El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-02-17

road was poorly built and poorly man
aged, being owned by the English. That
road has been reconstructed and 50 eX-
tended that It opens up the northern
part Of LuZOn. 1t has q good traffic and
IS said TO pay we'll
1t is now sending out branches into
southern LuzOn, into Batangas, Iay-
apas, and other provinces The Visayan
islands are being opened up by the
Philippine Railway company, several
roads being under construction in Cebu
and Panay. Roads have also been
planned for the Island OF NegrOs.
Improving the Ports.
A great deal Of work Is going on in
lettering the water transportation OF
the Philippines, and the shipping has
greatly increased. There are now more
than 154 steamers engaged in the coast
Ing trade. and there are four or five
hundred sailing vessels and boats
which ply from island to island. Modern
methods Of handling freight have been
introduced and seagOing vessels can
load and unload with safety at moder-
ate expense. The harbors have been
deepeneds and ships drawing thirty feet
can now come into Manila new Gus
tom house has been built there and a
great deal has been spent on the
harbor.
Lighthouses have been erected along
most or the coasts throughout the Is
lands When we took possession there
were only q lights in operation. There
are now 1Ss and in addition So beacons
and l26 buoys. The waterways OF the
interior have also been dredged, and
many Of the rivers and creeks which
were unused In the past are now navt-
gated and carry considerable freight.
Postal Savings Banks.
AS 70 the postal and telegraph SER
organized All the chief cities have a
LIee delivery, and there are now IN
I opera ton in the neighbOrhood of 500
gSs9ss toIIiees connected with which are
20 postal savings banks. These banks
were established before we began to
nave them in the United States and
tnelr deposits are fast approaching a
mllllon. They have now 1900 separate
ors IS Increasing. During the past
year ~ new banks were established
IelegraPhs and Telephones.
as TO the telegraph. its lines are
stations with 5000 miles OF wire. and
me rates are lower than those OF the
United States. The foreign cable
service has been increased, and one
can now send messages over different
/ lines to all parts OF the world. There
lands
All Of these public works are sup
ported by the people themselves. and
not by the United States. As far as I
can learn. outside the army, the Is
lands are practically paying their own
expenses, which Germany, England or
colonies, would say is mighty good
work
How Business BOoms.
Much of the information regarding
the present business situation comes
from Mr.. c. 3. Elliot. the secretary Of
commerce He is also a member Of the
Philippine commission at Manila He
says that business jumped since the
markets OF the United States We're
thrown open to the island products.
Ihat was about two years ago. at
which time our imports from there
amounted to only a little more than
seven millions and our exports TO
ABOUT eight millions. Last year the i'm
ports amounted to thirteen million dol
millions.
Inc tmportations show how the
people are growing In wealth. Since
1s0l they have increased their pur-
cnsses Of flour 800 percent, Of pro
liSlohs 800 percent. and OF leather and
olls more than 200 percent During the
PAST year the gross sales of goods by
We merchants were So percent greater
tnan those OF two years ago, and the
oank deposits have increased 80 per
cent.
In the first wear OF our occupation
the foreign trade Of the Philippines
was only a little more than twenty
seven million dollars BY 1909 II had
grown to more than fifty-eight mill