Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-02-04

States, but we are going on the same
suppoSition as the rest of the white
people in this country, the less furni-
ture the cooler it is. We are now quite
cozily fixed, having good surroundings.
etc, and 1 extend to you all most
hearty welcome to pay us visit
Qength of time unlimited) before we
leave the islands l assure you, we
will be able to show you some things
that will interest you.
Owing to the fact that my predeces-
sor left the week after arrived j have
been very busy at the office getting
the work down to some kind of sys-
tenn; at least better one than 1t was
on when I arrived Besides this have
been getting settled, AS this all takes
time l have not seen much Of the city,
and, therefore, cannot tell you much
about it, but by the time hear from
you and am able to write again will
no doubt be able to tell you some
things Of interest. l at least will try.
Earthquake Shock
It seems that we are doomed to be
initiated into all the queer ways and
customs of this country at the outset;
perhaps to make us better citizens. On
the 18th of this month mother and
witnessed our first earthquake shock.
| 1t started about $50 p. m. with lit
| tie tremor in the house. which became
worse and worse every second until
the house was actually shaking back
and forth. 1t was shaking SO violently
that the electric light was swinging
back and forth in radius Of at least
six inches. The shock lasted fully
minute and had it been in the States
the very houses would have been
shaken off their foundations but here
the houses are built for just such
shocks, although it is said it was the
worst one they have had in this city
since the early eighties. 1t was so
violent that one Of the sliding shutters
was shaken from it's grooves Of one inch
and came to the floor with noice like
! the report Of a cannon. We, like the
rest of our neighbors rushed out doors
| into the street, but we learned after
wards that it is really safer to stay in
the houses during these shocks. When
we got on to the street we were so
dizzy we could hardly stand; in fact,
remained in that condition for several
minutes after the shaking had 6iscon-
tinued. When we got on the street we
could actually see the houses shaking
back and forth on their foundations,
and the street lamps swinging back
and forth the same as those in the
houses, still there was not a breath
of air stirrin~ We had two other
shocks before morning, but neither of
these were as severe as the first.
The following night we were visited
by typhoon and saw some more rain
tically all the time that week. The
; morning after the typhoon I went to
the Office and learned there were seven
feet of water in the streets in the out
laying districts. You can imagine how
hard it must have rained that night.
I Women Smoke Cigars.
If you do not like the mosquitoes
5 would advise you to stay awav from
:. the islands. These little pests are the
| ipc yyyh hoH tp
, up with over here. They are as big
as horses, more or less and bite like
5 sixty; in fact, it is said they often are
the means Of white people getting ty-
I phoid fever over here, carrying the
Y disease in their bite. They do not
seem to bother the natives. 1t is either
t because their skin Is too tough to PEN
r citrate with their bills, or they do not
e like the flavor. All the natives, wo-
men and all. are always smoking and
). that might have something to do with
it. 1t is a queer sight to see the wo7I
J, men going down the streets in their
Q native dresses and smoking a cigar as
n long as they are, more or less. 1t is
e true however, they make the longest
o CIGARS for their own use I ever saw.
They are at least ten inches long,
some of them.
e For a man that likes to smoke, this
: is an ideal place. You[ can get the
: best cigars here for three cents
n apiece, the same as you would have to
6 pay ten cents straight for in the
: States, but a person going back to the
v states Is only allowed to take fifty
h back with him, without duty; in fact
r nobody but employees Of the govern
t ment are allowed that amount. An Of
!. ficer of the army or an employe Of the
: War Department are allowed 500 Of
& dutiable goods upon returning to the
d States.
: Daily seista.
II When the people come to the States
8 and complain about the unhealthy
# climate over here they do not know
& what they are talking about. AS long
:, AS person takes care of himself there
= it no more danger than in the States
te Of course, a person cannot abuse him
N or herself any more than in the States
" anc there are certain rules to follow
.. over here that every section might
Re- have. For instance the tropical suns
n rays are somewhat injurious to q
white man, as the rays seem to pene-
at trate his skin more readily than the
IN colored man. If man will stay out
nv of the hot sun when it is at it's worst
A. he is all right. He can stay in the
ht shade or in the house and be as COM
J., Portable as can be; much more so than
Ia i'll the States during the hot season
90 No matter how hot the sun is, there
es IS always breeze stirring, and there
~ is not a night that you don't have t.
AZ rave some kind of light covering be.
of fore morning. While the sun is no
"a so very hot even at its height ye
=. the rays are so bright they seem t.
Ia enter a white mans pores and In tins
10 they will overcome him. You never
~ however, hear Of prostration from
sc heat A white man cannot be as en-
" ergetic as in the States, especial.
~ during the cooler months. Anothe
= thing a person over here, especially i:
~ woman, should take a siesta every at
~ ~ ternoon, even though it is only for f1f
~ teen minutes. You would be surprised
~ to find what rest you can get owe
Nc here in that length of time. Although
M 1 have not had the time to take
70 daily siesta here as yet, I intend dom;
CO so as soon as possible.
% There is really about fourteen hour
difference in time between here an
Ottumwa after taking into considera
It tione the day we lost when crossin
Use the meridian. For example when it
4 80 hora &c h