Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-05-05
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The only men, In fact, who have been
inland are the Jesuit missionaries They
have made maps Of the island, and II is
from their notes that my best informa-
tion comes. These maps have been sent
through Gen Bates to Washington, and
Congress VIII have an opportunity 10
publish them,
OUR RICHEST ISLAND,
! have learned enough. however 10
make me believe that Niudana0 Is the
richest and best of an our possessions
I'm the far East. 10 has the advantage
Of belonging almost altogether TO the
government and can be opened up just
as Uncle sam pleases 10 viii be one
Of the subjects OF congressional leglsla-
tlon when the war ends, and It viii for
years have an important place IN the
news from this part Of the world
Before ] describe lbs resources and
people / would like 90 show you Just
where 10 o.. II is very far out Of the
world, and is the nearest 10 the equa-
tor Of our American possessions. Here
at ZambOanEa / am as far south from
Manila in "a straight limo as New York
city Is distant from Pittsburg, and as
Ear away from Apart, at the northern
end OF LuZou, as the distance between
the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mex
Geo. The whole OF Mlndanao Is more
than 900 miles nearer the equator than
the Isthmus OF Panama, and Hamboau-
"a is a little more than 300 miles from
that so-called hottest line OF the globe
SIN. Mindauao has not bad climate.
Everywhere the troops are stationed on
the island the surgeons tell me that the
conditions are remarkably comfortable.
There is little on mo- sickness among The
soldiers. ana. considering that we are
In the tropics remarkably little among
;he natives. Here 40 Zambuanga. ou
the coast. do not find 90 more hot than
Washington city iu June, and no the
mountainous regions IN the interior the
air should be better.
IS AS BIG AS OHIO.
The Island OF Mndanao Is about as
big as the State OF Ohio. Il may be- "a
few square miles more or less. hut u1
one Will know until our geological sur-
Vey professors have been over The
ground. II is more than 300 miles from
here % Matt. on the east coast, where
we have just stationed a company u'
the 3ist regiment. and about 300 miles
from north 90 south. whore the island IS
widest AS You win see from the map.
Mludana0 has an enormous coast iia..
Its shores in plac-s run in and out l.k'
the teeth OF "a saw. e has numerous
bays and many good haroors. II ls.
with the exception Of The northeastern
portion. outside of the region % tg-
phoous and In that of equatorial cur.
rents, and although the rainfall Us
heavy it is said t0 have a better Gle
mate than Luzou. The topography U.
the island is rolling Three separate
volcanic ranges cross 10 from north i1
south the middle range being The hign-
est. and eliminating I'm Mt. APO. moan
the Gulf ~ Dayao. The top of MI Apo
s. more than TWO miles above the sea-
It's peak can Doe seen hy our troops 40
the town of pay8o 10 is an acty.
volcano. with vopor and fire CONNIE
from its southern eide. The most U.
THIS mountain o. wooded. only the sums
mit being bare The other muuutl
OF the island are covered with Pic.
growth az timber trees 200 feet h.-l
and twenty feet thick being here an.
there found.
a LAND or RIVERS AND LAKES
Mlndanao rs well watered II -s's.
cut up with rivers and lakes that it u
said that there are few places wher'
YOU cannot reach a navigabe streau
within ten miles travel II has aoou
two hundred rivers large number o.
which are nayigable for small boats