Jose Rizal in the United States (April 28, 1888 to May 16, 1888)

Across the west lower corner of Madison Park where Broadway and 5^th Avenue crossed you will

find the International Toy Company.

This is the same site where Dr Jose Rizal stayed in his New York sojourn.

An unknown medicinal formula made a debut on soda fountain for 5 cents a glass and in 1888,

the mixture written in the same distinct script today was sold to an

Atlanta businessman for $2300. Today, Coca-cola is one of the great

American symbol as the Statue of Liberty.

turn this clock in front of 200 5^th Avenue circa 1888

Every year the Filipino-American Independence Day Parade always ends at the Madison Park

Diary of Dr Jose Rizal in the United States

Jose Rizal arrive in San Francisco, California

(there were three other Filipinos onboard the steamer BELGIC that arrived on the 28 of April 28 1888.

For life onboard the Belgic,

read Diary of a Japanese Girl . Chinese immigrants would later trace their american ancestry onboard the SS Belgic)

Saturday, April 28 (1888). We arrived at San Francisco in the morning. We

anchored. It is said that we shall be quarantined. The Custom House boat

visited us: its flag has this look: (American Customs flag drawn). The sacks

or bags of silk were taken away; a sack costing $700. They are not afraid of

the silk; and they were to take their breakfast on board.

Sunday, April 29. Second day of the quarantine. We are greatly troubled and

impatient aboard. I have not eaten; it gets my nerve.

Monday, April 30. The quarantine is continued. I read in the paper a statement of

the Sanitary Doctor against quarantine.

Tuesday, May 1. The quarantine is continued. We signed a petition against

the quarantine; and the Englishmen wrote to their Consul. (on Oct 8, 1888 Belgic returned to San Francisco

carrying back CHAE CHAN PING, a Chinese resident of San Francisco

who was denied entry based on the new law passed by congress on the expulsion of Chinese laborer. See US Supreme court case 1889

Thursday, May 3. Six days of quarantine.

Friday, May 4, at 3 P. M. The quarantine is ended. I stayed at the Palace Hotel:

$4 a day with bath and everything. Stockton-Str. 312.

(Since 1875, sophisticated travelers from around the world

have called the Palace home. The hotel has played host to kings

and queens, Presidents and dignitaries. Important social

and political affairs of San Francisco have taken place in the Palace's

historic ballrooms and Garden Court. It survived the 1906

massive earthquake but gutted by flames in 1909.

In commemoration of his stay in San Francisco, a marker was installed

at the lobby of the Palace Hotel in 1951.

It was misplaced during a major renovation of

what is now the Sheraton Palace Hotel.

The marker was reinstalled at the corner of Market and Montgomery Street on 30 December 1996,

the centennial anniversary of the martyrdom of Rizal)

 I saw the

Golden Gate.....(Golden Gate Park. late 1880)

(Note about the Golden Gate Park--The person to do it was John McLaren, a brazen Scotsman and ardent nature lover. He arrived in San Francisco in the 1870s, and by 1890 he had established grass, trees and numerous plants in an environment most thought too barren for lush foliage. The first buildings came with the Midwinter Fair, a sprawling expo and carnival meant to boost the economy and increase tourism. S.F. wanted to prove that it had culture -- so a fine-arts museum was built.)

 The Customs House. A letter of recommendation. On Sunday

stores were closed. The best St. In San Francisco is Market St. I took a

walk. -- -Stanford, the rich man. -- A street near China Town. We left San

Francisco on Sunday, the 6th, at 4:30 P. M. -- Sailed till Oakland --

Railroad -- On board from Port Costa to Benicia -- Plantations -- Herds of

cattle -- No herdsmen -- Stores at the camp -- Dinner at Sacramento, 75

cents. We slept in the coach. Regular night. We woke up an hour from Reno,

where we took our breakfast at 7:30 of Monday, May 7.... I. saw an

Indian(Indio) attired in semi-European suit, and semi-Indian suit, leaning

against a wall. Wide deserts without plants nor trees. Unpopulated. Lonely

place. Bare mountains. Sands. A big extension of white land, like chalk. Far

from this desert can be seen some blue mountains. It was a fine day. It was

warm, and there was still snow on the top of some mountains.

