Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-10

Porac, where an insurgent force has been
stationed for some time, but around here
and through this vast valley, the people
are actively engaged In planting rice. I
rave been riding around the outskirts OF
place, and the fields are dotted with
men. women n children planting rice.
are some tribes, the Pampangan
and some others, that sympathize with
and aid the Tagalos.
/ am confident that a brigade of avalry
could easily travel through a great part
Of the stands.
Monkeys are numerous, the flying
squirrel which has a fine skin is found.
and also the wild cat. the wild hog, ana
the water buffalo. The lion, the tiger, the
hyena, leopard and the bear are found IN
these islands. In variety. plumage ana
charming singing the birds are said to
he superior to those of n other part OF
the earth.
Crocodiles, boa constructors anu lizards
are found. There are many dangerous
snakes, but in this densely populated dis
trict there are very few, and the people
tell me that very seldom is any one bitten
by them. They also tell me that the ma
tives understand how to cure the worst
of the bites by using herbs.
The flowers of the island are very beau-
tiful, and many years ago a priest collect
ed thousands of varieties, and saw IN a
onven a copy of some books giving a
description of each flower and a painting
of the flower, apparently in water colors,
each painting occupying a large space.
The market place of each town Is filled
with men, women and children with their
baskets and fruits and other articles for
sale. Although bananas II cocoanutS
grow in our yards, we take care not to
modest anything. but purchase OF the ma
tives. At first, prices were reasonable,
but now we pay about a cent, Mexican,
n ,in for hor r, a n n G aud ohni1f five Pants
apiece, Mexican for
The natives bring very nice little fish
to us, which they catch near the town.
The relations between the soldiers of
my command and the people are most cor
dial. Our soldiers protect them in every
right, and as they sell market products to
the soldiers at higher rates than formerly
obtained, they appreciate this as one Of
the advantages our occupation is TO
them. The son IF the president of this
city said to me:
1.-The Spanish soldiers and the insur-
gents soldiers are hard n unkind and
take anything they want and pay nothing
the American soldier is kind and pays
for everything
There is no limit to the bamboo, which
grows with great rapidity, and Is used In
building houses.
The leaves of the nipa palm are used for
an outside covering of the roofs OF
houses. The women do a great deal OF
labor, and they and the men often wear
hats made of gross, palm leaves or bam-
boo, which are some thirty inches In dia-
meter. These hats turn water and serve
as an umbrella as we'll as to protect the
head from the sum-. I often see women
working in the fields with umbrellas like
those in use in America.
The sugar mills are very primitive, very
much like those first constructed in Cuba
n - Atta~ n 9Cy1ntricc IF tho moth.
DDS Of cultivation now in use in the Ha-
waiian Islands and Louisiana were used.
and If the improved machinery which
these localities nov have were introduced,
the amount of sugar produced in the Phil
ippines could be increased Many fold. The
exports Of hemp have greatly increased.
In the year 1882 A, 2O5 tons of hemp were
exported, which has increased until there
was exported in 1897 112. 755 tons, and this
output can be much enlarged.
The shipment of coffee gradually in
creased until the year 1886, when the eX-
ports amounted to 1887 tons, and from
1880 to 1890 the shipments averaged about
1000 tons a. year, but from that time they
have fallen off, and from 1893 to 1897 the
annual shipments averaged only 200 tons
1 learn the following about cotton from
reliable sources: The cotton tree is found
growing in an uncuativated state In many
islands of the archipelago. Long staple
cotton was formerly extensively cultivat-
ed in the province Of Ilocos Norte, when.
many years ago, large quantities of good
cotton stuffs were exported. This indus
try still exists. The cultivation of this
staple was, however, discouraged by the
local governors, in order to urge the
planting of tobacco for the government
supplies. 1t has since become difficult te
revive the cotton production, although ar
essay, in pamphlet form flor which g
~,,iuo v,oc oy.-ar1cd I'M iMaHri6l WAC ora
tuitously distributed over the colony In
1888 with that object. Nevertheless, cot
ton spinning and weaving is still carried
on, on a reduced scale, in the Iloco prov.
inces (Luzon west cOast).
Wild cotton is practically useless fol
spinning. as the staple is extremely short
but perhaps by the hybridiZation anG
careful attention its culture might be-
come valuable to the colony. The pod /:
elliptical and the cotton which bursts
from 1t at maturity is snow white. 1t II
used for stuffing pillows and mattresses
1t is a common thing to see wild cOttor
trees planted along the nigh road to serv'
as telegraph posts; by the time the seek
is fully ripe, every leaf has fallen ant
nothing but the bursting pod remains
} hanging on the branches.
Railroads judiciously located could b.
built very cheaply, and the dense popu
lation and the freight which must eXis
where the production IS so
could max the railroads very profitable
1 think a light rail-, fifty-six pounds t.
the yard, would do very well, and some
thing less than the standard gauge woul'
be best. I believe the Manila and Dagu
pan railway has a gauge of a metre &c.,
inches). Sugar, rice and timber woul'
give much freight.
;, The native horses or ponies abound
They are small but swift and strong
The domestic animal is fed on rice, mo
lasses and grass. These ponies are ais
found wild in the forests. The buffalo o
carabao is the draught and pillow ANNA
of the islands. It is powerful. docile an
easy to train and manage. 1t Is very slo,
l orud vo,,ot no imrporuo1 In uafor ovop