The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-20
LETTERS FROM LIEUT.. CRIMMINs.
Young New Yorker Says Troops in tho Phil
ippines arc not Sick.

John d. Crimmins yesterday received from his
son, Martin l. Crimmins, second lieutenant and
engineer officer, Company L, Eighteenth Infantry,
batch of letters telling of Philippine experiences
Lieut. Crimmins has plenty of active service
since he left tho University OF Virginia last year TO
Join Roosevelts Rough Riders He went into that
regiment as trooper and was one OF those left at
Tampa when the regiment went to Santiago
He offered 10 pay $50 to I'LL the place OF any OF tho
troopers ordered 10 Cuba, and managed to got six
different men to say he could go in their place He
took the men 10 his captain but the latter would not
allow any substitution He was later appointed a
Lieutenant in the Sixty ninth New York Volun-
teers. and was an aide on Gen Coppinger's staff
Then he directed to report In this city for OK
animation for a second leutenency In the regular
army, and he secured his present commission and
went to Manila last October.
The latest OF the letters received from Lieut.
Crimmns is dated at Jairo Island Of PAnay. juno
20 and il says in part:
I'VE had an earthquake the other day moro so
we're than usual saw some OF the men hanging
from tho windowbars ready to leap. and nearly
everybody ran out Of the houses As the houses
are built TO stand earthquake shocks, l am the more
surprised To many leaving them The walls
are made OF canvas or plated bambooes, and the
roofs made Of pieces Of galvanized iron or tin
set al such an angle that they would slide OF before
the houses could be shaken down The houses are
held up by stout poles OF hard wood and tho larger
houses increase their strength from the stone walls
which surround them, All the walls are from two
to three feet thick and held up by buttresses and
only ten 10 fifteen feet high and there is conso-
quently little danger
Gen. Hughes Ii in command and has made
some changes The volunteer regiments OF in
fantry have been mustered into the seryica They
are to be made up Of discharged men, volunteers
and regulars believe that some OF the papers
in the north have been speaking OF our large sick
list and one man. named Valentine. has published
pamphlet on Java and the Philippines. In which
he states that II amounts TO fifty per cent Upon
reading further IL surprises me that he limited him
self to such modest number Company c, Eigh-
tenth Infantry, when questioned it's commander
| the other day, had $50 men, one sick and one
wounded other companies had three OF four men
| on the sick report have not heard of any COM
pany where the sick list was less than here.
when VIC have held these islands about fifty
years longer their alue will be fully realized
The conditions have found in my service OF many
months here have caused me TO form q different
opinion Of the people and the fertility OF these Is
| lands han Is published in the papera The people
| are rapidly coming back now and imagine order
will be restored in year. enclose little insur-
cent flag. worn on the lapel Of the vest pocket OF
| the officers uniforms One Of tho most novel
reports as to our presence here was ono heard
yesterday from little giIl, who said that Aguin-
| aldo had paid the Americans 10 como here 10 fight
tho Spaniards, and now that tho Spantards had
been beaten, the Americans turn on tho Filipinos
70 rob them Of their county,