The story of the beautiful Porto Rico

8/13/2019 The story of the beautiful Porto Rico

1/198


2/198

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.Chap.n^_6i Copyright M

Slielf_.S_3_l_,yUNITED STATES OF AMERICA.


3/198


4/198


5/198

,ll.. Capital Seat ol: Judicial District _ .. *

ala Po-ioua Capital of DepartmentSeat of Municipal District-, .HamletBoundary of Department__Horse Paths IMacadnmized HighwayCountry RoadsA RiversMountains

---Railroads

Copyright 1898, by Wm. H. Lee

MAP OF PORTO RICOSpecially designed for this work from the best authority and personal observation. Showing the physical formation, the political divisions, railroads,

highways, country roads, and pony paths.The colors on the map indicate the seven departments under Spanish rule.


6/198

spBOj|[iBa 'suotsiAip popiiod sqi 'uopi

- - S.I8ATJJ===== spo^ .^.lannoi)---.s:i7AYr[.3tjj pozmiupBovj/j;

sq^yj 9SJOH~~ ~~ ' ~~ : aG)uqjBc[y(j jo A'apnnog;' :}0TJ4STCt x^clPTUi^H Jo :|Begf^ ;uaut:;jBd8a Jo x'4TdBQ,j, '40T.r;sxo: iBtDtpnf jo '4B8g

^^,,^^^j^^

a^

0-Booap,A^v,

^,M n|,.^?Sm4#

f IJ *f S5f iTFTs^.^ - ^


7/198

THE STORY OFBEAUTIFUL PORTO RICO


8/198


9/198


10/198

Gen. Miles, Commanaer-in-Cbief of the American Army. (Taken at Ponce.)


11/198

THE STORYOF

Beautiful Porto RicoA GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONOFTHE GARDEN SPOT OF THE WORLDBYPEN AND CAMERA

COMPRISINGThe History, Geography, Soil, Climate, Inhabitants, Customs, Churches,

Schools, Rivers, Lakes, Mountains, Mines, Products, Imports,Exports, Current Prices, Scenes of the Invasion,

Railroads, Public Roads, Telegraph, Tele-phone, Money, Measures, Etc.

BY C. H. RECTOR

PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATEDWith Nearly Sixty Half-Tone Reproductions from Fresh Photographs by the

Celebrated ArtistWILBUR F. TURNER

ANDTwo Maps Especially Designed for this Work

CHICAGOLAIRD & LEE, PUBLISHERS

1898


12/198

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1898,BY WM. H. LEE,

in the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D.C.All Rights Reserved.


13/198

2)ebicatebTO

OUR ARMY AND NAVY, PRESIDENT McKINLEY, HIS CABINETAND THE PUBLIC WHO AIDED SO GENEROUSLY IN

ACHIEVINGTHE TRIUMP^:\NT RESULTS OF THE

HISPANO-AMERICAN WAR.


14/198


15/198

INDEXPAGEA Welcome 9

History of Porto Rico 13Geography, Provinces and Population 21, 25The Soil 38The Climate 41The Inhabitants 46Schools and Education 50Church and Religion 54Products 57Cattle, Fodder and Poultry 73Insects, Game, Fish and Birds 78Rivers, Lakes and Lagoons 82Harbors 86Mountains, Mines, Caves, etc 90Public Roads 97Railroads and Street Cars 105Telegraph and Telephones 113Measures and Money 117Miscellaneous Information 121Peculiarities of Porto Rican Life 126An Object Lesson 134The Market of Ponce 137The Capital 145A Legend 149An American Hero's Grave 154The Red Cross 158A Spanish Officer's Sword 161A Typical Hacienda Owner , 166Spanish Sincerity 169An Editor's View 174Looking Backward. , 178Looking Forward 183


16/198


17/198

INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONSGeneral Miles in Ponce, Frontispiece. PageMap Showing Topography of Porto Rico, - - - 8Camp of the Sixth Illinois, at Ponce, - - - - 11Company H, Sixteenth Penna. Vols., Before Abonito, - 12Street and Public Square, San German, - - - - 15American War Vessels at Anchor in Guanica Bay, - 16San Antonio Bridges, San Juan, - - - - - 19Looking Across the Lagoon from San Juan, - - - 20The Only Protestant Church in Porto Rico, - - - 23Plaza and Cathedral at Arecibo, ----- 24Cathedral and Public Square in Mayaguez Showing

Statue of Columbus, and U. S. Cavalryman on Guard, 28Bird's-Eye View of Ponce, - 31Plaza, or Public Square, Ponce, - - - - - 35Typical View Along the Highways, - - - - 39A Garden in Porto Rico, 43Group of Native Women and Children, Mayaguez, - 47Fire Engine House, Ponce, 48View of San GermanNatives in Foreground, - - 51Cathedral, Ponce, 55The Royal Palm, - - .- - - - - - 59Pack Train, Carrying Coffee to Market, - - - - 60Sugar Cane Plantation, 63Breaking Camp to Return Home, 67Provisional Engineers (Officers of U. S. Volunteers), - 71A Grass Peddler, '^'5After a Fishing Trip, ------- 80Street Scene in San German, 83


