The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1903-08-28
A PHILIPPINE PARADISE.
SPOT Where the Climate Is ms Eauable
az Hawaii ana as RracinE n.
the Adirondacks.

ulnm stations at high attitudes in
tropical lands are important for 49,
health and comfort of white immi-
grants from the temperate zones. If
lney may have a breathing spell during
the most heated period at an altitude
where the air is bracing, the tempera-
lure moderate, the water pure n cold
ana the scenery beautiful and inspiring.
tney may acquire a fresh stock of health
ana vlgor to carry them comfortably
through their daily routine, SAYS the
New York Sun.
oucn a spot was found in the Philip
pines in August, 1900, when our meteor
illogical station was established in Ben
guet, IN northern Luzon, $50 miles north
OF Manila and 20 miles from the China
sea.
During the first year the mean tenn
perature in April, May and June, the
hottest months in the Philippines, was
$50 degrees Fahrenheit, and the mean
temperature from November to Febru-
airy, inclusive, the most temperate
months, was G4.9 degrees. The amount
OF rain, cloudiness and humidity and the
nature OF the soil made it certain that
the fruits of temperate climates would
thrive in this favored region.
When the Philippine weather bureau
was organized in May, 1901, it began to
give special attention to the climatology
OF various regions in the archipelago
that might be chosen as health resorts.
Benguet was the subject of the first
exhaustive study and report. Father
Algue, director of the bureau, wrote a
pamphlet of II pages on the climatology
OF Benguet. which was published last
year as the first number of the series on
health resorts. 1t is not surprising in
view of the facts he presented that we
are now hearing of Benguet as the com
ing summer capital and perhaps the per-
manent capital of the archipelago.
Eenguet is a small province of Luzon,
a considerable part of which lies over
1900 feet bove the sea. The little pla-
teau among the mountains where the
government buildings are to be erected
stands at an elevation of4,777 feet above
sea level. Gov. Taft has just returned
to Manila in splendid health after two
months IN this plateau. His cable dis
patchto the secretary of war announcing
his arrival at Benguet on April Is last
contained the following:
Great province. This is only $50 miles
from Manila, with air as bracing as
Adirondacks or Murray Bay. Only pines
and grass lands. Temperature this hot
test month in the Philippines in my cot
tage porch at three in the afternoon, GO
degrees Fahrenheit. Fires are neces-
sary night and morning"
Father Algue, comparing the climat-
illogical data Of Benguet with those of
all the hill stations of India and Ceylon
situated above 5000 feet, finds that the
climate. of the Philippine station ap-
pears to be milder and more favorable
for a health resort than that of any other
station. The Benguet highlands, with
their forests of pine and cedar, their
rich, red soil where all the garden, field
and fruit crops of California thrive, and
their grass lands where thousands of our
cattle will some day Craze, are evident
ly destined to play a most useful part
in the development OF the Philippines.