The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-12-10
cEBU as a PHILIPPINE pert.
American soldier writes of It's In
ereasIne Commerce.

American Soldier Writes of It's In
ereasEne Commerce.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 10.-Cebu, in the
Philippines. viii be the second city in
Americas island colonies of the East. says
RegimentaI Commissa-y Sergeant E J.
Hineken. of the Forty-fouFth Infantry {.
s V. in letter to his father, George A.
Hiucken of this city. The communication
is dated Cebu, Island OF Cebu. october %
1866. It says:
1T has been about nine months since we
arrived here, and it is surprising what can
be accomplished in that time in remodel
ing city held for years under the Span
ish rule. Ceba is the first island upon
which Magellan planted the Spanish flag
in the Philippine group Ee landed here
in the year 1921 The first church was es-
tablished here. and a large wooden cross
marks the spot where the church was To-
Gated. The city of Cebu has about two
thousand houses and nipa shaeks- The
houses are built principally OF wood and
are one story IN height Since the arrival
OF the Americans many houses have been
built. mostly of stone. Warehouses and
! store buildings are under construction
Under the American rule things are pro
crossing rapidly and TO the complete sat
| isfaction OF the better class of natives.
-As to the sanitary condition OF the city
upon the arrival OF the Americans ealy
those who have visited such places can de-
scribe the condition OF things Pigs were
drainage When the rainy season set in
you can imagine the condition of the
streets. The first steps taken we're to i'm
prove the sanitation every house was in
| spected. the grounds were cleaned up. and
cesspoois and bitches were filed or drain
ed to- the sea Then the military governor
ordered a sidewalk butt.
such thing was known here but in a
small way. In block of thirty houses
| perhaps ten would have sidewalks, and
two out of the ten would be or the same
width and height. The orders issued cali
ed for all sidewalks to be so many feet
wide and a foot above the street level
This made lots of werk for the unemployed
and made a marked improvement in the
city,
Sergeant Hincken then tells OF the plac-
ing Of the question before the presidents
of tbs town and of his plea that the treas
ury was hare
Recently he continues. setI1e Military
Governor has authorized the island treas
urer TO transfer the sum Of $3.50 to the
city officials fer the purpose OF building
roads and cleaning the streets This sum
| is taken from the ODium concession which
| amounts to sI.590 per menth. A Chiuaman
has the sole privilege fc. selling opium on
this island. and for this privilege makes
the foTenamed concession. So with this
sum at our disposal We viii soon have the
finest kind of roads
1T may be quite surprise 10 learn that
| this port ships more hemp than any other
port in the world Tae Collector Of Gus
| tens has Just made a statement that the
revenue for the year ending August, 1900.
| Su1atrufe5 To over $500 600 in Mexican clIr-
rency, and of that amount nearly half had
heen collected during the months OF MAY,
I June. July. and August The amount Of
rice coming to this port Is something
enormous. On one steamers cargo the du-
| ties amounted to $4,000. Mexican Most
+, OF The rice is shipped from Sajgoa. China.
Courts are being established IN all the
| principal cities under the supervision G.
the military ssyernors and nearly every
| town IS being supplied with all the mate.
| riais TO conduct school, finished the SER
geant."