Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-10-19

at business is upon the arrival of trans
ports. AS soon as the quarantine flag
has been lowered you can see native
boats putting out from shore loaded
with fruits, hats, bags, canes and
shells for all of which exorbitapr
prices are asked. The hats are made
of q coarse reed or cane fibre and are
really very pretty. They would be-
come as popular as panamas could
they be manufactured in large. enough
quantities.
Capra, the dried meat Of the cocoa.
nut. is the chief product and the only
export. Most Of it goes to Japan.
Sugar, corn, tobacco. coffee and rice
are raised but for home consumption
only. The rice is not allowed to ripen
and is used forfodder.
Bananas, alligator pears, pawpaws.
watermelons and sn inferior class OF
oranges and lemons are common.
Wild boar and deer maze good hunt.
ing in the wooded highlands. while
along the coast and on the lowlands.
snipe, plover and duck abound There
are no snakes but this lack is made up
by the lizards which You see every
where. The ignanas which sometimes
reach length Of 8 or feet are pest
and probably are accountable for the
scarcity Of song birds, as they feed on
eggs. young birds and even chickens.
The butterflies and moths are found
in great variety and are extremely
beautiful.
Nearly all the little villages have
their cbspels and schools. The COVER
nor has just established American
schools. The American women of the
island give their services gratis to the
teaching of English in these schools.
It is said shere are over 600 children
already in attendance though the
schools have been going but month.
The states. books and paper have vet
to arrive. Guam was taken for coal
ing station and about 1000 tons of
coal are kept there for our navy in case
of need. But at present it is of much
more importance as cable station.
The cable company is at work putting
up. p.several steel framed concrete build
inRs with slate roofs for their en-
ployes. When completed they will
make the finest cable station in the
Orient. The bui idings are bieng made
large enough to accommodate the
cables that will be landed from Shang-
hal and Nagosaki.
All goods entering Guam from the
United States pay duty.
The money used In ordinary busi-
ness transactions is Mexican.
The manufacture and sale of inroxi-
eating liquors is prohibited but the
same disregard for the law exists here
as did in Iowa. In other words you
can get drink if You are very dry.
The last of the Philippine exiles
left long ago but there is still force
of hundred or 80 marines kept there
in case of need.
Notwithstanding the almost perfect
and unvarying climate of Guam,
mortality has been very high until re-
Gently. More care is being given to
infants and the native population is
increasing fast. No foreigner can
drink any water that has not been dis
titled. Ice is furnished by the govern
ment at 1a cent pound.
As lonesome as the island seems it
has its amusements and gets a daily
bulletin of the worlds happenings.
Every evening at dinner time and two
afternoons each week the marine band
plays in front of the government
buildings at Agana, while "bailies"
are as common as dances in America.
The present outlook for the islands
prosperity is not very hopeful. Some
improvements have been made however
and more are in sight. A fine turnpike
from Peetee along the west coast to
Santa Rosa. a distance Of % miles.is
we'll under way. AS soon as the break
water which the government has under
consideration is built there will be no
better harbor in the world.
All we'll but very busy.
Yours etc.,
H. 4. CUTLER.
Some of the landmarks of historic