The National tribune., 1902-07-17

such place for the men, and they spent
their time and mOney-nOt all Of them, of
course-in the saloons down town.
Manila saloons were then in trans
| ton stage. The largest place of the kind
was the Alhambra, facing on the Escolta
and having an open rear overlooking the
Pasig River. This was crowded with SOL
diers every night until time to return to
barracks at tattoo.
At first the order for "cervesta ielo"
was literally filled by opening bottle of
beer and pouring it into a glass in which
were few small chunks of ice, with the
| result that by the time the beer became
cold it had also become fiat and unfit to
drink. This beer cost 40 cents Mexican a
pint bottle, or so cents quart bottle, and
was cheap, dark, heavy brew OF local
brewery, known as the San Miguel 1t
was common. joke in. the Oregon reg-
ment the next Summer, when the famous
Lawton's Scouts, body of only % men,
| rushed Gen. Pillar. with over 1000 men,
out of the town of San Miguel before the
supporting battalion could come up, that
they did it under the impression that this
was the place where the brewery was
located.
Not content with this stuff, the men
also drank whisky, and worse than all.
they drank anisado, commonly called
'vino," or ''bino." This is a native drink
made of alcohol manufactured from sugar
not become intoxicated upon it, for they
only took about spoonful at a time, and
not at frequent intervals, but the Ameri-
cans, with their usual liberality, ignored
| the native custom and drank a good whis-
ky glass full at time, and followed one
drink with another too closely. The re
suit was a bowling, fighting drunk in short
order, followed by 'tremens" in many
cases.
More than once the Surgeon or Hospital
Steward was called up at night to admin
| lister a quieting draft to some raving man
in the guardhOuse who was fighting snakes
or imps.
One night the barracks were nearly set
on fire by one of these "bino" drunks, who
had taken off all his clothing, piled it in
| the middle of the floor, set fire to it and
| was engaged in pitching into the flames
| the little devils that We're bothering him.
One night one Of my own men was brought
| home by his comrades, having been found
by them raving near quarters and severe
ly scalded with hot water. / learned that
! while raving with this 'bino" he had gone
| up into a house and had been driven out
by the woman there whom he had at
| tackled, her weapon of defense being a
dipper Of hot water.
There were over 400 places in Manila
where this 'bino" was kept, every little
Filipino joint where cigars, fruit ETC., were
sold also having bottle or two of this
poison. Soon orders were issued from the
t-Marshal-General's Office forbid
| ding the sale of this concoction to soldiers,
and this being ineffective. other orders
were issued forbidding it even to be kept
| in stock and providing for the forfeiture
| OF the license Of every place where "bino"
was found in stock. Street patrols were
| instructed to keep sharp lookout for vio-
| lations Of this order, and the Officer of the
Day and officer of the Guard made many
visits of inspection to places suspected of
| disobeying the order
For a time 'bino drunks' were as com
mon as before, but at last the reason was
discovered. Anisado naturally is white
like alcohol or gin. BY putting a little
| burnt sugar in it and keeping it in
| Scotch whisky bottle, the inspector was
deceived, and it was ready for serving to
the knowing customer who was safe to
deal with. In the same way a little red
coloring matter made wine of it. Several
JOINT Keepers lost their licenses when this
trick was discovered, but l have no doubt
It was practiced continually and is to this
day.
There were also unlicensed places where
the initiated could procure this drink, and
probably still can do So as see from the
reports that "binO" drinking is still spoken
OF as one of the great evils of the army in
Manila.
With beer at 40 cents a pint. and
| good stiff drink of anisado to be had for
hye cents, the encouragement to drink the
poison was very great to men who wanted
| to drink, and had but little money with
which TO purchase it. For 10 or 20 cents
man could get hilarious, even fighting
drunk, and this was often ali the drinkers
had to spend. Pay day came once In two
months, at which time each private re,
ceired $3l 20. With beer at so cents a
| quart bottle, this would last but few
days in conyivial drinking at the Alham-
bra. The remainder of the time the drink
ers had to make the most of the little
money they had or could scrape together.