The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-12
PHILIPPINE METROPOLIS.
Facts About Manila and It's Inhabit-
ants.

Manila Justicia.
Manila has a population of some 500, 900
people. divided as follows: Natives, 225.OO0;
h,nrs 10 COO a n is @nsint
toned city, built upon the northeastern
shore of the bay. which is nearly round
and about twenty-four miles across. The
houses are principally built OF manufac-
tured stone. and are one. two and three
story structures. The walls are from two
to four feet thick and built TO withstand
the earthquakes, and do-that is, the less
severe ones. The streets tolerably
straight and from thirty to sixty feet wide,
with the majority of them about thirty
five feet.
The city is lighted very poorly with cleo
tric lights. There is a street-car line, the
cars being drawn by small ponies. The
telephone system is poor. Manila has a very
good waterworks system, presented to the
municipality by a Filipino who has de-
parted this life, the condition of the gift
being that the poor people should always
have water free, and public hydrants are
accordingly well distributed about the city.
The Pasig river courses through the city
from the northeast to the southwest. Be-
low the first bridge. above the mouth of
the river, at the famous bridge of SPAIN,
the river is wide and deep, and Is constant
ly crowded with commercial boats of all
descriptions. 1t is sight worth a long
Journey TO see.
The churches and cathedrals are a
marked feature of Manila. Their grandeur
and in many instances elegance is a won
bells. the beautiful BELLS the devotion
of the people their music foretells. Those
who do not like them think they are some
thing awful. On feast days, and there
are many, business in the immediate vicin-
ity of church has at times TO be sus-
pended during their ringing. and that is
many times during the day, and it is not
unusual for them TO be heard at midnight
and they always mingle with the voices of
a myriad of cocks Growing all over the
city at and O. clock in the morning
The people go TO bed early and rise early.
the sweeping of the streets or the running
of the hydrant after the cock Growing and
the ringing of the bells has ceased Fires
are lighted by the poorer class at an early
hour, by many before Ii is fairly light, and
the women prepare breakfast, so the men
can go about the iive-long day in many in
stances doing nothing. and an easy time
they have. The women, too. for that mat
ter. 1t is safe TO say that there are no
poor people earth who are more content
and suffer less for the necessities of life
than the Filipino people. Ii is not because
Ignorance is bliss" either. They simply
obtain without much eXertion the comforts
of life
The Chinese are the bone and sinew of
Manila and the only people here who take
kindly to manual labor. The Americans
here no fonder of hard work than the
Filipino. The walled city contains prob
ably twO-fifths OF the population of Manila
and but a small portion of the wholesale
and retail business. The courts the gov
eminent buildings, both civil and military.
and the principal schools are in the walled
city" To our liking the climate is perfect
Never hot like il is I'm the United States.
During the rainy season there is a clean
illness and freshness that is always in
MIGRATING. and the dry season is a change.
but not so healthy.