Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1916-09-07
Manila, p. l., July q, 1916.

Perhaps some of you who read
lines have been 5000 miles from
your native land, and at regular in
tervals received the hometown news
thru your hometown paper. Those
of you who have experienced this far
away feeling and longing to see
home-folks can realize how i feel
over here in the Philippines; not
myself alone, but hundreds of other
American soldiers on duty in the Is
lands.
II is with greatest pleasure and
anticipation that I await my next
letters and copies OF the Mexico Mis-
souri, Message from home.
live on Corregldor Isle, about SO
miles from Manila. at the entrance
to, and commanding, Manila Bay.
This is one of the best places to be
stationed in the Isles. A breeze is
blowing constantly. which makes life
much more bearable, while those on
the mainland do not get this nice
breeze. Corregidor Island, or as we
commonly call it, 1.-THE Rock" is a
very large rock, in reality, of vol
canic origin. The Rock is about four
miles long by a varying width of
from one hundred yards at the mar
rowest parts to half mile at the wild
est part.
The Rock, which is a second Glib
ralter, sticks out of the China Sea to
height OF nearly 500 feet. This
Rock is regular city. you might
say. We have all our bakeries, cleo
trio lighting, water and, guess
nearly all the accessories of you
folks living in a civilized country
The Rock is divided into three sec
tions. namely, bottom-side. middle
side, infantry land, and the topside
All are quickly reached by ouI
double-track electric trolley car line
which is operated for the conven
fence OF the men and their families
transportation is free, of course.
On the bottom-side, or mere level
are the mine companies, whose du
ties are to plant mines in the Ba!
and straits. They have very nice
barracks surrounded by very larg'
trees. Parts of the old Spanish for
tifcations may be seen near this Sc
of quarters.
Going up you soon reach the mid
dle-side, or infantry level Here liv
the thirteenth regiment of in
fantry, company of engineers, an,
apart from these live the Philippia
Scouts.
Just a word now about the Scouts
They are natives from the VariOu
tribes who have enlisted to help I'm
Gle Sam keep the Moros down an
also to guard the convicts, sons
2,O0O, working on the Rock iron
Bilbid Prison, in Manila. They ar
first-class soldiers, very neat an
clean, and believe there are n
better drilled men in the world
The scouts live in bamboo quar-
ters, which are very cool in the sum
mer. The 18th infantry live in
very fine set of continuous quarter
of concrete. They have every mod
ern convenience and are very com
Portable. This part of the Isle is Jus
about half way to the top. The ca
runs about every half hour. Her
comes one now, so we will start 70
the top-side.
About half way up on our left W
see the post hospital, a very fin
building also OF concrete. This is
very large building surrounded b
pretty green lawns. gravel walks an
some sort of native hedge, whic
makes the place very pretty. Far
Their up and on our right we see tn
wireless station. From here we &c
daily radiOgrams from all parts o
the world. Next we reach the top
side station. On the tOp-side live 1
companies of coast artillerymen Il
the largest and best set of quarter
in the world. Each of these cOmpa
MES has one hundred fifty men, s.
you may readily see and UNDERSTAND
about how large this set of quarter
must be. From the top-side you ar
treated to one of the views of tn
w0rId and aunaafR-moaf haautiful