxury of the Rich in
the Philippines.
CORPSE MUST PAY RENT
Knives and Forks Practically Unknown
among the Natives-Fingers Are
GOOD Enough-The Gossip
of Twin Bridges.

4'NiiisS NN5NiiptiNt ltllti iIDIl Mania
to a friend here. The letter starts off
by describing a funeral and says:
THE largest funeral which l have
ever witnessed was the occasion of the
burial of the wife Of the Chinese con-
sui The hearse was black, decorated
with black plumes. and fastened to the
back of it was string of black Grape
reaching to the rear on either side 800
or 400 feet, to which the Chinese hung
as thick as they could walk Eight
black ponies, decorated with large black
plumes and harness, driven by a black
man dressed in black clothes. drew the
hearse to the cemetery. The process
sion consumed two hours in passing a
given point. This is a custom which
none but the rich can afford The mid
die class use hearse drawn by two
ponies, and the procession which fol-
lows is very limited. The poorer class
convey their dead to the last resting
place by use of human energy. In
case the corpse was that OF grown
person it would be wrapped UP in a
mat made of bamboo, then put into a
sort of sack made for the purpose
this sack is then placed on top Of two
poles then four natives grasp each end
of the poles. place them upon their
shoulders and trot off to the burial
place. And sometimes in cases where
the remains are those Of an infant, the
coffin is placed upon the head of a ma
tive man who grabs ii with one hand
on either side and thus carries il
through the streets to the cemetery.
Vaults are most commonly used for the
resting place of the dead, for which
rent must be paid. and when the friends
OIL the dead cease to pay the rent the
remains are taken out of the vaults
and thrown into an open stone pit, and
L have seen some of recent exposure
where the hair and flesh were still in
evidence. There are human skeletons
here Of all sizes and descriptions and
stages of decomposition exposed to the
vertical rays of the sun, tropical tor
rents, and also exposed without re-
striction to the view of the men, women
and children Of the present generation.
'All the upper classes live in the sec
ond stories, use furniture, stoves, din
ing room utensils, etc, similar to ours
and their manner of dress, with the
exception of native women, Is also sim
liar to ours. Breakfast is served about
o'clock: dinner from u ito $50, during
which time most Of the business houses
are closed; and supper is from to 10
in the evening.
white ladies are seldom seen on the
streets, except in carriages This way
they do all their shopping, driving from
one business house to another, and usu-
ally have a native driver. The Span
ish language Is most commonly used at
the business centhrs.
The middle classes use but little fur
niture in their houses, which consist
of double compartment stone or clay
jar, the first compartment conta lining
wood and fire and the second the rice
or fish, whichever it may be they wish
to cook, and the room itself contains
the smoke. They usually have one or
two glasses to the family and a plate,
too. and as a substitute for knives, fork
and spoons, they use their fingers Tea
and coffee are but little used. Most of
the natives live in bamboo houses, built
with the floor about four feet above the
ground.
"A few of the mon dress as we do,
but most of them wear a pair of knee
loose shirt, and go bare
footed. Many of them wear nothing
but a breechclout. The women's dress
consists of five pieces. The first is made
Of very light goods and Is cut from a
low-neck pattern; the second is also a
low-neck pattern and made of light pink
coored goods with large sleeves, reach
ing to the elbow only; the third is white
and square. and when wrapped up
around the waist just covers the knees
the fourth is of a pink color and about
the same shape as the third and is
wrapped around the waist in the same
manner: the fifth is little smaller jet
black piece Of goods and is wrapped
around the waist. However there are
some who wear slippers, like you have
seen worn by the Chinese, but very sell
dom do they wear any kind of a hat.
clothing. and it is not an uncommop
thing i'll the country to see boys and
girls from to - years old rolnping
and tumbling around together without
a sign of clothing of any kind, their
skin presenting a slick brown color--a
perfect example of tropical wind and
sun tan"
Charley Mclean of the Twin Bridges
Lumber company has just received
word from the United States patent
office that patent has been granted
him on a woven wire fence machine,
which promises to reVolutionize fence
building.
Hon. w. A. Clark came down from
Virginia City Saturday and departed
on the evening train for business trip
TO Butte
st. Patrck's day was duly celebrated
here by parade. in which the business
houses were wen tStnltu III lHt
afternoon, and ball in the evening.
Hon. Pat Carney passed through the
Bridges the other day, en- route to Wat
erloo, from the county seat. He had
been attending a session of the county
commissioners, of which he is chair
man.
The young fellow who got into trouble
here over a counterfeit dollar, as stated
in the Standard some three weeks ago,
was sentenced to a term in the reform
school. He was sentenced by Judge
Parker a the recent session of the dis
trict court.
Miss Ina Simpson. who has been at
tending school at Newcastle, Neb., re-
turned home Sunday.
William Pfouts came over from Butte
yesterday and left for Virginia in the
afternoon.
Miss Eliza Kemph. who is very i'll
with consumption, is reported some bet
ter but her chances for recovery are
meager.