The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-03-02
|..Talks .. THE
5 BY Chaplain G. G. Stu1l
{ OF the First Montana Volunteers.
Chaplain G. G. Stu1l
OF the First Montana Volunteers

CuIue !utO MuAute, Vue VI tue Hueeh tes
Dental portions of the city Of Manil,
Here the homes were exquisite, hui
seemingly without regard to money b
the owners. They were flushed Ia,
ishly. l was curious enough to inqui.
as to the ownership of many Of thes
aud was surprised to find that lieutel
ants and captains, who were drawing
salary that would be equivalent to nc
more than $50 or $50 of u money
were enabled to sustain establishment
such US these. For instance, II Spunis
officer with n wife aud probably two o
three ohildran, would be enabled t
have his carriage and team, servant!
for each Of tho various employment
about a house, be able to entertain mo
lavishly, keep IA fine establishment ant
have money to burn, on n salary, as
say, Of $50 or 500 American. Their,
is only one explanation to this, anf
that, that they wers Il set of robbers, III
whose hands the natives absolutely haf
nc rights.
Passing beyond Malate, only at q
little distance was Fort Malate, where
the first battle before our arrival was
fought, aud 1t was in this locality. be.
tween the block house, probably a little
beyond the fort aud the fort itself, that
the Spanish soldiery were hemmed aud
where they were compelled to surrender
Internationally to the American forces
that were in front Of them. Retrncing
our steps we came by the wonderful
Paco cemetery, an Enclosure containing
probably ten acres Of land and having
walls that hold within themselves
about 800 nichos for the burial of the
dead. In the center of this there is a
large chapel; also n mortuafy. The
grounds are kept with great taste and
the tropical verdure to be seen ut all
seasons Of the year, together with the
brilliant foliage, makes this one IF the
pleasant sights to be seen in the Gu
vironment Of Manila. One of the de.
teots that appeared to rs upon our early
arrival was u place Of sepultura. The
rules of the church were very rigid and
IL q man were other than a Catholic il
was perfectly proper that "A place Of IN.
terment other than sacred ground must
be obtained for him, SO ii was necessary
for the government to select localities.
There are today two such--the National
cemetery aud Battery knoll. These
were small plots Of ground that had
been segregated, aud long trenches,
possibly containing two hundred bodies
to d trench, were dug, and as the bodies
we're carried there al too frequently,
the dirt was thrown over the coffin aud
the space adjoining was left open for
the next victim. Sometimes it was
almost Il horror to attend these funerals,
for when the troops were first on the
island deaths we're Of daily occurrence,
and sometimes there were three and
four and even six funerals at Il time.
Zone Of the pleasing events during
our stay ut Manila was the observance
of Decoration day, when the graves
were handsomely decorated, the Fill.
pinos themselves printing small Anleri.
can flags, making the sticks for them
and planting them at the head Of the
grave Of each dead soldier to be found
III these cemeteries.
"Coming from Paco one can cross
either Of the three bridges that 81 au the
Pasig river. The first of these Is the
bridge of Spain, built in 1882 as Il pom.
toon bridge. 1t was exceedingly danger.
GUS, and Il man was ventulesome, 40.
cording to their traditions, in attempt
ing to cross this, but for ILL hundred
years this bridge was maintained, keep.
ing the connection between old Manila
and Binondo. Now There is q magnif.
cent stone structure of four arches that
spans the river, and this is constantly
crowded by the traffic passing over.
We used to stand either Oh the Manila
side OF Bonondo, and note the method
of first getting the cars across. A cur
containing probably forty people, drawn
ny two ponies about the size of u pinto,
with a driver running beside thom, aud
the other driver on tho front with a
whistle. and the conductor with Il whip
squirting these brutes. so that they
could make the slight incline Oh either
side. Woe betide the caIriumeta whose
careless driver would allow the wheel
OF his carriage to come in contact with
this car when on the bridge. 1t is esti-
mated that 5000 wagons and carbon
carts cross this bridge in the course of IL
single day. You can't tell the driver
OF a earriameta were you want to go
and have him take you there, The
only thing you can do Is to indicate to
him, when you come to a corner, the
direction that you desire him to take,
and tor this, II you want to go to the
right, you say 'mano,' and il to the
left, 'silla, This methud was adopted
before the natives drove their own
parrib0us, when one Of rhe native pos
tilions would guide with his right
hand aud would direct tho other horses
by Il short oane. with his left, 'mano'
meaning hand and 'silla' saddle, You
nave nc conception Of the number of
ihese yehioles that are TO be found up,
~ the street, and especially tho Es-
during thu dny. III In inst Rjmply