Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-05-20
THE PHILIPPINES.


the Philippines and as several have
asked for more minute information
we republish portion OF letter writ
ten by Mr.. Lazarus a few days after
his arrival to his sister in New York.
of my journey across the Pacific"
writes Ed, lit was delightful We
were relieved at our post in the Phil
ippines at Narvacan on Feb. 20 by Co.
ID of the 20th- infantry. and marched
to the coast. amid the lovely scenery,
the beaptiful tropical country. the de-
1icious breezes of the China sea watt
ed in our faces. and the odor of the
wild tropical flowers. 1t was lovely
when left and nature at its pretti-
est. At the landing we took small
boats to the transport Logan and
there is where l saw the first Amer
lean woman for nearly two years. the
wife Of our colonel. and thought her
the. prettiest picture had ever seen,
although she was but ordinary look
ing. The big transport looked like
the United States. with its immense
electric lights. ice plant and sur
rounding scenes. We steamed along
the coast to Manila. distance of 295
miles, and l recognized scenes and
country along the coast through which
"hiked" and 1 left many dear and
also bitter recollections behind. The
following evening we landed at Ma
nila in the bay. landing at the Luneta
and marched out on the famous drive,
between trees like the streets of Salt
Lake City. just outside the walled
city to our camp called Camp Wallace,
behind the third reserve hospital
Manila is one of the prettiest cities
in the world. 1t has population of
100000 and the streets are well macad-
emized. lovely boulevards and quaint
Spanish houses. Through rolling
windows that have small izened glass
panes something like checker board.
the dark eyed and beautiful Spanish
, and Filipino senoritas waved their
rich lace handkerchiefs as we march
ed by with colors flying in the beau
tiful sunlight, mid scenes of fairyland.
as these houses are surrounded by
lovely gardens. with large trees, beau
tiful splashing fountains. and statues.
II regular garden of Eden. surround
ed by antique iron fences with large
entrances and Spanish coat OF arms
over the gateway. Piazza after plaz-
"a we crossed and 1t took us through
scenes of old Madrid and the seven
teenth century. The old walled city
of Manila with its grand palaces and
antique houses of Spain, with thick
walls of brick. mortered and white
washed-very thick walls, four to six
feet, cool in summer and warm in
cool or rainy weather. The cathedrals,
the official palaces of the Spanish.
with their tiled floors and marbied
pillars. now used by American Off
GERS cloisters. the converts OF the
~. Ts paradise sasdsaS of s' joy oy'AS These rse
sts2Hs." beyond description, so
very. verNpretty. 1t took Spain cen
turies and millions of dollars to build
this city. There are many miles and
different entrances through the walls.
which, like n olden times. has draw
bridges which can be taken or drawn
up by chains, the whole of the place
being surrounded by moat that can
be filed or emptied by letting in or
out of water. The Luneta runs out
some twenty miles and is one of the
prettiest drives in the world. Every
evening along the drive and in the
cool of the tropical morning there
are thousands of caramattes driven
along the highway. We have band
concerts on the sea front and 1t re
minds one OF Central Park. New York
only on a grander scale. Manila is
full of rich Chinos. Filipinos. Mesti
EOS. Spanish and Europeans and there
is quite metropolitan air. They are
highly educated. these FilipinOs. who
are, they say. in sympathy with the
Americanos. but are the leaders of
the people, politicians. and supply
money an information to the insurrec-
tion. The capture of Aguinaldo will
materially assist in quelling the out
break. but there are many who will
endeayor to fill his place and continue
the struggle for time perhaps. The
Chinos control the business interests
of the people and are very wealthy,
and live fine. Across the bridge Of
Spain. a big broad bridge crossing
the Passic river, you enter new Mani
IA. or the business section. There
hie bCNeldi &c nun piiu6Co Siooo-
ing the river and one suspension
bridge. The place carries you into the
big retail district which reminds one
of New York for business. only the
houses are two stories and Spanish
built. Here traffic is immense and
the sights and scenes remind you of
the sea coast of the metropolis of the
United States. The only thing they
are not very rapid in their transpor-
tation Of people and things. and have
no large vans or wagons. or street
cars. only the primitive kind. Small
horses and light, small carriages and
wooden wheeled carts, most of the
transportation of articles being car
ried in baskets OF Chino natives who
jog through the streets with a pole
and a basket on each end, full of mer'
chandise, the women carrying the
baskets upon their heads. The car
a3mettis or carrjsones or thousands OF