Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-05-03
SOLDIER
Writes From the PhiIopines, let
ter Six Weeks on the WAY

The following is taken from q letter
to Mr.. Fillmore White, an employe of
the Penrose & Simpson Co., and was
written by Mr.. r. T. White formerly
employed at the same place and well
known in the city:
San Fernando Union. March Ia.
Dear Cousln--Yours dated Nov. goth
just reached me. 1t has been all over
the island and Lord only knows where
else. We have a postofflce here now
and possibly we may get our mail a
little more regularly. Heretofore dc
not think the mail was ever sorted at
Manila, but all punched up together
and sent out and not one letter in 20
ever reaches its proper owner l left
my box or chest with nearly all my
clothes in at Manila because we were
told not to take anything we could not
carry in our blanket roll. When
found out that would likely be sta
tioned at San Fabian permanently,
sent for it and had our Lieutenant dc
so also. That was three months ago,
and have not received it yet after re-
peatedly writing and telegraphlng fol
it.
You know | was lef, at San Fabian,
i3 miles south of mere as lineman.
This work is light in dry season, but
got to thinking about having 10 wads
through a rice swamp in the rainy sea
son for at least three miles, perhap,
twice every week, and / concluded K
ry and get place telegraphing.
wrote to our Captain and he started
me out for the extreme north end OF
the Island to take charge of the Of
ice at the light house. The boat !
eft on stepped here to unload some
forage, and | came ashore to see two
)f the Signal Corps boys who were sta
toned here. Learning that the boat
would remain all night, stayed on
shore. During the evening the operat.
or got on drunk and got into trouble
with the Sergt. Major and was put in
he guard house. The commanding Of
icer had me send message to our
Captain asking that | be left here per-
nanently as operator. | kicked like a
)ay steer, for | wanted to go still fur
her north, but it was no good. and SO
lere | am and likely to remain per-
nanently. provided | can do the work
satisfactorily. 1t is quite an important
)ost and have lots of telegraphing tC
10. 1t has been so long since | work
ID at it that | was afraid to tackle tn.
place, but | guess | am getting along
Ill right. Was greatly surprised tc
ind so many good operators over here
Nothing less than 25 or 80 words pei
minute goes. Often | get messages
both to be transmitted and to receive
hat contain over $50 words, so you see
t is not like telegraphing in railroad
offices in the states, and outside OF
press they do not handle them in the
Western Union Offices.
San Fernando Union is a very pretty
place and was at one time headquart.
'rs for the Spanish troops. The town
contains about ~ or Is thousand pee
Die, has some very large buildings
The one am in is very large build
ng, two stories high (they don't build
higher on account of earthquakes) but
N account of the heavy bombarding
When they took the place the building
considerably dilapidated. Severa
en-inch shells passed clear through
he building and the roof looks like
arge seive.
Shortly after Dewey won his victory
md the insurgents got hold of thei
lrms, given them by Dewey, they
struck out from Manila, coming ur
nto this part of the country to rou.
)ut the Spaniards. They got en- the
Hills near the town and everlastingly
leppered it, but of course could not de-
much damage to the buildings. Bul
hey starved out the Spaniards anC
made them surrender.
This Province is now the hotbed for
he Insurgents and one night abou
.wo weeks ago we expected an attack
)ut they failed TO materialize. They
lave killed several of our men within
fifteen miles of here who had been sent
)ut as escorts to wagon trains. The
ak now is that new uprising is ex-
rected, but will not commence before
he rainy season and that is six weeks
,r two months Off
The Insurgents expect boat load
# guns and ammunition from Japan
>ut do not think they will get
;hance for all of our gunboats are or
he lookout for them, having been no.
flied.
| can look cut of the windows to tbs
iortheast and see the towering noun.
aims which are much higher than the
Illeghenies or Blue Ridge. In these
Mountains live several different saw
.ge tribes who go almost entirely
women and children
hey come to this place nearly every