[Churches]
You will find them at every turn. To see her churches alone, in
detail--St. Augustine's, built in 1599, with its ceiling of solid stone
nearly four feet thick, and the illustrious dead beneath its hardwood
floor; St. Sebastian's of solid steel made in Belgium and brought out
in sections and assembled; St. Ignatius' and others with exquisitely
carved woodwork, the work of Filipinos; their altars, statues and
paintings--to appreciate their architecture and the engineering skill
that erected them would require not days or weeks, but months.
[The Cathedral]
Special mention should be made of the Cathedral, the historic edifice
which has witnessed so many rare and brilliant ceremonies. It is
a most ornate and yet harmonious structure. The massive dome can
be seen from far out at sea. The nave of the cathedral is of most
majestic proportions and its pillars and clusters, with their gilded
capitals, are handsome. The cupola rises to an immense height and has
an inside balcony. Its four corners are frescoed, and the subjects
are the "Four Evangelists." A beautiful sky, with angel heads, upon
which stands the statue of the Immaculate Concepcion, is just above
the high altar and around it, in sort of a frieze, are the heads of
the apostles, while in the transepts, are the heads of the prophets,
kings, and patriarchs. The architecture of the cathedral is of Roman
Byzantine Style.
[The Ayuntamiento]
On the right hand side of the cathedral, the traveler sees the
Ayuntamiento, a two-story building, the original seat of the Spanish
government, now the headquarters of the House of Representatives and
of the six departments of the Philippine government. The cornerstone
of this building was laid in 1735. On the main landing of its imposing
staircase is a statue, a replica of that in the "Biblioteca Nacional"
at Madrid, of Juan Sebastian Elcano, the navigator who, after the death
of Magellan, brought to a safe conclusion the first voyage around the
world. The doors in either side of the statue lead to the Marble Hall,
named from its marble floor, where the house of representatives sits
and where official receptions and state entertainments are often held.
[University of Santo Tomas]
In the rear of the Ayuntamiento, and occupying the other half of the
same block, stands the building of the University of Santo Tomas,
founded in 1619, the oldest educational institution of collegiate
rank under American sovereignty. It is under the direction of the
Dominican Order and has departments for the education of students
in all the principal professions. It keeps a valuable and extensive
collection of zoölogical, ethnological, and other scientific specimens
which is open to male visitors only (the university being by origin a
monastic institution) on Sunday mornings from 9 to 11. In the little
plaza on which the building fronts is a statue of Miguel Benavides,
the second Archbishop of Manila, and founder of the University.
[The Dominican Church]
At the end of this plaza stands the great Gothic Dominican Church,
one of the very few examples of that style in the city. It has very
fine doors and a beautifully decorated altar and pulpit. Connected
with it, as with all the old churches of the friar orders, is an
enormous convent, very plain outside, but containing much of interest
within--ancient libraries and some very quaint courtyards, cloisters,
refection halls, and a series of religious pictures.
Just back of this church is the gap in the wall, thru which the car
line from the commercial center of the city enters. Hard by is the
Intendencia Building, in which is located the Insular Treasury and
the offices and session hall of the Philippine Senate. Behind this,
on the river front, is a modest monument to Magellan, the one memorial
of the great discoverer in the capital of the land he brought in
contact with Latin civilization.
[Avenues]
The Walled City, except for a short space where the battlements of
Fort Santiago are washed by the river, is completely surrounded by
fine avenues, all bordered on the inside by the stretch of green which
has replaced the former moat. The Magallanes Drive runs for a short
distance between the walls and the Pasig river to the northeast. To
the west is the Bonifacio Drive, with an avenue of palms. This is
now bounded on its farther side by the new Port District, but in old
days was the seaside promenade of Manila. The circuit of the wall is
completed by the Bagumbayan Drive (now Burgos Drive), which sweeps
in a beautiful acacia-bordered quadrant around the east, southeast,
and south.
This avenue will, in a few years, be completely lined with Government
buildings and grounds. It begins at the river, near the end of the
Jones Bridge. Continuing down it toward the bay the traveler passes
first the Mehan Gardens, really a public park, of moderate size,
finely kept. It was the result of the work of a Spanish botanist and
forester, Sebastian Vidal y Soler, of whom a statue stands in its
midst. The garden was completely neglected and used as a camping
ground during the insurrection, but was restored by the present
Government. Beyond the garden in succession, are the buildings of
the Bureau of Printing and the present temporary City Hall. The
street branching off to the left between these is Calle Concepcion,
on the right hand side of which, immediately back of the City Hall,
are the buildings of the Young Men's Christian Association.
