Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1900-02-17
TERRIBLE TYPHOONS
They Bring Much Unhappiness to
the Filipinos.
Manila Is often Visited by the De-
structivc Blasts and Ruin Runs
Riot Through the
Streets.

Oh the captain OIL the port is q signal
10 mariners that a typhoon is on the
way. The warning has been out for
several days, and the storm it pre-
dicted is here. The typhoon is howl
ing about the steets of Manila ana
over the hills of Luzon. For two DAYS
the rain has been coming down in tor.
rents, but it was not until this morn
ing that the storm took on the char
acteristcs of typhoon. The white
caps are plunging about in the bay
and vessels that are anchored in the
harbor swing heavily on their chains
and rock with the waves that swell
across this landlocked haven.
Ships out in the ocean are watched
for anXiously, The sea possesses most
of the terror during these storms, but
on land there is trouble too. Trees
are blown down and the frail native
houses are wrecked. Inhabitants are
drenched and business is nearly at a
stanGstill. Streets run full of water,
which creeps into the little stores, and
the prcprietors spend their time in
bailing out the water that is ankle
ueep INSIDE the QOOrSlllS.
The street car rumbles on during
the storm. The driver drones on his
whistle as the curtains flap wildly in
the wind and sits huddled on the front
end of his cart, while the more patient
animal plods slowly along the wet
street. The water buffalo cares very
little if the rain is coming down. 1t is
different with the driver, usually a
Chinaman, or, as he is known here,
Chino" but sometimes a Filipino.
These people wear great variety of
rain coats. 1t only has been this last
rainy season that some of them have
appeared in great blue overcoats with
brass buttons. The buttons bear the
eagle of the United States and there
is reason to believe that government
clothing is being worn by those who
never carried a gun.
The usual rain coat of the native is
made of the husk of the cocoanut.
The fiber is woven into a sleeveless
coat, and over this there is cape of
the same material. When clad in one
of these coats the wEarer looks like
the cannibals in the picture books.
The legs are bare, the thin white
trousers being rolled up to the thighs
The Wearer tops out his costume with
Il brCad-rimmed hat. generally Of
straw. Another protection is made
of closely woven nipa, which fits over
the shoulders and slants down so as
to turn the flood that falls to the
ground. This is a good protection if
there is no wind to drive the rain be-
meath the roof-for it is little else than
that. The Wearer looks like carica-
ture of a ballet girl.
With the exception of umbrellas,
which few of them possess, the wom-
Ell are without protection from the
storm. They go to and from the mar
ket as they do on the brightest days,
seeming satisfied if they can only keep
their heads dry. When their wares
are sold they turn the basket upside
down on their heads and plod along
smoking their cigarettes.
When a person has to 90 out dur
ing the rainy season he uses a caro-
meta or a quilez. They are built SO
the storm cannot get in to the pas
senger. The drivers generally wear
little helmets that are not seen in any
other part of the world. They are
like a sun helmet, only instead of
pipe clay there is coating of white
lead, which the sailors use in painting
ships. Some of the drivers have risen
to the position in life where they can
off nr nd NT-hi TO in -itI
but such an outfit is considered very
aristocratic, and few outside the liv-
cried servants can afford such a lux
ury. When passengers are not in the
conveyance the driver sits back out
of the wet, either behind the curtain
of the carometta or under the roof Of
the quilez.
The native does not enjoy this wet
season any more than a southerner
enjoys a winter in Canada. Around
the Guartermaster's department a
number of Filipinos are working.
They certainly are the chilliest lot
that ever saluted a foreman. They
make no effort to temper the elements
by heavier clothing, but go about in
the same white clothes they wear in
May. The foreman, a heavy sergeant,
who goes about in poncho and a pair
of rubber boots, greeted them as they
left the building tonight: ''Mucha
aqua, much frea?" Isl, senor," they
replied, as they shive<ed on into the
streets and filed to their homes. "Say,
you mean to say them fellers want to
fight in this kind of weather? No,
stree. There's no more fight in them
than there is in a wet chicken. Chi
cage Record.