The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-03-28

General Joe Wheeler's report on the sit
uatiOn in the Island of Guam. which he in
spected while en- route to san Francisco
from Manila, was made public by the Navy
Department today and says in part:
Il cannot learn that the Island of Guam
has ever been surveyed, but its area may
be stated at about $50 square miles, one
half Of which. it is estimated. is suscepti-
bic Of cultivation. Nearly all of the land is
still virgin soil. my information being that
only about / per cent is now under cuI-
tivatiou
The population is about 5000 souls,
nearly all OF whom reside in the towns,
The land which is regarded as arabic is
very fertile. producing cocOanuts. oranges.
lemons. cacao. rice. corn, sugar-cane.
beans. tomatoes etc. the cOcOa-nut trees
having an appearance Of thrift and bearing
power superior to those 1 have seen in any
other part Of the tropics. Deer and wild
goats are found in abundance.
The road from Agana TO the north of the
island passes through an especially fertile
country In this section there is large
table land. and where Clearings have been
made the ranches are in good state OF
land are covered with a very thick Jungle
which can with dimculty be penetrated by
a man on foot The dugdug and other
bread fruit trees grow TO enormous size.
The belief in spirits inhabiting forests
and lonely places. is widely spread
throughout the islands Of the Pacific. In
Samoa they are called 'AitU.' in Guam
'Gente del Monte or people Of the woods
often described as being headless, and
a. a.
through the woods at night, as did the
devils upon the saints OF old They are
supposed TO freqgsnt especially the vicini-
ty Of Banyan trees, and Of prehistoric re-
mains, called 'Latda.
Flying foxes are numerous. They fly in
full daylight tapping their wings slowly.
Ike crow. They are eaten generally. and
are one Of the usual staples OF foou.
"Centipedes and wasps are common, both
indoors and out. There is a small scor-
piOn. The stings OF none OF these are dan
gerOus- Spiders are common Some OF
the spiders are very large, but none is
dangerous. There are no tarant ulas.
The only industry OF any consequence
in the Island Of Guam, is the production
and expectation Of copra. The price re-
ceived by the natives for copTa. from the
traders buying it on the island, ranges
from s. to 81 Mexican, per hundred
weight These merchants receive about
Japan. In England. cOpra sells for 80 per
ton. gold.
There is a very good road between the
landing Of Pitt en- 10 Agana. and for two
miles beyond along the coast 10 the north
west. To the north Of Umata. along the
east side of the island. the
roads are only paths The read acros
the island. from Asaua TO Page, Is fairly
good. All the roads. except the one from
PHI through Agana. become very bad 10
the wet season. but as all the towns are
on the coast. communication by sea is
always available. I'm Agana probably halt
the houses are built OF stone, the other
houses are Of nipa and bamboo, very
much like the houses in LuzOB
The people were very cordial and
friendly. At every town We entered vs.,
we're met by the leading men OF the place
at two places with United States flag
flying. Waite flags were upon many Of u,
houses. bells we're TGng, and other effort
we've made by the natives to manifest re-
gard FOR the Americans. I saw few PEG
pie who / was informed were pure Cha.
m0rrCs and they imprs sd me very a.
yOTabiy. Their features were regular,
their forms erect and thev were i'm all re-
spccts fine physical sDeCi mems
There is very liitle money on the ISL
and. Wages are very low. The teacher
at Umata had a nice school Of little chill
equal to $3.50 gold per mOn-h. / under
stand that the paw has been. or is about
TO be. increased 20 s. Mexican per month.
A short dis ance north Of Agana is the
settlement OF from = 10 100 Caroline ISL
anders. They preserve their native GUS
toms and methods OF dress and have quite
the appearance Of American Indians. They
are Industrious and peaceable. Most ex-
travagant legends exist as 10 the former
density of the population OF this and other
Islands. some Spanish writer's assert that
the population OF the Island OF Guam alone
at one time was as much as 10000. The
reports OF Padre Sanvi,cres have been
quoted 10 sustain these large estimates.
He says that during the frs. year of his
lsbors he baptized 5000 people and con-
verified 10000. but these statements. like
the others to which allusiOn has been
made. are certainly very much oyerrated
In 1868 the population was reckOned at . -
go. of which 4.S24 were on Guam. 335 on
Rota. 10 on Tinian, and 435 On Saypan. the
other islands being uninhabted.
''In 1873 II was stated that in the south
west part Of Guam the people were much
afflicted with leprosy. but this afiiction
now seems to be much less than formerly.
When the Spaniards left there were six
lepers in the hospital at Asan. All but one