, 1907-03-21
STORM ON
THE ISLAND
LIEUTENANT MERE WRITES OF
WEATHER CONDITIONS AT
sAURAUEN IN JANUARY.
Seventy Houses Blown Down In That
Town and Many Natives Drowned
at Various Piaces-Brush With
P%ulajanes, Lieutenant Hemmett
BEING Wounded In Leg.

Following are extracts from a letter
written by Lieutenant julius Merz OF
the Philippines constabulary to his
father, Prof. Henry Merz Of this city,
dated at B%aurauen, January %. The
letter is quite interesting both from a
military and local stand point:
Storm on the Island.
Things have been on a jump here
since 1 wrote last. We had a fearful
cyclone not long ago, in which seventy
houses we're blown down and a great
deal Of property destroyed. l was IN
Tanauen at the time, where l had gone
to act as escort. 1 had to stay five
days on account of the storm. All the
/ bridges were washed away and I had
to cross on a ferry boat. At Tacloban
two persons were killed hi at Jaro
about eighty were drowned. In the
mountains west of here much damage
was done to crops, blowing down a
great deal of hemp and bananas.
Lieutenant Hemmett Wounded.
A short time ago we received notice
that the PulaJanes were in a certain
camp, and Lieutenant Hemmett took
part of his men and they, in company
with the military, attacked the strong
hold. During the fight he was shot in
the left leg with a Remington ball,
which, luckily, left only a flesh wound.
One of his men was shot in the hand,
and, the bullet being poisoned, gan.
creme set in and the arm had to be am
putated at the shoulder. Three "vol.
untarios' lost their lives. Many Of the
Pulajanes were wounded, a number
Of them dying afterwards. Some val
liable criminals we're captured and
some Pulajane stamps.
His Turn to Go Next.
We think that we have Esperidion
Rota located again, and If we have a
other expedition it will be my turn to
20 out. The military are still stationed
here and they will be for some time
to come. The situation here is i'm.
proving, as almost daily the Pulajanes
are coming in one by one. They are,
however, not bringing their guns.
There are still about thirty guns In
their hands and until all are In we
may expect trouble for some time to
come. The guns are Of various kinds,
such as Springfelds, Krags, Lantacas
and Remingtons. We nev think OF
going outside Of town without a con
siderable escort, and we always carry
a revolver day and night.
Drawing Arms and Clothing.
Two weeks ago I was In Tacloban
drawing some new clothing and guns
for my men. Yesterday was a very
busy day for me, inasmuch as I had to
make out monthly reports and render
all my subsistence returns. There Is
something to do all the time and 1t is
very seldom that I have a spare mo
ment. We are expecting a visit today
from Colonel Rivers, the new director
of the district and of course we have
tried hard to have things in apple pie
order. Colonel Taylor, the former
district director, one Of the finest men
II ever met, goes to the fifth district.
Former Varsity Student.
Do you remember a young fellow
BY the name of Roach, who attended
the university when Lieutenant Bull.
lock had charge of the cadets? He is
now first lieutenant in the army, and
entertained ME in fine style the other
night when I came through Dagami.
coburn on the Island.
Lieutenant Harold Coburn is now in
La Paz, only a little ways from here
Both he and Mrs. Coburn, who Is at
Camp BOSNIAN, are getting along nice
ly. Lieutenant Coburn came up the
other day and we had a long talk about
people and things of Laramie.
1t is warm here and now seldom