Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-01-30
BRAVE OLD MALVAR'
FILIPINO LEADER WHO is cAUS.
ING SUCH TROUBLE.
FIGHTING TO BITTER END
Terrible Vengeance Being Taken on
Natives of Samar-American
Schoolma'ams Having Wholesome
influence in Islands-Are Compara-
lively Same Among insurgents.

Arlaud writes his aunt, Mrs. Matt.
Anderson of Mt. Horeb, a great MANY
interesting things about the city Of
Manila, saying in part:
My military career is fast drawing
to d close and before this letter
reaches you | will be a plain civilian.
In looking back many years over my
complain of. and in a great many
things l am very grateful In fact
am lucky to be alive and we'll at the
present time. Do you remember,
Aunt, my old company? 1t was a Co.,
1st Infantry, and when we left Presi-
do, April 20, 1898, there were just six
ty-one Of us. How many of those six
ty-One do you think there are living
now? Well, there are just fourteen, and
| am one of them. Just think, nearly
three-fourths in three years and few
months. 1t is the steady drain that
counts, for most Of those men have
been killed or died of disease here on
the island of Samar, one or two at a
time. They have been on Samar now
over a year, and have lost a good
many men there. But l am very
lucky for I will be discharged here
now in a few weeks and | am Just az
healthy and strong as I ever was in
the United States and l weigh as much
as l ever did. Of course last summer
when we were in the Batangas PROV
ince I had a good many close calls, but
you know a miss is as good as a mile
away
''Batangas province is the worst
spot in the islands today, and they
have just sent a new general there to
see what he can do. There are sew
eTal regiments operating there and all
ports are blockaded. Old Malvar is
the insurgent general that is holding
out there and he is good one. He
has been fighting the Americans since
the first outbreak of the insurrection,
Feb. 5, 1899, here in Manila, and he is
still at it, and several prominent Amer
lean officers have lost their regulations
and great many soldiers AMI several
officers have been killed in trying 10
defeat or capture him. When you
read, Aunt, of Malvar surrendering, Or
being killed or captured, you may
truthfully say, The war is over in the
Philippines Till then, however, there
will always be trouble.
-Four of our infantry regiments are
slated to go home as fast as trans
ports are available, for they have been
here three years, and that is consid-
cred long enough tour of duty in the
tropics. They are not the same men
though, that left the United States
three years ago, for those regiments
like all others here have had their de-
pleted ranks filled up a couple of times
by receiving fresh men from America
Those regiments to go now are the
4th, 18th. Goth and 22d.
'One of them. the 4th, is one that I
had the honor Of serving under it's
banners a few years ago, and you re-
member it was getting ready to leave
Fort Sheridan when [ was visiting you
three years ago 1t is the first to go,
and it will return on the Grant, which
is expected here the 18th. There are
five new regiments coming out to take
their places, and they are composed of
young men, and are all enthusiastic
and will want to look for fighting and
glory at once. After they are here
during a hot season and have been
down with the fever, and have been
touched up by the prickly heat, and a
few viler things, they will not be near
ly so ambitious.
'You have heard and read a good
deal of Samar, and the trouble there,
but let me tell you that Samar will be
3 very good island in the future It
has been treated to a fire-and-sword
policy, and q war of determination
that the natives will never forget.
There are lots of troops at work there,
and they are going over that island
like a sCouFge and killing everything
in sight, and burning towns and vii
lagos as they come to them. 1t was
an unlucky day for the insurgents
when they massacred G. Co., 9th infan-
L y
it is hard to say the number of Fill
pinos that have been killed. The
Americans there take no prisoners.
and of course you understand what
that means. Samar is a very fertile
island, and it is one of the great hemp
producing provinces. After we get it
cleared off and new class of people
we will have splendid results from
there
/ am enjoying life here in Manila
and expect to get along very nicely
after leaving the service and taking
up some civil pursuit. Of course Ma
Mia is not to be compared to an Amer |
lean city, and it is as much different |
from an American city as day is from |
night. The best city in the United |
States to enjoy life in is San Francis
co, and have heard good many men |
that knew say it is the best in the |
world.
Il must tell you little about Ma
Mia, the way it is at present, and how |
it used to be, for it is changing fast |
and every change is for the better. 1t |
is fast filing up with Americans and |
there are wonderful improvements 60
ing on all the time. Business is fast |
increasing and this is certain to be-
come the great commercial city of the
east.
There are two classes Of American
society here. They are the military
and the 'civiF government people
Nearly everyone here amongst the
4 me- ic 1