West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1899-05-25

All wanted To get view of our sur
roundingS II was very pleasant
change tn see numbcrless vessels all
around us, off ON etthee side to se, ,hs
shores. on one side Manila, and across
The Bay some Eve or six miles. Cavite
We could See the vessel of Admirat
Dewey's n let aui all around him thc
broken Rast aud hulls Of Aonteio's
: SUBMARINE Meet
One long Week we were kent on
board the vessel. Finally. Oh Monday
afternoon Deeem Der 5th. our battalion
went asho re and pitched camp on a
most beautiful and pleasant location.
The others followed in abont ten days.
From our camp we could see all vessels
enter the harbor and so out. on the
other side from the bay is the srinci.
pai boulevard OF the city, called the
"Luneta." Along this drive in the
cool of the evening, all the people of
the city both civil aud military drive
and stroll IL always reminds me OF
the busiest seasons at Mountain Lal.a
Park and Deer Park.
In the crowd could be seen all grades
and classes OF people. In the fine fear
wheeled vehicles drawn by the small
horse, or with us ia the states. ponies.
would be the we'll dressed Spaniard.
Sometimes in the finest OF turnouts the
neat, well dressed Filipines; ia the
carametos of all descriptions. Filip-
mos of as many varieties. The Ameri-
can soldier came ia goodly numbers
Along the sidewalk passes nun berless
pedestrians. In this crowd could be
found any sort OF subject for study
In this crowd the Spanish prisoners Of
war, in their fine blue nd white striped
| clothes with an iudescria BILE look
about them, that ! imagine is due to
their being conquered. Nearly every
evening when not on duty the soldiers
would stroll over to see some friend in
another regiment, or up the "Luneta"
to the band concert given by one of
the regimental bands. Go across the
! LuBeta on one OF the driveways that
leads into the bridge crossing the
moat, and the first thing you SEQ Is the
high and apparently formidable walls
of "Old Manila. These walls are
about thirty feet high and as many
thick. Go oyer the strong stone bridge
over the old dra ~.bridge with It's old
chains and windlass. through ap arch
into the inside and you are at once in
the midst of the Spanish style of arch
itecture and customs.
The streets are very narrow, the
houses are bhiltou close on the street
with the upper story prOtruding several
feet over the street. The houses across
the street-arc SO close that the nhabl.
tants can talk to their neignbors with
ont crossing over. The ground story is
always used for the stable or store
house or general plunder rooms. In
this country, none live near the
ground. The bamboo hnts are atwavs
put up from the ground from three TO
eight or ten feet Within the walls of
the old city, an area covering some six
or seven blocks wide, by eipht 10 ten
long, are "a great many fine cathedrals
and churches. In these churches may
be found some Of the finest paintings
and finest wood work in the worlJ
1t is within the walls that the Spanish
prisoners are quartered Nearly all of
them are in the churches. the Spanish
barracks being used by the American.
Ihe prisoners are given the freedom of
the city, 70 come and go as they please
from q a. m, till p m. IL is strange
TO think OF prisoners being so we'll fed
ana having so much liberty. All they
haYe TO do is TO draw their rations and
prepare them.
On the way from old Manila 70
'Neueya Manila" you pnss by a large
monument toni tgellan, the great Navj-
gator The bridge across the Pasi1 {.
quite a substantial anlir. IL Is here
that we we're FIRST made Co notice the
custom OF turning 10 the left instead Of
the right Until w got used TO the
custom, we would frequently run hard
up against some Spaniard or Filipino
However for some reason they MAYER
seem TO take It i'll humoredly. be.
iieve under like circumstances the av.
eraRe American would be mere or less
rufIied
After crossing the old Spanish BRIDGE
the eyes meet with quite a lively scene.
The business street is Escolta, run
mir g parallel 70 the river. Upon this
street are the principal business houses
OF the city, and ia fact OF the Islands.
Ou This street tho soldier does tie most
OF bis dealing. Here You and the
American saloon. the American
Restaurant, Tho hotel. on tbe Americas
plan, II you want 20 gota view Of the
city life as IL was previous 20 the com.
ing OF the American soldier 90 down
tie narrow streets through "China-
town, into the centre Of the city. Pos.
sihly the most interesting place. is tho
native market. Here you can get any.
/ thing from beetlsnut (he native
chewing toOacco) up to suit OF
4 clothes
The native and ChinAman. is always
up To his business" n von sec !,
little Filipino with bunch Of cones or
\ any thing tO.sell ask him his r,,ie. Ia.