The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-01
WICHITA BOY IS HAPPY.

Mr. and Mrs Houston have received the
following letter from their son Roy, in
the Orient:
IlOilo. P. l., August q, 1899.
Dear Mother and Father will try and
answer your letter of May 90. have had
no letter from the states since June 20. It
takes letters so long to come here, but
think there are some on the way for me
We have had several little scares lately
On the 18th companies A and II had a
scrap that lasted about an hour. 1t got
pretty warm so we fell back. On the 18th
we took two 3-inch guns down to the
river and drove the enemy away from the
river into town called San Jose. and to-
day the gunboats shelled them out of the
town. 1t was quite a sight. l climbed
a big tower and from there I could see
the smoke Of the guns and trees falling,
and natives fleeing out of the town. The
town was On fire l don't know how much
damage was done. Smelling lasted about
two hours. We are building a bridge
across the river here so as to move when
the rainy season is over. and it requires
two companies to protect the builders.
They would keen us from building it If
burn it, but they only succeeded in burn
ing the wind in getting away. I blew the
rust out Of my gun. Don't know that
hit any of them, but if my bullets came
as close to them as some of theirs did to
me they must have at least felt little
uneasy. How those Mauser balls do sing.
and about the only safe place Is fat on
the ground. A tree Is not much protection
for they go through them If not too large.
In that little shooting match there were
twenty-one Of US and about 100 Of them.
One thing in our favor is that those fell
lows shoot high, and I for one don't pro-
pose to get any higher when they are
shooting nv way than I have To- Al
though I head my letter Iloilo. I am not
there There are three towns on this
island. Tloilo, Molo and Jaro. Molo Is two
miles south Of nollo. and Jaro twelve
miles west There are two battalions of
the Eighteenth here. the other battalion
at uoilo. One company OF the Sixth I. s.
infantry is at Jaro with US. but J hear
they are going 70 Negroes, twentv-threa
miles from here where there is trouble.
We have fine quarters here. Five COM
panies occupy a large building bed rooms
above Cno one can sleep below on account
Of dampness) and dining room below. We
drill IN the halls; they are very large The
building was formerly used or built for
seminary.
Right here I might as well give YOU our
bill Of fare. 50 you may know how we live
We had chicken three times this week
eggs four times roast mutton and pork
all we want: oat meal and milk every
morning; pudding and 10 occa sionaIlv. and
plenty Of good coffee and light bread al
the time viii not mention othe~
changes We have for fear YOU might think
7 imagined myself at the Carey From
what have said you will see 1ha, we are
not starving but living we'll Ilollo was
burned by the Filipinos: not house left
standing. Nolo is full ~ natives. Jsr0 81
quite a nice town They did not get -
burn Z before leaving.
Charles Fulkers7n stopped OF hare or
his way n his regiment the Twtnev-thirA
al Negros. There is man ~ the name
OF Coleman Of my company who viii
start for Wichita in a week OF two He
has relatives there lie viii cali and sae
YOU and can tell YOU az about the islands
more than I can write. He has been here
over a year wish yoG would send re
some papers for hear nothing from the
states only by letter. and they are far ne
tween. But 7 have written enough FOR
this time. 50 VIII close. hoping % hear
from yoa soon Your son.
J Roy HUSTON.
Company II. 18Th 7. : /
?. Stealth y troops here Is good
1,,-ss-,+a-7- is about The esrlIv- rrnfghra