Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1900-07-25
OUT IN THE PHILIPPINES.
PROVOST SERGENT LATHAM WRITES THE
COURIER AN INTERESTING LETTER.
GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF THE VOYAGE
Has Done His Duty as SoIdicr-A Few
Notches on His Gun Stock

MANILA, PulLIrrlNE ISLANDS,
June %, 1900.-In the lines that
follow | will try and describe my
trip from old Oconec to the far-oif
Philippine Islands, Of the mighty
Pacific.
When | enlisted in the Twenty
ninth U. S. Volunteer Infantry, |,
with hundreds of others, was sent to
Fort Mcpherson, there to undergo
the first necessary training for the
trials that were to follow Shortly
after my arrival there the regiment
was ordered to San Francisco, Cal,
there to await transportation to the
far-away scenes Of action.
Of the trip from Atlanta to San
Francisco much might be said, but
want Of space and time forbid. Lcav-
ing all that was near and dear to me
| started from Atlanta September
23d on the Atlanta q West Point
railroad, and passed through the
cotton belt Of Georgia into Alabama
while it was daylight. Sundown of
the first day found us at Selma, one
of the oldest towns in the State.
Our train rolled onward and at carly
of ,,l.. 4
Miss. This is another old town and
it bears historical record. Here
we crossed the "Fathcr of Watcrs,r
(thc MississippD. 1t took us four
hours to cross, so you may know it
is some larger than "Dick's Creek"
and the water not SO clear. Five
hours Of travel through swamps and
canebreaks and we arrive at Shricvc-
port, La. 1t is quite homc-l like and
pleasant to see such n town after
going through such a wilderness.
Here we were transferred to one of
the greatest railroads in the country
the Texas Pacific.
AT supper time the second day we
were in Dallas, the second largest
city in Texas. We saw but little of
this place, as we stayed only short
time.
Morning light found us on the
plains. The only inhabitants are
the jack rabbits, rattlcsnakcs, prairie
dogs, cayotcs and the wild wolf of
the West.
We reached Ell Paso in the early
morning, having Travelled S75 miles
across the plains Of the "Lonc Star
State. This town was founded by
the Spanish many years ago, and it
still contains many Of the q int old
houses. Here we crossed the Rio
Grande river; tncn passed through
New Nlcxico. What could see Of
this country was awfully rough.
Arizona next, and we struck the
oaiarah desert OF the United States
--Ihc american desert-nothing to
be seen but alkaoli dust.
we crossed the Colorado river into
California at Beaumont, and we
Dcgin TO 1--we again. From Beau
mont to Los Angeles we see groves
OF orange and lemon trees and other
Kinds OF tropical fruits, which were
Pheasant sight alter so much sand
All things must end, 50 here we
are at San francisco to await trans
Porlatloh |" the iar-oii Philippines.
AFTER hVc days rest we board the
" D transport "City Of Pasa,"
Whlch Is our home Tor thirty days.
we start across the Pacific, loaded
ana stored away on the third deck,
on thursday, October ., 1899. At
/, NJ we steamed out through the
uo'och "atc. AS we lett deck
NO. ~ inc band struck up the old
no"Vhcrh laVoritc, "DlXIc," and the
ooyS al over Ihc snip yelled them
serves hoarSc, and the crowd on
Sho'e gave us a parting cheer. As
we passed the Battlcship Iowa wc
gave lhrcc chccrS tor lighting Bob