Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-05
AMERICAS"CEM OF The SEA-"
Fascinating Charms Of Jolo, Home Of Hadii
Jsmolol Kifum,
EMERALD JEWEL IN QUAINT SETTING
Island Hnbitntion OF the sultan of
suiu-scenes in City. Country
and scn-Chnrncteristics
of the People.
iERALO JEWEL IN QUAINT SETTING

Suiu-Scenes In City. Country
and scn-Chn hnrncteristics
of the People.
Manila and Luzon have heretofore occu-
pied the center OF the stage on which the
Philippine drama is being enacted and are
| likely so to continue for some time to
come Next to them in present interest is
| the island Of Jolo and its chief city of the
same name. The island is the habitat OF
! the sultan of Sulu. whose personal charac-
teristics and domestic arrangements no less
than his skill in breaking into Uncle Sam s
pay roll, have aroused political controversy
and envous criticism. Correspondent Rob,
inson of the New York Post, in a letter from
Jolo, gives an instructive sketch of city,
country and native life. He writes as fol-
lows:
NAHUM, on the south coast is the off,
cial city of the island OF Jolo. 1t Is a dirty
and rather Insignificant little place, but 1t
is the home Of the sultan. Jolo, on the
northwest coast, is the chief city of the
Island. In a way, Jolo Is an accident. The
Spanish general, Arolas, was sent to the
place as sort of compromise between a
reward of merit and punishment for po-
nored, yet had the audacity to be of out
spoken republican tendencies. Therefore he
was sent to govern Jolo. He found the city
wholly conventional, from the Sulu stand
point, in construction and dirt. 1t held a
Spanish garrison and was surrounded by
kind of bamboo stockade. Arolas was a
really remarkable man, particularly for a
spaniard. He possessed strong force of
!
ished to Jolo, he proceeded to convert it
into the gem spot of all the Spanish colonies
He turned filthy coast village into beau
tful park.
Spanish improvements.
In front of the city lies a bay, formed by
| adjacent islands, with good anchorage and
generally safe harborage. Along the shore
runs low sea-wall with sentry boxes on
corners and in angles. From about the mid
die CT the wall gated pier extends seaward
with signalling tower at its outer end.
The bamboo stockade has been replaced by
brick wall, of some eight feet in height,
built upon rock and concrete base of some
three feet in height. The wall Is literally
perforated with perpendicular slits for rifle
use in case of assault Sentry towers stand
at the corners and boxes occur along the
lar, though angular in It's shape Its great
est length is about 1900 feet and It's great
est width $50. The ends are narrower than
the middle, by reason of an area of made
land. which extends into the bay.
The streets are all laid at right angles.
are of good width and heavily shaded with
palms and other trees. Among these are
many of the brilliant ed-fowering fambo-
in oxto o,;y
| along roadways in the West Indies. Run
ming inshore from the pier is broad shaded
plaza. Small parks, mass of foliage and
blossom crossed by paths, occur at frequent
intervals. The roadbeds are sand and upon
both sides cutters of concrete provide for
the discharge Of rainwater by an easy era
dent to the shore. Most of the buildings
are Of wood, two stories in height and OF
good though not elaborate construction. The
upper stories serve as the residences of the
merchants who occupy the ground floors for
commercial purposes. Hemp bundiing and
| copra- drying indicate moderate export
trade. The city has running water, supp led
from nearby stream, good in quality and
ample In supply. Near as 1t Is to the
equator, almost exactly upon the sixth de-
gree, north latitude, there is nothing Of un-
comfortable heat. Just now the sun is al
most directly overhead, but such weather
with the cooling breeze, would make the
fortune of New England seaside resort
The nights are entirely comfortable for sleep
ing and mosquitoes are not seriously trouble
some. l have found it a charming fas-
| c1nating place. There are many little res
taurants, but no hotel, or anything that
| takes the place of one. Not many civilians
| have yet visited the place. The few who
have arrived have been cared for by the
| courteous officers of the Twenty third
United States infantry, to whom l gladly
acknowledge myself deeply indebted for ar
endless number of delightful courtesies
Their hospitality and kindly attention have
| known no limit.
| Out in the Country.
| But charming as the place itself un-
doubtedly is, its chief interest centers in the
people OF the vicinity more than in the peo-
pie of the city. Exclusive of the American
military garrison, the population of Jolo
| (the city, is about 1000. or these all save
few are Chinese. Only a limited number
OF the natives have been allowed residence
within the walls. The Spaniards evidently
distrusted and feared them. Yesterday
two army officers and I took a walk
into the country. l asked them II 1t had been
the custom OF Spanish officers to do that sort
of thing. / was told that 10 Spanish Of
| ficer ever went more than a few rods from
the city walls without a strong military es
cort. We were totally unarmed. We visited
two villages, watched the people at their
work. sat down with them and made such
efforts to talk with them as we could in a
few words of their language and few more
OF Spanish. We laughted and joked with
them, played with the children and had the
very jollest kind of time altogether. We
were gone for some four hours and there
was no minute of 1t that was not filed with
interest. To see the people, one must go
to their homes and villages. A limited
number 100 from the land side and fifty
from the water side, are allowed to enter
the city daily for purposes of Trade This
| is the continuance of q Snanish lam nnI