Tuesday, May 8: This is a beautiful morning. We stop from place to place. We

are near Ogden. I believe with a good system of irrigation this place could

be cultivated. We are at Utah state, the 3rd. State we crossed over. In

approaching Ogden the fields are seen with horses, oxen, and trees. Some

small houses are seen from a distance. From Ogden to Denver. The clock is

set one hour ahead of time. We are now beginning to see flowers with yellow

color on the way. The mountains at a distance are covered with snow. The

banks of Salt Lake are more beautiful than other things we saw. The mules

are very big. There are mountains in the middle of the lake like the islands

of Talim in Laguna de Bay. We say three Mormon boys at Farmington. There

were sheep, cows and horses in the meadows. This region is not thickly

populated. A flock of ducks in the lake. There were beautiful houses with

trees, straight streets, flowers, low houses. Children greeted us at Salt

Lake City. In Utah, the women serve at the table. It is known that dinner

will be cheap(?). We changed train at Ogden, and we will not have any change

until Denver. In Provo I ate much for 75 cents. We are passing between two

mountains through a narrow channel.

Wed. May 9. We are passing through the mountains of rocks along a river; the

river is noisy and its noise gives life to the lifeless scenery. We woke up

at Colorado the 4th state we crossed over. At 10:30 we climb up a certain

height, and this is why snow is seem along the way. There were many pines.

The snow on the mountain top is white and shiny. We passed through tunnels

made of wood, to protect the road against snow. Icicles in these tunnels are

very bright which gives majestic effect. -- The Porter of the Pullman Car,

an American, is a sort of thief. -- Colorado has more trees than the three

states we passed over. There are many horses.

Thursday, May 10. We woke up at Nebraska. The country is plain. We reached

Omaha, a big city at 4 P. M, the biggest since we left in San Francisco. The

Missouri river is twice as wide as the Pasig river in its wide part. It is

marshy. Islands are formed in the middle of the river; its banks are not

beautiful. This region has many horses and cattle. The train passed over the

Missouri bridge for 2 and 1/2 minutes; the train goes slowly. We are now in

Illinois.

Friday, May 11. We wake up near Chicago. The country is cultivated. It shows

our nearness to Chicago. We left Chicago at 8:20 Friday night. What I

observed in Chicago is that every cigar store has an Indian figure, and

always different. (27-75 Washington Street. Boston. Miss C. G. Smith.)

Saturday, May 12. A good Wagner Car-we are proceeding in a fine day. The

country is beautiful and well populated. We shall arrive at the English

territory in the afternoon, and we shall soon see Niagara Falls. We stop for

some time to see the points that are beautiful; we went at the side below

the Falls; I was between two rocks and this is the greatest cascade I ever

saw. It is not, so beautiful nor so fine as the fall at Los Banos; but much

bigger, more imposing and could not be compared with it. The cascade has

various falls, various parts. We left the place at night. There is a

mysterious sound and persistent echo.

Sunday, May 13. We wake up near Albany. This is a big city. The Hudson River

which runs along carries many boats. We crossed over a bridge. The landscape

is beautiful; and it is not inferior to the best in Europe. We are going

along the banks of the Hudson. They are very beautiful, although a little

more solitary than those of the Pasig. There were ships, boats, trees,

hills; and the major part is cultivated. The Hudson is wide. Beautiful ships

Sliced granite rocks were paved along the railroads. Some points widely

extended. There were beautiful houses between trees. Day fine. Our grand

transcontinental trip ended on Sunday, May 13, at 11:10 A. M. We passed

through various arches in tunnels. -- the Art Age, 75 W. 23 Street.

We left New York on May 16, 1888. There were many people at the dock. The

first and second class entrances are separated. At 9 o'clock sharp the bell

rang to warn the visitors away. At 9:30, the pier was full of people. White

handkerchiefs were waved; ribbons and flowers of different colors are seen

here and there.

May 24 -- Arrived in Liverpool.

Rizal-New York to London 1888-Timeline(Click)

What he observed?

He later pointed out the distinct possibility, the only

such possibility, that the “great American Republic,

whose interest lie in the Pacific and who has not hand in the spoliation of Africa

may some day dream of foreign possesion. He added that this will

be contrary to her (American) tradition”

Philippines celebrate the last holiday of the year on December 30 in honor of the National Hero

 who came to the United States from Japan. It is interesting to note that  during the Japanese

 occupation of the country  December 30 continued as one of the official holidays  that included

 the Japanese Emperor’s birthday. Probably done in part against the western influence

Nestor Palugod Enriquez

nestor@filipinohome.com

Part of the diary from: (SOURCE: The Three Stars, 1 January 1928, Page 22

Bits Of Memorandum From Rizal's Diary

(Evidently intended more as a series of notes for subsequent reference than

as a final record of experiences.) -- Ed.(from Alex Fabros' files)