The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-02-16
OF the First Montana Volunteers

1--WE neglected to speak Of tho ap
preach ia Manila III our last Interview,
namely, the hreakwater and the wal
that extends about a mile out from thu
end OF Luneta, on the Pasig river aide
Our frat impression was Of the WALL
that had been started but never com
pleted, but were suypris0d to fluid, upol
closer investigation, TINT the extreme
end out toward the bay had been laf'
In this seemingly unfinished condition
by the tremendous force Of the tides
that enter the bay, 1t was frequently
the case that vessels were In as much
danger gu the bay as though they had
been OH the high seas, aud Subsequent
ly, often In our travel from Cavite &c
Manila aud return, we have seen the
waves dash over this breakwater some.
times ten and fifteen feet high. We
were told that the wall had originally
been built by Spanish enterprise aud
had been either the work Of Weyler ol
Blanoo, gentlemen TINT were not there
for their health, but rather for the per-
quisitios that pertnined to their high
offlo e, The breakwater itself was a
magnificent structure Of solid granite
walls, and led from the bay into the
river proper. 30 that there would DO no
danger for a vessel drawing less than
thirteen feet Of water passing up to jts
key OF WHAT. What a sight wa there,
my o0untrymanl When we entered 1t
seemed az though Spanish g%unboats and
sailing vessels were ende0voring to run
over each other to get out Of the way Of
the %gunboats Of the American navy,
that seemed TO be doing such effective
work over OH the opposite side, There
were some small launches aud large
ships with only a mast or, at most, the
deck displayed above the water at low
tide III the river. The river was sub.
sequeutly cleaned out by the American
navy, aud these boats that had wanton-
~ been destroyed, were raised and be-
came very effective In carrying goods
and supplies and soldiers to various
points Of American occupancy. One
oan scarcely realize the beauty OF the
city after the channel had been cleaned,
on seeing boats Of every nationality up
along tho walls Of the river discharg.
ing their earRoes and taking OH native
products for various parts of the world.
We may say, In passing, that the river
was naviRable up to tho Luneta do
Bay, a large body Of water where many
Spanish vessels, al Wa subsequently,
learned, had hidden themselves on the
first approach Of the American fleet,
and where they had subsequently been
gathered up by thetnsurgents for their
own purposes, At this time 1t would
seem that the Spaniard was truly be-
tween the devil md the deep blue sea.
"Along this river were the cities Of
San Pedro Meoati, Pasig and TaguiR,
while along the shores Of the lake,
some twenty miles from its entrance
into the river, were to be found the
famous springs and healtll resort Of the
sick natives and Spaniards. All these
points figured more or less In the sub.
sequent lighting, but were Gu tho south
line, 80 that we saw comparatively lit
tie OF them, will simply say, how
ever, that 1t was my privilege some
little time before returning home, to 90
with some OF my friends Oh one OF the
launches that was carrying food aud
Qommissavy supplies to our soldiers
who we're doing garrison duty all along
the river. Il you shall describe one
city on the island you will have a dc.
soription Of them all, and I will reserve
tor a later interview n description Of
one Of tho cities equivalent 10 these,
IN our own or tho north line, a. we
entered, One Other matter In eonnea-
ton with the Pasig river Ia the unear.
tainty Of the tide, which rises III
times al high al eight or ten feet. On
the right hand OF the river, m we OH.
tered, we discovered another fort, and
on tho walls were seen quite a plumber
of brass oan0na, but these were an
tiques, aud evidently had not been used
for u long timt, Passing beyond the
fort. were tho coal yards for eoaling
Spanish vessels; but so shrewd had
been the manipulations Of Mr., Dewey
that the coal docks evidently we're
empty and the enemy was hard pressed
tor fuel, Still beyond this we saw tho
imoat that surrounded old Manila, "
being about M hundred feet wide and
ten feet deep These moats are paved
ever to tho bottom, but are covered,
probably, with filth and seapage, for
four OF five feet, aud oyergrnWn by u
dense tropical yerdnre, The American
government In attempting TO remedy
filthy conditions, startod Iii to Glenn
these moats, hut for fear OF disease that
might BIO stirred Hp from these aeenmn-
OF ages, they rested content
with simply removing tho fungus aud
palms and such like verdure that Ind
been growing all THESE years,
ION examining the walls of the city
0f old Manila we found that there were
eight draw bridges that connected with
city, These walls, IN some places.
were fifty foet high and an hundred
.utla aud aF4Ha cpturnnnlnI In