18/198

INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS. PageCompany A, First Illinois, ----- 84^A Train of Ox Carts, Carrying Army Supplies, - - 88Battery M, Seventh Artillery, Ready for Action, - 92The Famous Quintana Baths, Near Ponce, - - - 95A Mountain Trip by Pony Path, - - . - 99Spanish Barracks in San Juan, - - - - - 103Railway Depot and Yard at Ponce, - - - - 107Engine and Train, Narrow Gauge Road, . . - mA Street in Ponce, - - - - - - - 115Hdqrs. of Gen's Miles and Wilson during Invasion, - 119'Camp of Battery C, Pennsylvania Volunteers, - 123The Porto Rican Milkman, 127A Porto Rican Funeral Procession, - - - - 131A View of Cemetery Vaults, ------ 132A Group of Spanish Officers and Soldiers, - - 135 'Officers of the Sixth Illinois Volunteers, - - _ 13(5Busy Scene in Market Place, ----- I39Market Hall, Ponce, ------- 143View of San Juan, Capital of Porto Rico, - - 144Rear View of Morro Castle, San Juan, - - - - 147Old Cathedral, Port Ponce Camp of Battery E,

Pennsylvania Volunteers, ------ 151General View of Cemetery in Porto Rico, - - 155Scene in a Spanish Hospital, San Juan, - _ - 159Ambulances of the American Army, - - - - 160Spanish Transports, San Juan Harbor, - - - - 163A Rich Man's Plantation, and Driveway, - - - 167A Peon's Home Under Banana Trees, - - - - 168Camp of Battery M, 171American Boys Amusing Themselves After the Victory, 175American War Ships in Guanica Bay, . - _ 179


19/198

WILBUR F. TURNER CHARLES H. RECTOR

THE Above Cuts faithfully picture the artist and author of ' 'BeautifulPorto Rico. ' ' These gentlemen made a trip which practically coveredthe whole island, sailing around the greater part of the coast twice,

and later traveling some three hundred miles inland by railroad, coach andnative pony. They passed through fourteen towns while yet occupied bythe Spanish army, having many thrilling experiences. They climbed tothe mountain tops, and investigated the management of the great planta-tions where coffee is grown, and were unquestionably the first men tocover this entire territory and secure facts and figures on the ground, withno guesswork, and to secure life-like pictures of the natives, with theirsurroundings. The trip was full of risk, and many times they resorted toheroic measures to pass Spanish garrisons. At Abonito the Spanish Com-mander was induced to loan his private carriage to carry them out of theSpanish lines, which was a queer procedure in time of war. By makingthis successful trip these gentlemen are able to give to the world infor-mation never before published.

THE PUBLISHERS.


20/198

siO oo


21/198

A WELCO/nE,When your brother marries a stranger in a distant

land, you are happy to receive the hkeness of the newsister^ with a few Unes descriptive of her features andcomplexion, and of her qualities.Our family of States has just received an addition,

Porto Rico. It is true we do not know yet what thestatus of the new member will be in our family, butshe has come to stay, and it will be well to make heracquaintance.

I should like to introduce the reader, as I was in-troducedsailing over the shining sea and beholdingthe island emerge suddenly out of a mist, a dazzlingbeauty. The sun suddenly dispersed the veil ofvapors hiding her, and disclosed to our admiring eyes,beyond the flashing, dancing waters and against a deepblue sky, a gigantic and perfect garden. Were they

9


22/198

10 A WEIvCOMB.trees or mountain tops? Rows behind rows of greenwavy lines, rising from the very shore to a height of4,000 feet and more. Who would not fall in love withsuch a picture? Could it be that there was suffering,injustice, oppression between those verdant hills?Surely, if there was a spot on earth where humanbeings might be just and kind and happy withoutgreat exertion, this must be the place. And if thenotions and laws of the old regime are in the way of apeaceful and successful pursuit of happiness, we willwipe them out. Our new sister shall enjoy our libertyand will soon learn to love our ways.


23/198


24/198


25/198

HISTORY OF PORTO RICO.It was Columbus who discovered and named Porto

Rico. On the 16th day of November 1493, during hissecond voyage, he sighted the island, disembarked andlanded on the 19th day of the same month, and, struckby the beauty and fertility of the land, called it PuertoRico, which signifies Rich Port . Those of myreaders who have seen with their own eyes whatColumbus saw, will testify that Christopher evidentlyknew a good thing when he saw it, and was not at aloss for a suitable name. The natives called the islandBorinquen .

