Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-10-19
THE ISLAND OF GUAM.
ONE OF AMERICAS NEW POSSESSIONS
Interesting Letter From Prof. Horace E
Cutler Describing This New Oriental
Acquisition.

Transport Logan.
At Sea. Aug. 28, 1904.
My Dear Green:
You remember asking me to write
you q letter SO here goes. took loi
Of notes on Guam while we were there
and this letter will be mainly con.
cerning that island.
On Thursday, Aug. 25th about 4 4:0(
p. N. We sighted Rota. low lying.
somewhat hilly island Of the Ladr rone
group and belonging to Germany.
This was the first land we had seen
since leaving Honolulu, two weeks
previous. so it looked mighty good
and assured Us we should be at Guam
the next morning.
As we nea-ed Peetee, the port fol-
Guam we passed the wreck Of the cable
ship that went on the reef last March.
To our right lay long cliff or sea
wall at the farther end of which is
located the village of Soumaye. famous
only az the landing for the cable. To
the left lay the U. 8. N. Transport
Supply, about two miles off Peetee.
Five miles back of this is Agana the
capital and principal town.
Six years ago the Goth Of last Jnne
the cruiser Charleston entered this
harbor. sent shell whizzing past the
old fort on little rocky island in
the middle OF the bay. As no reply
was received the cruiser sent well
directed shell which demolished the
fort. The Spanish officer in charge Of
the garrison ashore. knowing nothing
Of the war. pnt out to the ship to beg
pardon of the commander for not an
swering what ne supposed had been q
salute saying that if the. Charleston
could spare him little powder he
would 60 back and salute them. Then
the case was explained to him. 1t
isn't thought however that the Sran-
lard ever saw the joke. S
4 Thus Guam. antiquated and peace
ful an. island that had known no other
authority than tnat of Spain since
Magellan's time, came into our posses-
sion.
All but one of this group of about
eight islands belong to Germany.
Guam is the largest having popula-
tion of $4,000 and being about sc
miles long aud 10 miles wide. 1t is
1895 miles from Manila in lat. 13 de-
grees, 45 minutes long, las degrees.
80 minutes E.
It was no doubt originally SUBJ
merged coral reef which subsequent
volcanic upheavals pushed up to it's
present mountainous shape. Clear to
the mountain tops which rise in places
to an elevation Of neary 1000 feet the
rock is OF coral formation.
The island is ruled by a governor
appointed at Was hinRton. He in turn
appoints the judge and makes the laws
from which there is said to be no ap-
peal. That sounds funny for Ameri-
can soil
The land is about equally divided
between the Chinoras. the Western
Comm srcial Company of San Francis
CO and the government
Business is carried OH by Japanese
and Americans, the former doing about
two thirds Of it. There are practical.
lv no Chinese. American capital is not
encoul aged to come.
Earthquakes have no doubt been fire.
Quent since the formation of the is
land. Slight shocks are Of daily oc-
currence. The first one recorded was
. hundred years or more ago when 3
very populous portion Of the island
was submerged and with it thousands
Of people. Since then. the natives
take to the hills whenever there is an
earthquake. The last serious shock
was in August, 1909. when all the
principal buildings were shaken down.
The natives. unlike those of the
Philippines, are peace loving and
honest. Houses are never locked.
They gamble little except at the Sun-
day cockfghts. Men. women and
children smoke. They bathe only
when the dirt becomes burdensome.
Clothes were seldom worn except on
Sunday until the Americans came.
The food consists of sweet potatoes.
rice, bananas, hrh, corn and tarro, a
dish SO common among the Hawaiians.
Although fish are abundant few are
eaten for the native never uses q hook.
His only way of fishing is to wade out
ON the reefs and spear.
The houses are of bamboo, thatched
Nth coooanut leaves. A few of the
better buildings such as churches. and
homes of the richer class are of mason.
~. The government andthe American
missionaries who used to be there put
up some very good frame buildings.