The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1900-08-24

WoaTHlNaros LODGE No. 2l9, I.O.O.F.
Officers and Brothers,
1 received your answer to my |
letter several months ago, and as you
wished me to write you about my OK
perience out here 10 the naval service, |
l will try to write you the news and
fact, if news it is, as we'll as ! can.
There are 90 many articles written
about the Philippines that I won't
be able to add much to it.. In the
first place. We on board ship have ~,
depend on home papers for news
about these islands, ourselves, Tor the
Manila papers do not give much news,
and 90 we are about month behind
the times, or until we get the San Fran
cisco papers. The weather is warm
from the northern part Of Luzon to
the most southern islands of our pos
sessions, the year around, even in the
winter it is uncomfortable out in the
sun, consequently vegetation ia green
the year around, and most shores on
islands are lined with inaumerable
cocoanut trees, and in the interior
nothing but hard wood grows, as far
l know. The heat il very oppref sive,
and one grows very languid, with the
desire to be idle and keep as cool as
possible, it is 10 wonder to me that
the natives have not developed their
islands, and of course we all know
why the Spaniards didn't DO any
better. There are minerals of all
kinds without doubt, our soldiers
have found gold in three places that
L know of, having been within several
miles OF the places, myself, coal as
large as man can carry was found
within a couple of miles from quite
large town by the soldiers. The next
largest town, Ilo-ilo was destroyed by
fire as The insurgents lett it, every
business house in town, built of coral
rock, was burned, nothing but
church and some ware houses were
left, and nat We huts which were built
of bamboo. But these burned Sights
have been replaced by sheet iron or
corrugated iron buildings, by
Cinnamon, who are the most indust-
rious people here. The climate is not
as unhealthy as one would expect
by hearing of other tropical countries
} But Of conrse one needs to look after
himself more than in the states. AT
sea, the stormiest section is all oil
Luzon, and from there south, the
weather is more mo>erta' in hi
stormy season. We have been as
signed to the SuIu Archipelago fol
; about nine months, and during thai
r. time we nearly always had fine wealth
E or, making Jolo, on the island Of sula
: our headquarters, which is the Capitol
s I might say, for the Moros, althorg'
I the Sultan of Sulu, lives at Nahum
: This is the Sultan with whom Presi
i dent Mckinley has made treaty, o
+ which you all nodoubt are acquainted
2 Nahum, some eight miles across from
IS Jolo, is nothing out collection of hut
with several exceptions that may b.
Icalled houses. This 9. ction Of th
group is a great place for pearl oysters
g I have seen some as large as medium
sized plate. The Moros have give
+; the Spaniards more trouble than tn
:, PHILIPPINES have, never having full
4; subdued them. Th3y are also tn
b very Malay Pirates of old, and usee
d to war with the PHILIPPINES. The.
il even now have no uee for one anothe
,, and are greatly different from then
&c wearing turban on their heads, ant
r they are the dirtiest people IN GU
:. possessions. the men go around will
IF very savage looking knives stuc
through sash around their waistt
but have been friendly with u
/, throughout our trouble out herr
d We finally changed headquarters t.
s Sanboaga, which is seventeen mile
. from isabella, that other navy yard
which is 500 miles south OF Manila
We took General Bates around tt
u several places and only several week
ago, We conveyed him with regi
ment, to three towns on the island Q
, Miudanao, namely: Cagayan, lligap
. and Dipitan, at the first town th'
natives had guns loaded but We wer'
: ready for them and they did not mo
) lest the soldiers, next place the Gov
> l think escorted them up town. ant
|, lat the third, a brass band made thing
pleasant. After this we turned on
I station over to the Isla. de Luzon, OF
lof those Spanish gun-boats that W j,
! raised, and then came up to F ooch, i
to go into dry dock, but found thu
there was too much mud in the Ell
trance for a shipto go in. 80 we we {
.. ordered to como here, to Shanghai, t,
. to 60 into dry dock. This city i
. very much larger than H ,ngkone
|. but not very interesting in. regard /