The Republican journal., 1909-01-28
Province Life in the Philippines
A Series of Letters by Our Correspondent
Vesta Davis Higgins.

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To THE EDITOR OF THE JOURNAL: My
last letter was wholly descriptive of
Manila-the capital and largest city of
the Philippine Islands, city of 223, 900
inhabitants. Perhaps the readers of
The Journal might be interested. in learn
ing something of life among the more
primitive people of the provinces, and
also how the American soldier spends the
two years OF exile from the ''home land''
imposed by "Uncle Sam" Every u.
S. Regular is destined to spend this tour
of what is termed foreign service, either
in the Philippines or Alaska, every four
years; whatever length of service in
those places being computed as double
time, with an additional increase in pay
of 20 per cent, which inducement causes
many to transfer to new regiments COM
ing over and thus put in a second tour,
materially lessening the intervening
period before retirement This fact,
especially to old soldiers, seems partic-
ularly desirable.
Life at Camp Wilhelm is much the
same as at the majority of camps in the
provinces. There are some small ones
Of but one company, and in very isolated
spots: others such as Fort Mckinley in
the outskirts of Manila garrison, many
hundreds of troops, and are like small
city unto themselves. This is Acorn
pany post. occupying about l40 acres of
perfectly level country, surrounded by
cocoanut and banana groves, native
oarrios, beautiful mountains looming up
IN the near vicinity, and deep river
flows on either side of the camp, uniting
Just below the adjoining town of Lucena
and emptying into the ocean, which is
about four miles from here. A trip
from the government dock there to
Manila occupies less than two days.
The camp is composed of four sets of
barracks: twelve of officers and post
staff quarters, hospital, and hospital
corps quarters, post office, telegraph
and telephone office, headquarters build
ing, library, dance hall, bake shop laun-
dry, guardhouse, stables and corralls,
teamsters quarters and mess, black
smith shop, plumbing, paint and repair
shop; and during the summer a building
l0X1O9 feet has been completed and fitted
~ as a bowling alley, gymnasium, bill
lard room, and post exchange. A large
tennis court with cement foundation has
also been laid out and the target range
occupies many acres.
As for the houses, they are very plain
and simple affairs, bungalow style, and
especially adapted to the warm climate.
Three large, high, airy rooms in a row,
with wide verandas across front and
back, The kitchen and bath being separ-
ated by width of back porch, though
under one roof with the main rooms. A
good water system gives us the conven-
lence OF hot and cold water. All houses
IN this country are set on posts from
four to six feet from the ground, the
posts being set in cement foundations,
thus allowing for free passage of air,
and as there is no glass in the windows
out heavy shutters to close in case of
storm-thes houses are always COM
fOrtably cool: doors and windows being
seldom closed day or night. The sides
of the better class of native houses are
composed almost entirely of sliding pan
els of lattice work forming tiny panes
filed with thin, fiat shell, which takes
the place of glass in this curious country;
lp 10 a5mit Of the cool evening breezes.
Then there is a fine modern ice plant
and cold storage building; the commissary
Office and storehouse. where nearly every
thieg one needs in the grocery line-cer-
5ai~'g everything that is ever put in a
cans kept
Fresh meat is delivered each morning;
also 3 pounds of ice to families, much
larger amount Of course going into the
company ice-boXes. Turkeys, barrels of
seranberries, apples and many such things
come in cold storage from the States
and Australia, as well as the ration of
potatoes and onions. Other fruits and
vegetables grow here.
Speaking of canned goods, few people
in the States realize what a large variety
Of foods are put up in this way, espe-
G:ialy for use in Uncle Sans far-away
possessions articles one never dreams
of finding in cans at home-fruit cake,
plum pudding, butter, cheese, breakfast
bacon, and many other odd things.
l.owney furnishes most of the confec-
tionery for the commissaries in the trop-
les and Alaska. Each piece is wrapped
in oiled paper and tin foil and enclosed in
screw top cans.
Then there is the quartermaster de-
partment which furnishes troops and
families with bedding, dishes, cooking
utensils, and plain furniture, so one
brings but little to these islands from the
States, as any amount of pretty bamboo
and grass furniture is made and sold
here, and few return home without one
OF more of the beautiful pieces made
from the native hard woods by the pupils
II, -oIooI nf VIC a,,1 TraGoc in