Turning to the left from the riverside of the Botanical Garden and
crossing the Pasig River on the Santa Cruz Bridge, then turning to the
right, the traveler comes across another important and imposing avenue,
called the Rizal Avenue. This avenue begins from the heart of the
commercial district of the city, and leads to the northern suburb of
Manila, which is destined to be one of the best residential sections.
The principal attractions on this avenue, are the Grand Opera House
where periodical performances are held by foreign opera companies,
the Stadium where prize fighting is held between Filipino boxers as
well as between Filipino and foreign boxers, the Central Methodist
Church, and the San Lazaro Hospital.
[Bilibid Prison]
This avenue is intersected by an equally broad thoroughfare formed by
Azcarraga Street, on which are numerous small shops, several theaters
of various grades, and several residential homes. On the sea-side of
this thoroughfare is situated the Cathedral of the Independent Filipino
Church, an institution headed by Archbishop Aglipay, and having about
3,000,000 members. Other places of interest are the Zorrilla Theater,
the Centro Escolar de Señoritas, a private school for girls, being
the biggest institution of the kind in Manila, and Bilibid Prison,
the great central penitentiary of the Philippines and one of the
largest and best-managed institutions of the kind in the world.
The average number of inmates of Bilibid Prison is between 2,500 and
3,000. The main part of the prison, which altogether covers twenty
acres, consists of well-ventilated wards radiating from a central
tower; cells are little used. There is a fine hospital, a school,
and a highly developed system of industries. Visitors are admitted
everyday for the ceremony of retreat, which occurs at about 4:30 in
the afternoon. The salesroom, where the products of the prison shops
may be seen and purchased, are open to the public during the regular
office hours. Perhaps the best work is to be found in the furniture of
native hardwood; but the wicker furniture, the desk sets, and other
small articles of hardwood, the silverware, and the local curios are
well worth inspection.
[Taft Avenue]
Another wide and picturesque avenue branches off from Burgos Drive,
a short distance from the City Hall. This is called the Taft Avenue,
after the first civil governor of the Philippines, Honorable William
H. Taft, now Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Along
this avenue are several modern concrete buildings, the most important
of which are the Philippine Normal School, the Normal Hall, a dormitory
for ladies, the Santa Rita's Hall, the Central School for American
and European children, the Nurses' Home, and the Philippine General
Hospital.
Turning to the right, on Padre Faura Street, the traveler comes across
a number of the buildings of the Philippine University, all of which
are of reinforced concrete and modern in every respect. The large
vacant space behind these buildings is the University Campus where
athletic exercises and military drills are held almost every afternoon.
[Central Observatory]
Further on to the left on this same street, is the Central Observatory
of the Philippine Weather Bureau. This intensely interesting
institution is open to the public on Tuesdays from half past 2 to
half past 4 in the afternoon and on Saturdays from half past 8 to
half past 11 in the morning. It is one of the oldest and best of
its kind in the East, having been founded in 1865 by the Jesuits
and operated continuously since then, even in 1898, while hostile
armies were contending for the possession of the city. The founder
and director for many years was Fr. Frederic Faura, after whom the
street on which the building stands is named. The present head is
Fr. Jose Algué, who has made for himself a world-wide reputation
as a meteorologist. It is still directed by specially trained Jesuit
priests and supported financially by an arrangement with the Philippine
Government. Its great renown has been gained through its work in the
field of earthquakes and typhoons.
[The Luneta]
At the extreme end of Burgos Drive, the traveler comes out on the
broad expanse of a park, of partly natural and partly made land, on the
inland side of which is the most famous recreation place of Manila--the
Luneta. This is an oval stretch of lawn where, nearly every evening,
the music of the fine band of the Philippine Constabulary or that
of some military organization combines with the sea breeze and the
gorgeous sunsets behind the top of Mount Mariveles to bring together
a crowd so varied and brilliant as to make this gathering one of
the most distinctively picturesque sights of the city. Hundreds of
carriages and motor cars draw up along the curb or make the circuit
of the driveway, while thousands of pedestrians throng the walks and
lawns. It is a gay and cosmopolitan gathering--Government officials,
wealthy Chinese merchants, Spaniards, officers of the Army and Navy,
American women in the light and dainty gowns of the Tropics, and
Filipino women of every class in the picturesque national dress of
gorgeous semi-transparent native cloth, that has caused one observer
to describe them as "jet-crowned butterflies."
