Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-02

north LuZon. lies at general elevation OF
400 feet above the sea level and has some
peaks 1000 feet high 1t is said to be al
ways cool and comfortable. with pure air
and fine water. The Spanish planned to
build a sanatorium there. In the winter
season there is frost. and sometimes snow
and ice. In the warm season the average
temperature is about 81 degrees Fahrenheit:
and in winter the mercury goes down TO
about freezing point The province Is also
rich in mineral springs. carrying sulphur
and iron especially. Tea and coffee, apples
and other fruits of the temperate zone
grow well there. Gold is found in the Ben
guet district. mountain railway con-
Meeting by short level line with Dagupan
would enable one to reach Bensuet from
Manila in twelve hours.
steamer ride of fourteen miles up the
Pasig river from Manila brings one TO La
suna de Bay the largest body of fresh
water in the Philippines twenty-five miles
long by twenty-one miles broad. Its east
ern shore line rises in mountains, ana al
Of its southern ports some Famous not
springs issue.
LuzOn's Great Lake.
When in Manila last winter l made the
Pasig-Laguna de Bay-Hot Springs trip on
a auartermasters launch, which towed two
heavily laden cascoes. 1t was on that day
IN January when our troops and gunboats
made the second and final capture of Santa
Cruz the most important lake port. Strong
resistance was expected. but our plan OF
attack leaked out tas nearly eii nave done
in tht. paStD and the insurgents abandoned
the town lust before troops arrived.
and NOT a hostile shot was fired IN resist
ance At Calamba. the terminus at that
time of the run of the quartermaster
launch where II lay night before
starting on the return trip. l saw our VIC
torious gunboats. including the Laguna de
Bay. which has done such effective work
on the lake and elsewhere in operations
against the Filipinos. l met also some OF
the officers engaged in the movement then
in progress against the concentrated FIJI
pino force in Cavite province south OF
Manila one column of the aggressive
Americans moving from Calamba. Among
these officers were DIR. Wales and Dr. T. b.
Anderson of Washington. This trip taken
at that time brought one in touch with the
most important military operations then in
progress in the Philippines and in addi-
ton furnished two days of interesting ex-
periences on the lake and in the Pasig.
Trip Up the Pasig.
The so-called Pasig river Is the short,
narrow and swift outlet of the Laguna de
Bay by which its overflow reaches Manila
bay and the ocean Near and at Its mouth
II separates the old walled city OF Manila
from Binondo, the modern business city.
Starting from the custom house landing,
the view from the launch discloses on one
side the gray walls and battlements of
middle-age stronghold, with convent roofs
and upper stories rising even above the
walls. the other side Is the abundant
small shipping of Manila including square
ended pole-propelled cargo Lighters and ma
tive dugout canoes; landing places, official
buildings and business Establishments.
Near the waters edge in front Of the
walled city at a point where II is pierced
by gate opening stands a monument
to Magellan. In the Enclosure about which
river-washed clothes are drying. Now the
launch passes under the Bridge of Spain.
an impressive structure of stone and iron.
connecting old Manila and Binondo always
crowded. always interesting. From is
mouth clear to the point where 1t issues
from the lake the Pasig shows every min
ute side the other some object
of interest, some historic point or building,
some characteristic scene. some pic
turesque bit of scenery. Here one passes
the spacious Insane Asylum buildings on
waters edge in the suburb of Malacanan
the summer palace of the Spanish governor
general of the Philippines, now the resi-
dence of Gen. Otis, which is accessible both
balcony at its back and by carriage at its
front through the tropical garden which
surrounds 1t on three sides.
Palace and Brewery.
Through the development of modern con-
in inconvenient proximity to a great brew
fills the air with smoke. Now see the
long rope walk and the hospitals at Santa
Mesa in the vicinity where the first shot
OF the Filipino war fired. and an Off
Ger on the launch points out the place
where the first American was killed in the
engagement which followed Santa Ana
comes into view, with the Spanish town on
the right side of the river as We travel
from ocean to lake. and on the other side