The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08
TEE Town OF BINAN
A Settlement Captured by Ameri-
cans in January.
Rice and Sugar Cane Fertile in the
Adjacent Country-Hnbits of the
Merchants i'm n Filipino village.
High Prices Charged the American
Soldiers by storekeepers in Luzon.

BINAN, P. l., Feb. This town is built
on the eastern shore of the now famous
Laguna Bay, and is about thirty miles
from Manila by water. The military steam
launches that bring mail, passengers, and
cargo generally make the down journey In
four hours, with the current OF the Pasig
River. 1t was captured by the American
troops January 6, with the loss OF one man
killed and several wounded. The insurgent
loss was not known, but several dead
bodies have since been found in rayines
and trenches The Spanish records show
that the population is about ten thousand
but when our soldiers entered the town
there were not more than 500, the
remainder having fled TO the mountains
and to the towns of Carmona, Calamba,
and Santa Cruz. When they learned that
they need fear nothing from the Ameri-
cans they began to come in, singly, by
threes and fours, and finally in professions
of hundreds, all preceded by very small
boy or girl carrying white rag or nag.
AS soon as they occupied their houses
they put out white flag in front Now
they are all back and performing their
customary work as if the Americans had
always been here
'rhere are five good streets, not unlike
those of a country town in the United
States and many large well-built houses.
The principal street-it has no name-con-
tains numerous small stores where dry
goods, groceries, fruits, and other products
are for sale. There are also couple OF
butcher shops-carnicerias- small
pieces of very repulsive looking meat are
in evidence. The question of keeping their
places clean, or endeavoring TO keep the
swarming flies and small ants away from
the articles of food seems not to bother
them. An army officer asked butcher
why he did not keep his knives and block
clean and drive the flies away. The
butcher answered by an expressive shrug
OF the shoulders and an uplifting of the
hands, as if he would say,-"Well, it's good
enough for us, and you need not buy any.
In selling goods to American soldiers they
ask the most ridiculous. prices. As an in
stance. an officer wanted a little stew ket-
tie for his mess, its value was not more
than % cents. but the guileless hombre
asked $3.50. OF course he got it-not, but
the officer needing the article suddenly be-
thought him of using the name of high
military authority who makes prices, etc,
when the cost was lowered to S1.5O Mexi-
can. or IS Gets. nThis was after We ar
rived Now three weeks later there is
fixed scale of prices for most of .he arti-
cles needed by the troops, fair to buyer and
seller.
There is one drug stonre where a fair
stock of drugs, ETC., is kept. The owner
also has permission TO sell liquors, such as
whisky. wine cordials. and Dublin stout.
The latter is retailed at 40 cents per
pint bottle, the others at % cents drink.
He is rapidly making a fortune. In addi-
ton to the stores, there is a market held
in the forenoon. near our headquarters.
Here they sell oranges, lines, bananas, and
many other tropical fruits. cooked fish.
meat and sweet potatoes. There is also a
little traffic in ponies.
These animals are very small, but tough
and enduring. Since they discovered that
the American officers were eager to buy
good horses, the price OF even fair one
jumped from s. (Mexican) to 800. In this
market large quantities of tea are ex-
posed for sale. not in packages, but spread
out on a piece of mating. 1t is ridieu-
louslv cheap. but of the yilest quality
They don't seem TO sell much of it.
The surrounding country is exceedingly
fertile. and two and three crops OF rice
are raised yearly. Sugar cane and rice
are the principal crops. but they also raise
A few sweet potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce,
beans and peas. There are rice fields
In this neighborhood containing thousands
Of acres and the same applies to sugar
cane. The rice has all been gathered and
they are commencing TO harvest the cane.
The way the rice crop is gathered is very
simple. When ripe, as many poor people
as may desire go TO work picking the tops.
When they quit in the evening. or any
time. they take one-eighth only. of all
they CLEANED, the owner taking the remain