Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-01-27
LETTER FROr NIL
w. j. Pettee Writes. an Interest,"
ing Letter to His rlotl,er
from tile Philippines.
MANILA, p. L., Dee. |. 1898.

MANILA, p. L., Dec. !. 1893.
Since received your last letter | have
decided to write a little each day, SO you
will have some idea of the course of NV
daily life, while stationed over here on
this side of tho world.
Today a new cook, with two assistants.
took charge of our kitchen. They are
detailed from the company, and we have
all agreed to pay fifty cents per month,
as long as they do the work sa%tisfactor-
lily. So far we have noticed a very wei
come Improvement. Last night for sup
per we had roast beef, salmon, boiled po-
tatoes, tomatoes, and all the bread we
wanted. AS long as VIC get that much
you won't hear a complaint from me. We
sold $4,000 worth Of flour yesterday,
which has been saved from our regular
rations. The government don't issue II
bread, but we trade flour for
bread, e%ven-pound for pound. The
bread is baked by a man in "A"Co., who
has built a good over and makes a fine
profit on his bread, because you know a
hundred pounds of flour makes more
than a hundred pounds of bread. All
the flour 1 have seen here comes from
the United States and it only costs $3.50
per hundred pounds. That seems very
strange that it can be brought ten
Thousand miles and then be sold us
cheap as it is in Bismarck.
All the butter used in Manila is put
up in cans and comes from Europe. 1t
costs about IS cents per pound, and is
very good butter.
December Our regiment had dress
parade on the Luneta this afternoon,
We assembled at the Wyoming band
hall at 4 o'clock and marched down to
the parade ground at AGO. Our band
had never played outside before and we
all had some doubts as to how we would
get through it. We played several good
marches, and after we were through Col
lrueman came over and paid us Il very
NICE compliment which, OF course, was
greatly appreciated.
l. feel a great deal more willing to sta,
in Manila since l have something to oc.
cupy part Of my time.
Company A did duty on outpost YES.
tcrday and the dinner Mike sent out was
fine. Mike CLASSIFY is our new cook and
all II boys are wondering why it took
us six months to find out the man in
our company who could handle our ra-
lions skillfully, and give us all that we
wanted Of good food.
The 14th U. S. infantry is CHARTERED
Just across the street from us, and last
night their band gave a concert on the
Luneta, a short distance from our bar.
racks. They have a very good band and
played some fine overtures. But the
music which the American soldiers
enjoy are the old national airs. They
played II overture which included
Yankee Doodle" "Marching Through
Georgia." and other familiar airs, and
the boys chcered till they were forced to
repeat the piece. The Spaniards are
greatly Impressed by the patriotism
shown by all the Americans, and they
probably realize that our forces on land
and sea fight for love %ofcountry as much
as for anything else. Army regulations
require every soldier to stand at autcn-
ton with head uncovered whenever the
Star Spangled Banner is played, and it's
Il pretty sight to see every man and every
guard and sentry stand at attention
while the song which touches every
Anierlcan heart is played. Even the
tillpinos seem to realize what it means,
ana most OF them stop and remove their
MATS hen they see us do SO.
The street cars here made a very wise
move today by putting two ponies in
stead OF one on the cars. This was
brought about by the Americans who
object very strongly to cruelty to
the little ponies that are SO useful here.
The natives have already learned that
they are not allowed to mistreat their
ponies while any Of us are in sight.
The Idaho regimental band came down
to sercnade their officers today.
Sunday, Dec. 4.-There is Il ball game
almost every day now, and nearly every
regiment has a good team and is com-
peting for the silver cup offered bv the
American Commercial CO. This com
pany furnishes American goods for the
boys in Manila. There are no regular
Sunday services held now except bv the
I. M. G. A. who have reading and writ
ing rooms in several different parts of
town. In the army Sunday is Just the
same as any other day, except the old
drills are omitted and church" call is
sounded at 10 a. M; but I've never been
able to find any church.
Dec. 5.-Quartermaster Sergeant Nc
Hugh wanted me to go up town and buy
q meat chopper. He had succeeded in
getting the Chinaman store keeper to
sell it for $3.50 "net." I went down and
talked Spanish at him for awhile and
bought it for $3.50. thus saving a dollar
of our company fund, SO kindly contri-
buted by friends at home. Wen have
hamburger steak and I'm sure some of
the beef-steak Uncle Sam issues will be
better that way.
There is probability of trouble with
the insurgents again now, and I'll send,
you some Of the Manila papers telling all
about it. It seems that Aguinaldo has
lost all his love for Americans, and now
desires to exterminate or expel from the
islands all us fellows that the Spaniards
couldn't chase at all. Ills said here that
the insurgents have received large con-
signments of arms and ammunition from
Germany. aithOuph tho IT g ro,or,n,o,+