The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1900-03-07
LETTER FROM PHILIPPINES.
Brass Bond Plays at the Funerals Cam
Tell Who are the Mournets.

f.. S. Strawcuttcr, Of this place, re-
ceivcd the following letter from his
brother, Mabry S,rawcut'er, who is n
soldier in the Philippine Islands, which
he kindly consented 10 allow us TO pub
lish
MAGALANG, u. l., Jan. 20. 1900.
MIR. T.. STRAwCuTTER.
BRoTHER:-Th beautiful p. m.
will cndeavor to write you II few lines.
We landed IN Manila Bay Jan. ith,
after foriy-fve days sailing. Our trans.
port. the Logan. heat the record about
four days. enjoyed the the trip quite
well. The weather WIS fine nearly all
the way, except day and night on the
Atlantic ocean.
On the 9th we went ashore and TO
Nipa barracks on the outskirts Of Man
lila city. The houses or barracks are
built Of bamboo. They were built by
Spanish prisoners that the Philippines
held. Manila is quite Il large city, al
though ancient. The population Is es-
timated between two and three hundred
thousand. The people seem quite in
dustrious, the streets are always crowd
ed. The streets are lined with two
wheel covered carts, drawn by II small
pony and can run nearly all day. a
person can hire a cart for a day for
about sl.00, Mexican money, that Is
equal 10 80 cents in Y. S. coin.
The women smoke cigarettes and
some chew tobacco. They go about the
streets In bare feet while some wear
slippers with wooden soles without any
stockings.
II is nothing to see four or five funer-
ais II day. The higher caste is headed
by the band playing "rhc Girl Left
Behind Me-" or "a Hot Time in the
Old Town" The body is carried on the
shoulders Of four strong men and the
people straggle along behind "any old
way smoking and passing jokes with
the passers. One can't tell who are the
mOurners.
There are many such incidents, but
space and time will not permit to write.
On the 18th we moved by rail to An.
geles. a small town about 45 miles dis
tant, aud remained "a day then marched
to this place tMagalangl another small
town 10 relieve negro battalion Of the
25th Regulars. There are only two
companies here doing garrison duty.
We are about miles from large
mountain, Arrayat the enemy's strong
hold. They may attack us most any
time. The day we came here a negro
soldier killed a native woman and We
expected an attack that night. We
were called out about midnight to dig
trenches all around the stone church
We are quartered in a big CathOli,
convent or church. But we were not
attacked.
This is certainly fine island. Their,
are some OF the prettlest driveways ant
public roads one would want to look at
Banana trees and cocoanut trees grow
nearly everywhere. Since the Ameri
cans came here everything is mostl,
pretty high-priced. Some few things
are cheap. Most Of the houses ar,
built of bamboo in the small villages.
, The fighting is principally on tn,
south line, although there is skirmish
, ing all over the island Most every day
"a small skirmish is reported. The Phil
ippinos can't stand the shot and tn,
,l III Or al
} Fifty Americans routed about three
hundred Of them the other day. A rusl
/ and a yell start them running. | sup
, pose you read Of the capture OF Agiun
aldo's wife, mother and some staff of
! ficers some time ago. His capture vii
: finally end the war, but he Is slipper,
r and hard to catch. The Meagos viii
sell to the soldiers in day time and a
night go and fight against us. The!
t are "A very treacherous people. w,
carry our guns with us when we go an,
= distance away. The Philippines vii
l slip up behind person and bolo him
5 Bolo is the name OF big knife the,
use.
l This seems to be very healthy place
: more so than in Manila. l am having
coed health and not much to do. an
5 clerk and orderly in headquarters fol
, Provost Marshal, 1t. Boston. 1t eX
! cuses me from drill and all guard duty
1t has rained only once, little, sine,
> we have been on the island. The rainy
season comes in about June. 1t is abou
| as warm now us Il day in July in tn,
States. Yours Respectfully,
: MABRY STRAwCUTTER.
Co. f. ilst Inf, U. S. V.