Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-07-20
A Soldiers Letter.

Edward w. h1IIaIee OF battery L.,
9th Artillery, writes his first letter,
saying he arrived at Manila, Philip
pine Islands, all right, and is enjoying
good health; also says that the trans
port Warren" had good luck, no
causualties on so long trip with 1440
men aboard her He also says it is a
long trip from Fort Wadsworth, Rose
bank, New York. to Manila; it took AZ
DAYS to make it. Some of the boys
were little seasick, but it did not
amount to much.
The Philippines is great country.
There are over 1000 separate islands
having an area of 10000 to $4,000
square miles, nearly equal to that of
Great Britain and Ireland; popula-
tion of eight million souls; an annual
foreign trade of $50, 100000 or one
fifth that of the Japanese Empire. and
controlling the approaches of $780,
900, 900 of foreign trade with Asiatics.
The vital thing to do just now is to
press the war to a successful and early
conclusion. After that, other matters
can have fair and careful considera-
ton. Our boys are stationed in the
city of Manila, dirty city. We are
doing policeman's duty and we have a
great time trying to make the natives
understand US. and make lot of ar
rests. Every morning there is 3 crowd
of natives in Jail. Our quarters are at
the Jail and we see everybody that is
sent there. OF course they get trial
every morning, and if they cannot pay
their fine they are sent out of the city
and put to work.
Ito each of US are four blocks for
two to patrol. In the toughest part OF
the city FIVE to the beat. We may get
the natives to understand after awhile.
Well, it is sight to see their dress.
They are half-naked-wear a kind OF
Highland skirt, as near as / can ex-
plain it, with nothing else whatsoever;
they do not wear shoes. The Spanish
are altogether different; they dress
the same as in the United States. All
we have to do, # the natives stand on
the corners, is TO tell them TO go, and
you bet they go. The Spanish treat
US nicely. At night no one is allowed
on the street after $50 P. NJ. II
caught they are arrested. We walk
our beat four on and eight hours off.
The city has no sewerage. The
sidewalks are about four feet wide, OF
stone, and the street cars are pulled
by little ponies. A man can walk
faster than they 60. Can ride all over
the city for two cents; we ride for
nothing. The houses are built OF
stone to the height of fifteen feet; the
rest of the way up OF lumber; aud ev-
erybody lives up stairs and their sta
bles are down stairs or underneath the
house. The walls are about eighteen
| inches thick. There are a lot oil
churches aud all of them are Catholic
churches, and some of them the pref
tiest ever laid my eyes upon. There
are two cities-Old Manila and New
Manila Old Manila has got q rock
| wall fifteen feet high and fifteen feet
thick around the city. 1t was built to
keep other countries from taking it.
There are arches for wagons to drive
in and arches for the people TO walk
| in, and it is fixed so as to close with
| iron gates. and all around the walls
are small cannons. The Spanish
make pattern of old design OF bras:
icaunon. There are about 700 native
soldiers in prison here. / do no,
know how many there are in other
cities. The natives are a handbook
ing set assure you, and the Ameri
can soldiers on the firing lire cannot
get close enough to them to fight right
for they will shoot two or three shot:
and run. They are treacherous; wher
we get them hemmed up then they will
have to fight.
"Cigars are cheap--one cent each
goods ones two for five cents. 150
cigarettes for five cents that are man
ufactured here. Everything from the
United States high priced. Star to-
bacco $3.50 per Id. Rice Is very
cheap article. The weather is very
warm; it rains about every other day,
but in half an hour everything is dry.
The water we have comes four miles
| from the water works; the pipes are
laid on top the ground and you can
guess how hot the water Is when we
get it. / see in the Manila paper or
sheet that the Government Is going to
build an ice plant, maybe We viii then