Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-11-29
LETTER FROM MANILA.

soldiers on the Island Write
to Friend in This C,ty.
@. W. Mcclure and W. r. Myers OF
this city, who are members of Battery
II. SiAth United States Artillery, at
Manila, have written an interesting
letter to friend in this city. The
letter is dated October 2lst and con-
tains she following:
The city of Manila is the capital Of
the Philippine archipelago. 1t was
founded by MIGUEL Lopez in 1911.
Manila proper is surrounded by very
step wall, and at the entrance of every
gate is erected large swimming POOL
the Spaliards had when they had con
troll Of this island; used to bar Fill
pinos from entering the walled city and
every dirty Spaniard that entered was
supposed to Jump in this pool and give
himself good wash. This was done to
keep leprosy and Bubonic plague from
the city. Inside the walls of the city
stands the Cathedral, erected in 1878
by Pope Gregory XIII. The popula-
tion OF the Island of Luzon is 3, COO, 600,
and the people speak 30 different
dialects.
The natives are supposed to be
friendly, but it takes all u person s
time to watch, as there is band called
ladropes (robhersl who have at all
times a bulo ready for an assault. These
ladrones are very desperate. Last
evening they killed four Chinos in
Bonondo just across the Pasig River
from where we arc stationed, and it
was done so quietly that tho attention
of the guards was not attracted. About
three weeks ago they tried to burn the
arsenal. They succeeded in setting ii
afire, but no damage was done.
We were called to arms at .. m.
and every man was up with full equip
ments in ii minutes and ready to start
for the scene, ready for action, These
people will not work. Nearly everyone
always has o fighting chicken under
his arm and few Mexican dollars to
wager They live very cheaply, their
| food consists of rice and fish and their
cooking is something awful. They seem
to like 1t, and il soldier is anywhere
around when they are eating he IL
always invited to how-chow, but tht
soldiers generally decline.
CYCLONES and hurricanes are nu
merous. From October to December
they tear things to pieces. must tel
you little about the Lunetta. The
Lunetta is place where the Spaniards
used to behead their people for crimes
A large band stand is erected and {
band from some regiment gives concer
every evening. A person can meet nl
nationalities on these driveways. TIL,
street cars are small. They will sea
probably dozen persons. person car
ride all over the city for two cents
but it takes long time to make trip
as the cars are drawn by two littl,
native ponies and they are liable to la.
down at any time.
Detachments of the Fifteenth ant
Thirty seventh Infantries met with de
feat at Calamba recently; out of II
men 20 were killed and - wounded.
Last Sunday there was graphuphon
entertainment given at our quarter
and when the machine began to tall
the Filipino boys looked In the cone t
see where the man was that was doing
the talking.
1t is rumored that Aguinaldo is dead
having been wounded and that tn
wounds proved fatal, but perso
cannot rely on these rumors, althoug
his horse was captured and the saddl
was covered with blood, which give
color to the report.