La Junta tribune., 1900-04-21
tao. rAa AWAY mAs,LA.
Uncle Ssm's Soldiers Engsge in
| Desperate Conflict With . Fold
Ing Bed-''AgRie" Il Loot.

Ing sed-"Agsie' l. Lost.
The following letter from Curtis
V. Shelton, one Of our La unta
boys who is now in Uncle Sam S
service in the Philippines, was re-
ceived by the home folks last week.
1t seems that our soldiers have
other conflicts sometimes, besides
those with Aguinaldo. The letter
is as follows:
CABANAruAN, MANIA,
February 3, 1900.
Folks at Home:-At last we are
back to where we can communicate
with civilization. We have spent
most OF the time since November
Ist wading through rice fields and
climbing mountains. We stopped
at this place January goth and |
understand we are to do garrison
duty here ior some time. The
insurrectos seem to be thoroughly
whipped, as it is impossible to find
any around this part OF the island.
The whereabouts of "Aggie" is as
much mystery-to me at least
as is the present abode OF North
Pole Nansen. We have been
within three hours OF band OF in
surgents supposed TO be Aguinaldo
aud his body guard, but 1t is safe
to say that we did not get him.
However, we released Lieutenant
Gilmore, which is about as good.
| am glad we are getting down from
the mountains as am sick OF seeing
naked people all the time. 1t is
quite a relief to see natives who
are at least partly clothed.
There is some very rich country
north of the mountains, but will
be perfectly satisfied if never have
to cross them again; not because
of the hard work, but one is liable
to be compelled to go without his
"chow chow and that does not
agree with me. / can eat rice if
am very hungry. but when it comes
to making soup OF angle worms, as
have seen the natives do, ! draw
the line.
This is nice little town, as Lu.
zon towns go. 1t is the end of
telegraphic communication on the
north. The Third Brigade com
missary is located here, SO l guess
we will get plenty to eat now. We
will get fresh beet three times a
week hereafter. The meat is
shipped from Manila to San Fer
nando, forty miles north, frozen
hard, in refrigerator cars 1t is then
loaded in wagon and covered
with canvass, and with six mules
hitched to the wagon, and several
relays along the road, "alle same
stage coach, the start is made.
They leave San Fernando just be-
fore sundown, distribute fresh
meat along the road and arrive
here, distance of forty-five miles,
about 4 o'clock in the morning.
This is pretty dangerous business
but as don't have to do it and can
eat the meat, ! do not worry about
the danger. We also get some
real wheat flour and will have some
fresh bread. All things taken INTO
consideration, we are living line
and are being treated much better
than was led to expect.
We have good quarters here now
and the house we live in is set up
about ten feet above the ground on
poles. 1t has fine floor OF thick
mahogany boards, tin roof and
the walls are nearly all windows,
made so they can all be pushed
into the corners. The panes are
about two inches square and are
made OF shells. There are I28
such panes in each window and
thirty-six windows in the room, SO
you ian figure how many shells It
takes to build Filipino house.
My partner and ] got "high
toned" when we moved into this