Daily Kennebec journal., 1900-05-10
MILITARY MON0TONY.
[. C. PhIbrook Tired Of Philippine Lii, and
Hopes 10 Soon Return Homo.

l.. &. Phibro1k. who WAS fur some
years 4 member Of thc IIalluwcII police
force. ana later q conductor in the cm-
pIny If the A. II. X O. Electric Road.
writes a friend in this city q most inter
ostins account of his experiences as a
member of the Goth Infantry Band, on
duty in the Philippines.
The letter follows in full:
Santo Tomas. P. l.. March ., 1900,
II. w. Clark, Jr., Iiallowell. Me:
Dear Fricnd-An opportunity having
offered at Last, write after long silence
to let YOU know what has occurred To m,
since You last saw me.
We arrived at TT. crook. Sept. :, ana.
Howe having gathered the recruited mu-
sicians. the band played for thc first time
the next day
on the nth Or October, We boarded tho
train for Vancouver Wash arriving
there the 18TH. The trip occupied four
days ana was spent by the band in TWO
rehcarsals daily. Life IN the train was
necessarily crowded .and, rather dull.
though the boys took it MI as n sort oi
picnic excursion and might be said t.
have enjoyed ii. The scenery from ChcE-
enne Wyo.. from the summit Of the
Rockies To the coast. was simply maCniil-
cent ana was a relief to the eye after
viewing for several days the fiat. monot-
onOuS prairiCS OF Nebraska and north
eastern Colorado. The Cascades Of Ore
Al Portland. Ore. We left the train ana
were marched aboard the river stetmbo3t
Lurlinc and taken up the Willamette
river 10 Vancouver. 1t was a driZZliu-
day ana the roads were muddy, and oUl
first impression Of Vancouver was not
very favorable. But once assigned 10 our
quarters. ana warmed and dried BY tht
cheerful fire which the boys We're in haste
10 provide, our spirits rose and We were
COmpacent with tine world.
The next day was fine one and Van
couNcr Harracks assumed an tntlrely "
new aspect The surrounding scenery y
beautiful. From the east window of our
quarters every morning We could See thc
noble old SnuW-Cdppct. summit ut NJ 81
Hood. his peak crowned with tho ethereal
tiuts Of morning. and in tile afternoon nc
stood out. a pure white Siant, against the
deep blue sky.
are beautifully laid out, especially in the
officers section. Great pines and cedarS
surround the parade grounds, and at one
end a band stand has hCCn erected. where
We gave regular Sunday concerts. The
parade grounds are VclVcty lawns, al
ways green, set off here and there with
giant pines
Wen, our lifc here was a dream. and
for once can say the band has felt that
life WAS worth the living. on the q Of
November. after pay day. We left Van
c0uvcr and boarded tn" transport Penn
SylNania at Portland. starting the nest
day. The troopship grounded in the &C.
lumhia and We're were net out Of it untll
ne II II. Niltl. At noon. We PASSED 4ASt'tlil
ana the bar which marks the mouth ~
the river. Then the band played
America"
The ocean swell was especially heavy.
ana within an hour two or three Of the
boys we're feeding the fishes with a most
benevolent crei Ey. John MaCMahon.
wc'l known in Augusta, whom many VIII
recall as an attenaant at the state Insane
hospital, was the first to seek the rail
ana stare into the hriny depths. while
Fred Stuart of Newport, now q sergeant,
ana Ted ChadhoufHe If Augusta. like
wise Il sergeant. ,,cry not long in follow
ing. Among tn" Maine boys. few Were
not seriously effected by the CHASTITY
heaving Of the boat. Prof. +. NJ. Howe
was among the fcW-hc was not unCOm-
Portable throughout the trip.
When on the 18th we arrived Honolulu,
ana were allowed to land, the boys III
blue and brown were aS sheep from th"
fold. Honolulu is a most beautiful town,
luXuriant with tropical foliage. which
gives the place a wonderfully rich look.
American industry is everywhere appar-
cnt, ana TO all appearances the liawaiians
are glad to foster the protection offered
by the iIaunts Of the Star Spanglcd Ban
nor. our visit in this lovely was Of two
days duration. ana on the Eth. much
against the wishes Of the boys. we were
again packed onto the transports and
taken out to sea.
After a pleasant voyage we came into
Manila bay. passing wrecked Spanish
war vessel. on the eth of December. The
next morning, we landed in the Philip
pines.
My first impression of Manila was
strange one. From the ancient appear
anoe OF the wall which surrounds old Ma
Mia and the buildings. | felt as though
had stepped back into the medieval
ages. | wouldn't have been surprised if d
knight in mail and armor had ac-
costed me.
Native boys and women pestered US
with their offers to sell bananas. oranges.
candy and cigarettes. all the way to our
quarters as We marched. our barrac k
were those occupied by the Spaniards be
fore Dewey did it," known in Spanish AS
"Cuartel De Malate'' or ''Malate quarter
Here we stayed for five days. and when
off duty | took occasion to 20 over the
city and explore its most ancient ana
most modern quarters. on the Luneta,
the society driveway Of Manila, we gave
one or two open air concerts and made.
to all appearances, an excellent impress
sion on the minds OF the listeners.
on the morning of the 18th, we were
packed like poultry into native house
boats. or "cascoes.' and towed by
launches up the Pasig and tributary
Cristobal river to Calamba, which sits on