On the green of the Luneta facing Manila Bay is the monument to
the national hero of the Philippines--the physician, novelist,
and patriot--Dr. Jose Rizal. It was designed by the Swiss sculptor
Richard Kissling, whose work was selected out of many in a contest
for a substantial prize. The monument consists of a granite obelisk,
about fifty feet high, serving as a background for a bronze statue
of heroic size.
[The Manila Hotel]
To the north of the Luneta is the well-known Manila Hotel, reputed to
be the finest in the Orient. Immediately opposite the hotel site, on
the green at the corner of the former moat, is the monument to Miguel
Lopez de Legaspi and Andres Urdaneta, the civil and ecclesiastical
founders of Manila. This, as a work of art, is far superior to
anything else of the sort now actually standing in the city. The
pedestal supports idealized figures of the mailed warrior and the
priest, holding aloft the banner of Castile and the Cross. These
were cast in Spain and sent out prior to the change of sovereignty,
but was never put up. They were found by the American conquerors in
a warehouse, and it is to them that the monument owes its erection
in its present excellent location. On the side of the green opposite
the hotel and the Legaspi monument are the new buildings of the Elks
and the Army and Navy Clubs.
[The Museum]
To the north of the Manila Hotel is the Philippine Museum, housed in
a modern building. Those interested in the fauna and flora of this
part of the globe, and in archeological collections will find in this
museum an hour well spent.
[The Carnival Grounds]
To the East of the present Luneta, immediately across the road, is the
large tract of land known as Wallace (formerly Bagumbayan) Field. It
is the site of athletic grounds and of the annual Carnival. It boasts
a gruesome past and a distinguished future. Under the old régime it
was a public execution ground for political prisoners, and here on
the 30th of December, 1896, in the shadow of the old Luneta outwork,
since removed, Dr. Jose Rizal met his death before the Spanish firing
squad. In a few years more, under the name of "Government Center," it
will be the site of the new Capitol, and of other Government buildings.
For the present this tract is the scene, for a week or more every
February, of the great Philippine Carnival, which has become one of
the established institutions in the Islands and one of the greatest
attractions of Manila. While it lasts most of the town puts on
festal garb and takes a series of half holidays, and dominoes become
familiar sights on the public streets. Within the grounds are the
usual amusement features--the merry-go-round, the whip, shooting
galleries, a hippodrome with spectacular performances, and extensive
and interesting exhibits of the products of the Islands, sent by the
provincial governments, the schools, and private concerns. Elaborate
parades--military, industrial, and carnival--and great balls in
an immense auditorium, both exclusive and popular, complete the
program. The industrial and commercial exhibits are under the
supervision of the Government.
[Dewey Boulevard]
Capping the ensemble of all these attractions around the Luneta is a
beautiful boulevard, comparable with the best anywhere, which leads
from where the buildings of the Elks and the Army and Navy Clubs are
situated and extends until the city limits, near Pasay, a suburb on
the Manila South Road. This boulevard is a favorite driveway in the
evening. The chain of lights that illuminate its entire length makes
it attractive beyond comparison. To the right will be heard the splash
of the waters of Manila Bay dashing against the rocks that fringe the
Boulevard. To the left are some of the most imposing residences of
the City. The steamers anchored in the bay present a lovely sight,
especially in the stillness of the night. It is from this boulevard
that the Philippine sunset, so entrancingly beautiful, can be seen
without obstruction, while in the distance, to the left, is the City of
Cavite, to which the Boulevard will in time lead, and hence has been
originally named "Cavite Boulevard." It was only recently that its
name was changed to "Dewey Boulevard" in memory of Admiral Dewey who,
a short distance out into the bay, by defeating the Spanish Squadron,
sealed the fate of colonial Spain in this part of the globe.
[Clubs and Societies]
All of the great fraternal orders have their branches in Manila--The
Masonic Order, The Knights of Columbus, The I. O. O. F., The Elks,
and The Knights Templars. Religious, charitable, social, musical,
literary, athletic, and other associations, also abound. There is a
National Federation of Women's Clubs, having about 400 branches in all
parts of the Archipelago and also a Catholic Federation of Women. All
the foreigners also have their respective clubs and societies.
[Cemeteries]
The Cementerio del Norte is the municipal cemetery. It is the only
modern garden cemetery in Manila. It covers a very large area (133
acres), only a small part of which has been developed. There are
sections for Americans, Filipinos, and Chinese, each showing the
distinctive emblems with which the several races mark the resting
places of their dead. There are beautiful monuments and well-kept
lawns.
