Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-16
MANILA BECOMES
CITY OF HUSTLERS
Special Geographic Bulletin
Tells What Congressman
Will See in Orient.

In connection with the congression-
al inspection tour to Hawaii, the Phil
ippines and the orient, the National
Geographic Society has issued series
of bulletins concerning the points to
be visited. of which the following.
dealing with Manila, is the first:
AS the transport wends inward from
the China sea the visitors will pass
the Island of Corregidor, beyond
which stretches Manila bay. whose
120-mile circumference could sur
round the navies of the world. It's
rival will not be found in the far east.
On the right of it's entrance stands
Cavite. where Dewey sank the Span
isi fleet.
From the bay the city of Manila
seems to lie almost at water level.
ground. Before the United States
came to the islands Manila was a
sleepy town, sprawled lazily beyond
the bay and the wharves of the river
Pasig, which bisects it. Its streets
were quiet and almost deserted at
times. it's suburbs shady and pretty,
and a general air of "manana" per-
vaded it's atmosphere.
Manila New City.
Today its estimated population
equals that of Jersey City, Indianapo-
lis or Kansas City, Mo-; the river is
alive with launches and vessels of
every description. including the
ulation of fifteen thousand; and
through it's port it sends yearly to
other countries nearly a hundred mil
lion dollars worth of hemp. sugar.
copra. tobacco and other commodities.
The natives are alert and have
manner. Many have adopted the
American fashion of dress. but some
of the native men of the lower class
still wear the white cotton trousers
and transparent shirt that hangs on
the outside. The women adhere to
the wide-sleeved, narrow shirted ma
tive costume in bright colors. The
vaulting price of shoes has in nowise
ruff1ed poorer classes in Manila. They
have solved the problem simply: they
don't wear any. And the children!
The Creator and the sun have given
them a lovely brown tint.
There is much of interest to be
seen in this town that is vying with
Hongkong for the commercial SUI
premacy of the east. The traveller
OF the river in the walled city, or
Intramuros. one of the finest ex-
amples of a fortified city of the sew
/ enteenth century. with it's narrow and
Spanish-looking streets, the houses
with barred windows. the quaint cor
| ners, and the vistas through open
courtyards. There are to be found
| nipa bungalows of the natives, the
quaint old residential palace of the
governor. now used for an office
t PusIdinE and the happy hap idle people
churches include the imposing, rela-
lively new cathedral. the Gothic
Santo Domingo, the Jesuit Church
( with It's museum, and the old Angus
tinian Church completed in 1905.
earthquakes of the centuries
| Must Pay Cemetery Rent.
/ A unique sight in Manila is the
Pace cemetery. which at present has
fallen into disuse. 1t is composed of
two concentric walls about six feet
thick. honeycombed with holes, just
large enough for a coffin. In the
| olden days these were leased for
periods of five years.
At the end of that time, if no one
was sufficiently interested in the re-
mains of an inmate to pay his rent
for another five years. his bones were
thrown on a heap at the back of the
cemetery. Imagine the "shimmy'' the
flesh on an ancestor worshipping
Chinaman's backbone would perform
should he behold the queue Of one
of his prosecutors protruding from
| Out from the walled city near the
bay shore is Luneta. a small amuse-
ment park, and Wallace Field used
for sports and the annual carnival.
| In the days of Spanish rule Wallace
| Field was an execution ground for
political prisoners, and here DIR. Jose
Rial, the Filipino surgeon, novelist,
and patriot, was executed.
| Manila's chief shopping district is
north of the river and enterprising
| E'jlininOS. Americans and Chinese
have set up stores. banks, factories
and restaurants, giving this portion
| of the city an up-and-doing air. Ad-
vertisements of American made prod
| ucts and ice cream pIacards and soda
water lures Familiarity greet the
thirsty American.