The National tribune., 1900-04-26

Maj Charles E. Stanton and his clerk,
Mr.. Skelly, had two rather narrow escapes
in September last. Early in that month a
torpedo was placed on the track so as to
blow up the train on the Manila & Dagupan
r. R., on which they were conveying funds
to pay troops. The attempt was made
between Angeles and Maliban, but a
woman at the bridge told a guard of the
plot and the explosive was removed in time
to save the train. On the 22d of the same
month the train which Maj. Stanton and
his assistant had purchased tickets for
was derailed by ladrones. BY accident
they were detained and compelled to take
the next train.
The most common difficulty experienced
by Paymasters in recent as in former pay
trips have been those due to bad roads and
defective bridges. Maj. Manly 3. Curry
and clerk, Mr.. Arthur Wrigley, ON a recent
pay trip east OF Dagupan, encountered "a
body of amigos that acted very SUSPECT
ously; they were not acting the part of
labCrers with any credit to themselves, and
had it not been for the escort of 20 we'll
armed men, they would probably have
attempted the more difficult role of robbers.
Between San Quentin and Humingin a
far more perplcxing trouble was encoun-
tered in the shape of well-nigh impassable
roads, and bridges in such condition that it
was found necessary TO unhitch the teams
and pull the pay-wagon over carefully by
hand.
Mai. VIM c. GambriIl, who is something
Of a connoisseur in the matter of speed, and
his clerk, Mr.. Roscoe Beard, found them
selves in a rather trying position when
making q pay trip from Mexico to Santa
Ana, during the rainy season. The dis
tance is just four miles, they had four mules
attached TO the ambulance containing the
safe, and it took them just four hours to
reach their destination. In their recent
pay trip they were compelled to ford and
ferry several streams where the bridges had
been destroyed, and in one instance to let
the wagon down a steep incline at least 30
feet below the roadbed and haul it up again
by hand.
Mai. Harry l.. Rees and clerk, Mr..
Plesance, had very similar experience in
travelling from SalaSa To Sual and thence
to AlaminoS over the mountains; and Maj.
Candy and clerk, Mr.. Baker, experienced
similar difficulties in Northern Luzon.'
Maj. Seymour Howell and clerk, Mr..
Lockhart, had a still worse experience in
crossing a bridge between San Rafael and
Angat; the bridge broke and precipitated a
part of the cavalry escort into the stream.
Between San Ell Defonso and San Miguel
they had to lower the pay-wagon down a
steep gorge and pull it up again by ropes.
In going across Laguna de Bay to Morong.
they had the unpleasant experience of
having to anchor over night in casco with
but three soldiers and wounded Filipino
as guard to the pay-chest.
Sufficient illustrations have been cited
to show that, aside from tine dangers Of over
payments, the Pay Corps of the United
States Of America now in the Philippines
have no easy task. They have fortunately
a very efficient Chief in the person of Lieut.
Col. Albert S. Towar, and, beside those
already named, Mai. Vim. B. Schofield,
who acts as Post Paymaster, and Mai.
II. d. Keleher, who pays the civil employees
of Manila, have shown themselves well
fitted for their positions.
Maj. VIM. IL. Comegvs and CLERK, Mr..
Noonan. have just arrived to assist in the