Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-10-24

J AS COdSlilu6, dUOuI Az HIISS, mas
number of fine bays and harbors In
! the San Bernardino strait, the south
! ern route around the Island of LuZon
| TO Manila, are three lighthouses for
the convenience of commerce. There
ar few roads in the island, owing to
the convenience Of intercourse with
the interior by means of rivers and
along the coasts under protection of
of-lying islands.
In population, Samar has 1886
registered inhabitants and about TO-
600 native refugees living in the
mountains away from local authority.
The inhabitants are wholly of Visayan
stock, there being no material infusion
of other blood. Although in numbers
not so large as on the neighboring
islands, these people have always
held themselves we'll in hand as
against the Entertainments of Spain.
Of the two dominant races in the
Philippine Islands the Visayans num-
Der almost two to one. They occupy
the islands which bear their name and
have shown themselves a higher type
than their rival, the Tagalog, being
a colonizing race, less given to politics
and more to industry. They also
show strongly the characteristics of
their Malay origin From the earliest
occupation of these islands they have
kept themselves in touch with their
progenitors of the Isles of Oceanica
by means of expeditions in pursuit of
plumber or peaceful traffic.
There are 80 towns and upwards of
800 villages. The country inland is
extremely rugged and traversed by
numerous streams, the Catiao and
Hiptolos rivers entering the Pacific
Ocean on the east and the Taguiti and
Lauaan on the west. Within a radius
of - miles are the towns of Salceda
and Quinapundan, besides number
OF villages mainly on the coast. With
in the same limits are no less than %
mapped mountain submits, Of which
10 are craters of extinct VOLCANOES, and
besides the rivers named are the
headwaters of the Lanang, Tonquip
and Naubay, which empty into the
Pacific Ocean ON the opposite side of
the island toward the northwest.
Off the shores of Samar lie upwards
of 200 islands, those of geographical
Importance being Batac, the most
northern, 20 miles in area; Biri, IA
square miles; Buad, Fl square miles;
Cabuan Grande, 10 square miles;
Capul, the mountains of which abound
in copper, II square miles; Dalupiri,
in which wild hogs, game and croco-
diles are abundant, Is square miles;
Daram, with it's valuable fisheries, 80
square miles; Laguam, with its i'm
portant coast trade, IA square miles;
Limbacanayan, 10 square miles; Nal
hon, 26 square miles, lying in mid
channel from the Pacific to the inland
sea of the archipelago.
In agriculture Samar ranks among
the most promising of the islands.
The hemp product for shipment
amounts annually to 21,0000,000
pounds There is also a large output
of sugar, rice, cocoanut for oil, coffee,
chocolate, Tobacco, wheat, corn and
products of less Importance. The
pastoral industry is also large, horses,
cattle, carabao, goats and hogs being
raised in large numbers.
The most remarkable growth of this
island and one which scientific inquiry
may prove of benefit to the human
family is the seed called 'Isigud," or
the fruit of San Igancio, known to
commerce as "Catbalogan seed" on
account of the large quantities grown
in the vicinity of that town. 1t is
in large demand among the Chinese,
who use it as an efficacious remedy
for cholera. 1t is claimed that no one
ever died from that cause who used
this remedy. In addition there are
many other plants possessing we'll
known medical qualities which grow
on the island.
Owing to the hostility of the natives
of the interior, little has been done in
the way of scientific inquiry to estab-
lish the mineral possibilities of Samar.
Coal, cinnabar and gold are reported
to exist in quantities of commercial
value Copper is also found, particu-
Harry on Capul Island in an almost
pure state.
The forests abound in woods useful
! for cabinet work and shipbuilding.
| The mechanical industries are devoted
almost wholly to the supply of home
consumption. Many are engaged in
| the manufacture of sugar from the
cane and the extraction of oil from the
| cocOanut which are the chief products
! for export.
! After the preliminary movement
which led to the establishment of jur-
isdiction over the archipelago and the
occupation of strategic points the isl
and of Samar became part of the
Fourth district of the military depart
ment of Southern Luzon. The pres
ence Of troops from the very beginning
met with more or less resistance. In
April, 1900, on the day of Brig Gen.
| R. P Hughes assuming command of
! the department of the Visayas, Of
which Samar was a part, a detach-
ment of Company H, 43d Infan-
try, was attacked at Catubig, on the
| river Of that name, 8 miles above its
mouth, on the north coast, and after
desperate resistance of four days suf-
fered loss of 10 killed ard wound