Adjoining the municipal cemetery is the Catholic cemetery and the
chapel of La Loma. The Chinese also have an exclusive cemetery
nearby. All the ground in this vicinity is historical, for much of
the fighting of the early days of the insurrection centered about
the district; there was a block-house which formerly stood back of
the La Loma Chapel. Paco cemetery on San Marcelino is closed now,
but once a year, on All Saints Day, it is opened and in the evening,
brilliantly illuminated.
[Monuments]
Among the most notable monuments are the Rizal monument in the Luneta;
the Legaspi and Urdaneta monument near the Manila Hotel; the Anda
monument at the foot of the Malecon Drive; the Magallanes monument
near the Treasury building; the Statue of Elcano in the Ayuntamiento;
the Statue of Benavides at Plaza of Sto. Tomas; and that of Charles IV
at Plaza McKinley, and Queen Isabela II in Malate. The finest of the
recent ones, are the monument of Balintawak, a short distance out,
to commemorate the first cry of the revolution, and the monument to
the Katipunan and the Liga Filipina at Raxa Matanda, Tondo.
LIFE IN MANILA.--In Manila is felt the pulse of the world's
activity--the currents of political, commercial, and intellectual
thought of the world--more keenly than in New York or London. The
reason is simple. Each man here is an individual machine; in the larger
cities he is a cog. The elements of absolute economic dependence
being absent, the inhabitants are forced into contact with many
nations, together with all the social and economic relations which
that contact entails. In the press Manila is not overwhelmed with a
mass of unimportant news. The immensity of non-essential topics of
no general interest is spared the residents. Only the essential and
all the essential reaches them. Their horizon is not bounded by 42nd
Street nor by neighbor Peet's farm. One of the many reasons for the
happier life in Manila than in other cities of the world, so far at
least as foreigners are concerned, is the natural selection of the fit
and strong, which is invariably taking place. There are no crippled
and weak, no poor nor invalid people in Manila to pester you. They do
not come--they seldom dare. Only those looking for adventure, those
fitted to care for themselves, those determined to survive that come
to make this part of the world his temporary or permanent abode.
[No Vexing Conventionalities]
The conventionalities and prescribed forms of daily living are
absent. There is no Madam Gruncy to hector, there are no rules
of the elite class or the would-be Four Hundred. You come and
go unquestioned. You have absolute sovereignty over your own
affairs. There are no neighbors to tell the foreigner what to think
or how to vote. Neither a Democrat nor a Republican is disgraced for
being so. A society of men and women from all corners of the globe
accord respect to your judgment. Not living in San Francisco you are
not disturbed by its claims of superiority to Seattle or New York.
There is less attention paid to inconsequential details and boresome
routine than in the complex centers of the Old and the New World. It is
of less importance to know what Lady Jane wore at the ball than to know
how she will run her embroidery establishment. More thought is given
to one's failure and success and struggles with new conditions than
of a man's politics. The interrelationship of races, the development
of a virgin country, the wide latitude for one's activities accustom
you to thinking in the large. Men talk little in the Tropics, but
what they say has meaning.
There is less violence in the Philippines than in any other land. The
people are gentle and courteous. In provincial towns, in lonely
districts, an American or European woman can remain alone for days
without fear of molestation. One can take long trips through the
wildest mountain in perfect safety. Firearms for self defense need
not even be thought of.
[Competition Less Severe]
Competition in Manila is not as severe as in other cities. Success
is attained with greater ease. The routine of life is pleasant,
and days pass quickly. In occidental cities one generally rushes
through breakfast and rushes to his office. Also he rushes all the
morning until 12 o'clock. Not so in the Philippines. He dictates in a
few minutes his day's correspondence which will probably leave port
a week later, depending on the schedule of boats. Then he has new
schemes to think over and conferences to hold with confrères. After
this there is usually considerable time for ice cream and further
conferences outside. He probably visits his bank and the cable office,
and does some more thinking. If he is a salesman, he has to talk
with prospective customers. At all events he is a very busy man,
with a dozen plans for expansion working in his brain; but there
is time, aeons of time. There is so much to be done and so little
danger that the field will be overworked before he gets to it that he
fears nothing. At 12 o'clock or thereabouts he goes back to his room
for lunch. Afterwards he sleeps for two hours and drops back to his
office. At 4 o'clock he goes out for tea, and at 5 o'clock, if the
day has been a hard one, he knocks off for golf or tennis or a swim,
or goes back to his siesta chair for rest. After supper at 8 o'clock,
if he is socially inclined, he organizes a party for a cabaret and
spends a pleasant evening. Otherwise he plays cards or billiards
at his club. The next day repeats, and so on. He is never hurried,
never tired, never worried.