The true northerner., 1900-07-04

J. b. THOMAS WRITES A LONG LETTER TO
HIS FATHER.

Following are some interesting ex-
tracts from letter written home by
Jesse b. Thomas, dated from Neuva
Caceres, Isle of Luzon, p. l., May 5, 1900:
AS | have little time this morning
will commence letter, and perhaps can
finish it and perhaps not. Things are
more quiet here now than they have been
for some time. We have the companies
pretty well clothed up and supplied, so
we are having a breathing spell. OF
course, have TO be here all the time,
for there are hundred and one things
TO be looked after. The officers, team
sters, packers and civilians are all the
time buying clothing, there is forage to
be issued all the time, and company
property and officers baggage to be ship
ped here and there TO the different COM
panies.
There are four troops of cavalry con-
ing here; one reached here last night
and the others are still in bay. Capt.
Simpson is having a large corral built
now for the mules and horses to be kept
in during the rainy season, which is not
far off.
The weather here now is very hot
the hottest part of the year; but they
can all talk of hot weather who want to-,
/ have never seen a day here yet that
compared with one of those in Cuba.
| am falling in love with this city, l
think. 1t is great place now, and is
sure to become greater and greater, for
a town located as it is cannot help but
prosper. When we first struck here, there
was not place except few Chinese
joints where there was anything to be
bought That was less than eight weeks
ago, and now you can BUY good meal,
cooked in American style, and there are
shoe shops, tailor shops and-grog shops
by the score. There are groceries where
you can buy American lemons and all
such things There is large market
square where there is nearly everything
one could ask for to be obtained, includ-
ing radishes, cucumbers, eggs, chickens,
cocoanuts, oranges, bananas, lines,
mangoes, sweet potatoes, rice, beans,
melons, cakes, sugar in all stages of re-
tinement, CLANS, shrimps, oysters, crabs
and lizards all dressed and ready for the
cook, and the articles of food which are
not grown here can be obtained at the
sales commissary, where there is every
thing imaginable to be had at the actual
cost to the government.
This part of the island | think is far
ahead of any other part of the country |
have seen. The people here are more
ambitious, intelligent, and in every way
superior To those of Manila. / mean the
masses, of course. Theyar not SO univer-
sally afflicted with those terrible diseases
SO common here, and the most of them
can write their names, which is more
than they can do as a rule in the other
places where | have been.
lnow havea a desk telephone so can talk
with brigade headquarters, and it is very
amusing to observe some of the express
sions on the faces of the natives when
the phone rings and some one commences
to talk-they stand in blank aston
ishment
The many lovers of flowers could GER
tainly enjoy visit here, for there are
thousands of different varieties, shades
and colors of them to be seen every
where, and clinging vines and mosses
over the old tumbled walls are bright
ened now and then by some strange bird
that sparkles like a diamond and whose
rich colors are so beautifully blended
that he is like moving flower.
There is some fighting going on out on
the lines near here, and some firing
nearly every night. Occasionally some
of our men get wounded, and once in a
while there is a man killed. However
out of the whole brigade, | have issued
but five collins, think, since we struck
here. Since beginning this letter, have
not left tine desk, but have issued to
three different parties 63 mules, "a horses
22 ponies, go feet Ia inch rope, Ii los
nails and 5 gal. coal oil. So you see,
have something to do, although have
not had to touch one of the things, but
simply have had to receive and enter the
order. Aside from this, Capt. Simpson
has been ip and signed five orders which
| had issued without his signature on
them. Capt. Simpson has a great deal
to look after, and he seems to attend to il
without much trouble. He makes good
man for the place, and he is, | think, the
right man in the right place.
| have not seen any of the boys from
around home since coming here, as they
are all at or near a place called Iriga
about 36 miles distant from this place
where Col Dorst makes his headquarters
The company is posted at different towns
around. G. Co., think, is in Iriga now
hope this will find you all well.
Address all letters to Q. NJ. Dept. wher
you write. Yours as ever,
j. B. THOMAS.