Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1900-05-17
FROM THE PHILIPPINES.
A Letter From Ed j. wehrle, Co. A. 32nd
U. 8. Vol. Inf.

March IS, 1900.
Dear folks:
1 thought would write you
few lines to let you know that am
getting along very well and hope
this will find you the same. There
is very little news here at present, as
the insurgents are quiet, aud have
been so for some time, but no one
knows what minute they may break
out again. But l think it is hardly
possible, as they have suffered defeat
so often.
The English first clsss cruiser
"Orlando" was in the harbor the
other day. About dozen lads of
the company, myself included in the
party, rowed out to her, and had the
pleasure of spending couple of
hours with the English blue-jackets.
NS WCIC SuO"n oil O'Ci ACi, HOA
the fighting top to the stoke-hole.
She is fine ship, but is far from
being in rank with our first class
cruiser "Brooklyn". was aboard
her in Manila bay few weeks ago.
1t is extremely hot here. January,
February, March and April are the
hottest months in the year. About
the middle of June the rainy season
commences and it continues for six
months, and it sure rains. Peaceful
brooks become raging torrents, and
it is very disagreeable. When we
landed on the islands last October
it was raining and didn't quit until
about the goth of November. We
were in small tents, and it was hard
to tell whether it was raining harder
in the tents than it was outside.
Then in the middle of the night we
would be awakened by the sound of
the bugle blowing call to arms. Out
We would get, in mud and rain, not
knowing what minute stray bullet
was going to find lodging in one of
us, and then we would hike through
mud puddles and rice fields chasing
insurgents.
But that was the dark side of our
campaign. Now We are having a
fine time.
The Filipinos are great ones for
rooster fighting and this being Sun
day it is the day for chicken fights.
1 was up town all morning betting
with the natives on the results OF
the fights. am getting so 1 can
talk their lingo pretty well, and l
have great times with them.
Some of the boys get about half
full of bino and then they make life
miserable for the natives.
l got letter from Brother Buis
few days ago, he is on Cebu IS
land, about 600 miles from here. ]
would like to see him but 1 don't
think l will.
1 have no idea how long they will
keep us here as everything is quiet.
Some think we may be discharged
before our enlistment expires but as
it isn't official we can't tell anything
about it.
I would not mind going back to
the u. S., but l am satisfied to stay
here for a while. There is one thing
certain, 1 will never go to tropical
country again. 1 prefer a temperate
climate.
1 have seen and learned a great
many things since 1 left the U. S.,
my move may be beneficial after all.
1 hope so at any rate.
1t will soon be three years since 1
left Meade, and may be some time
before 1 get back there, if we have
to serve our full enlistment anyway.
1t seems strange to be in foreign
country, everything is different from
the United States, but 1 am getting
pretty we'll used to it now.
Did you receive the Manila paper
l sent you? 1t gives a better ac-
count of what we have been doing
than could write, and whenever
there is anything of interest takes
place will send you the paper.
There is great deal of sickness
in this country, and in Manila they
are having trouble with the bubonic
plague, it is fatal disease when a
person once contracts it. There is
another disease, leprosy, that they
are troubled with to some extent.
The natives have it principally, very
seldom an American has it, which /
am glad to know.