The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-10-26

Appended is another interesting let
ter from Corporal William j. Boyce, of
this city. who is with the Nineteenth
regiment in the Philippines. 1t is writ
ten to his mother under date of Sep
tcmber .:
Manila, r. l., Island of Luzon,
Sept >, 1899
NIy Dea- Mother. Just a few lines To
keep you from worrying about me as a
result of my long absence from home.
am in good health and enjoying my
self as much as possible in this far-or
island. 1t hardl! seems true to mo that
! am so far away. | hope TINS eplStlc
will find you all enjoying the best of
health: ard that you have letter on
the way to me- as ! am anxious to near
from you.
We arrived In the harbOr here on Aug.
q. but did not leave the boat until the
2fth. whcr we arrived ut our present To-
cation. We are in the barracks here at
Manila. about one and one-half miles
from the center Of the city. The bar
racks are built of bamboo wood and
erected by the natives, without the use
Gf nails. ! had read n great deal about
houses being built without nails hut neN-
er had the pleasure of seeing until
came here. The buildings and the bar
racks are 800 feet long and 40 feet wide,
SO that one-Ealf of a building has room
enough for one company; also room
enough for the men To lie down in COM
fort.
believe this is n healthier country
than Porto Rico is as ! have seemed TO
have better health. We are in a nice
place and would be all right if it wasn't
so muddy and we couldn't step outside OF
our barracks without sinking over our
shoes. But we won't be here more than
week lorger, as we are going 10 move
again, this time not so far as our last
move. but one equally as trying. We
are going on the firing line under Gen
eral Lawton. / do not know yet where
we are going 1T is either to relieve the
First Tennessee. or the Washington
regiment Of volunteers. These two regi-
nents have had ar extremely hard time
and viii! be ovcrioycd to get back home
again
ABOUT THE PEOPLE.
The people of the Philippine islands are
an amalga nation of classes: some are
Intelligent. others very ignorant. Some
of the men and women-espeCially in the
small towns and low lands, can't count
10 ten. and when you find one that can
count to twenty by using his fingers and
toes, they call him a learned mathemat-
iCian.
They are not as some people would
have you believe. They are generous and
will give IFS anything they have, but
they are very TeaCherouS, and il is hest
not to have anything more to do with
Them than can be helped. They are fond
of music and can learn to whistle or
sing tune by hearing 1t once so it is
not surprising to go down town and hear
the natives whistling Georgia Camp
Meeting" Just one Girl and the like
Tho babies are carried in a cloth hung
over their mothers hips, when they are
four months old, and put in a bag with
an opening left for its head. then either
nH"Cnt carries it.
The ponies are very small. but they
hitch them to hacks ana here in the city
they hitch them to cars. But the most
OF The heavy WORK they do with the
water bufaloS. They are something like
oxen, but live mostly in water.
II has been raining here very hard ever
since June ]. They said in the states that
the rainy season stopped Sept. l. but
such il not the case; ii rains here until
about Nov. :. Everything has been 1uIet
here for s0mC time, as far as lighting
j. concerned, and il will stay 50 until af-
ter the rainy season is over. OF course
they have scraps once i'm n while, wher
few men lose their lives, but nothing
like we thought they were having.
OTIS TOO SLOW.
General Otis hasn't many friends here
among the enlisted men, as he is toC
slow. The Insurgents could have beer
whipped long ago If the gov NCrumcnt hat
better man at the head of the army
here. I should think they would take
tumble to themselves, as men are dyinl
here by the wholesale of typhoid feve
and n conglomeration of other diseases
it seems to bad to see 80 many gOoC
young men losing their lives, for 10
of SaVages to please a few politicians
Yesterday there were "a funerals passcC
our barracks, Of United States soldiers
None of them were illed, nor died o
uyOltphG hlt died pf 1igan OF tr,
in the service of the United States oi
these islands.
The Nineteenth infantry. our regiment
has h8d what is termed good luck
since we arrived here, but we have ha,
the misfortune to lose three men sine
landing, and have several in the hospital
j suppose that when we return to tn
states tIYO years hence, our COmpanie
will look much different than they d
now.
Manila is a city of 100000 inhabitants
It Is divided in several suburbs: the tw
principal ones are termed Old Manila an
New Manila. Old Manila is whatis term
ed the walled city, as there is "A wall bull
all around il. II is not as high, how
ever as the wall around China. but full
as strong. 1t seems as though it ough
10 have been impossible TO take hi
city. But we have the city and it
being patr0lled by the Forty-eighth I'm
ted States qavalrv. No enc is allowed o
the streets after $40 p M, and If a pei
son is caught after that time he
severely dealt with. If 1t is a soldier l.
finds himself minus his pay the next pa
day.
The streets are very narrow and dirt,
and In Old Manila. where the business
mostly done almost anything can |
bought. The stores are mostly run /
Cinnamon, aS they are the most thrivir
OF the population, and We can't go dow
town without getting the impression thu
we are In the heart of China.
The Cinnamon are our best friend
They carry victuals to us when we Al
in the firing line, and 1t is impossible
get teams TO where we are. Our con
pany as we'll as every other company
the regiment have four of these goo
natured Chinanen who carry our woe
and water: also do all OF our, heaN
work for 80 cents Mexican money"
day.
VALUE OF MONEY.
In regards TO money, / will say that {
American dollar is worth 81 Of the mon'