Sixteen years after the first discovery, in 1509, theSpanish established the first settlement on the island,Caparra, under Don Juan Ponce de Leon, and fromthat time on, a steady stream of Spaniards slowly but

13


26/198

14 HISTORY OF PORTO RICO.surely displaced the gentle Indian natives. The his-tory of these Aborigines was the same pitiful tale,wherever the Spanish gained a foothold. In PortoRico hardly a trace of the Indian blood is to be discov-ered among the population to-day. Caparra, thecradle of the 'Tuertoriquenos was abandoned in1552; its site is called Ouebrada Margarita to-day.But as a lasting monument to the daring pioneer, thesecond city in importance of the island perpetuates hisname. Ponce.

We give the dates of the settlement of all the princi-pal places on the island later on, and- confineourselves here to an outline of the history of the wholeisland.The capital, whose full name is San Juan Batista de

Puerto Rico, was founded by Don Juan Ponce deLeon in 1511, the Casa Blanca being the first buildingerected.

In the same year, the town of San. German, in thewest of the island, was founded by Captain MiguelToro. San German preserves, more than the capital,the features of the past. Its inhabitants are veryproud of their quaint town and its history. Especiallydo they glory in relating an incident of the English


27/198


28/198


29/198

HISTORY OF PORTO RICO. . 17invasion of 1743, when the patriotic and valiantburghers of San German met the invaders half waybetween their city and Guanica Bay where the Englishhad landed, (and where on July 25th, 1898, GeneralMiles forced an entrance,) defeated them and drovethem back into their ships.For all that, they will be good American citizens.

Sober and practical people, they have accepted theirfate. When a gentleman in the author's company ex-hibited a tiny American flag, the Porto Ricans cheeredlustily. If good judgment and tactful respect for theirprejudices and habits are shown by our officials, theywill be valuable citizens in the near future. In a littlebook, authorized by the Spanish Administration ofPorto Rico, as a school book, the character of the in-habitants is stated to be frank and expansive, and ifthis be a true estimation, they will blend well with the' Yankees of these latter days, to be sure.

In all, the island was invaded nine times, owing tothe ''codicia (covetousness) of the foreigners, as thelittle book referred to states. The French invaded theisland in 1538. The English under Drake paid theisland a visit and sacked the capital in 1595. Threeyears later, the Earl of Cumberland repeated the pro-


30/198

18 HISTORY OF PORTO RICO.cess with,much zest. In 1625 Baldwin Heinrich, aDutch Commander, lost his life in an attack on Cas-tello del Mono. After that the English monopolizedthe business, swooping down on their prey in 1678,1702, 1703, 1743 and, for the last time, in 1797.

In 1820, a movement was made toward a declarationof independence on the part of the Porto Ricans, butthe Spanish stifled the rebellion and regained theupper hand in 1823.

In 1824, Commodore Porter of the United States,during his successful raids on the West Indian pirates,invaded the island, and seventy-five years later on,May 12th, 1898, Admiral Sampson appeared beforeSan Juan and bombarded the ports during threehours. It is a coincidence worth noting, that on July25th, the day when the rumor went abroad first thatSpain was ready to yield to the inevitable, and whenGeneral Merritt reached Manila, the American forcesunder General Miles also landed at Guanica Bay,Porto Rico, hoisting the American flag over the townafter an insignificant skirmish.On August 11th, 1898, a protocol was signed at

Washington, by the terms of which Spain ceded PortoRico to the United States.


31/198


32/198


33/198

GEOGRAPHY. 21On October 18th, 1898, General Brooke took formal

possession of the island. The simple ceremonies ofraising the flag over San Juan, the capital, includedmusic by the military bands and the firing of guns.

GEOGRAPHY.Porto Rico is situated between longitude 9 degrees

44 minutes and 11 degrees 25 minutes east fromWashington and between latitude 17 degrees 54 min-utes and 18 degrees 30 minutes 40 seconds north. Itis bounded on the north by the Atlantic ocean, on theeast and south by the Sea of the Antilles, and on thewest byAIona Channel. The island is ninety-five mileslong and thirty-five miles broad, with an estimatedarea of 3,668 square miles. According to the censusof 1887, the population was 813,937, of which morethan 300,000 were negroes. There are 137 miles ofrailway, about 150 miles of wagon road, 470 miles oftelegraph lines and telephone systems.San Juan, the capital, on the northern coast, is sit-uated upon a small island connected with the mainland by a substantial arched stone bridge, named San


34/198

22 GEOGRAPHY.Antonio, and also two iron railroad bridges. At theextremity of the island are the high cliffs which sup-port El Morro Castle (Morro means round, and signi-fies, therefore, the old fashioned fort, as we see it onGovernor's island. New York harbor, and in CastleGarden, New York.)

Ponce, a great mercantile center and the secondcity of importance, is about two miles from the southcoast. It was the residence of a military commanderand the seat of an official chamber of commerce. Theonly Protestant church in the Spanish West Indies ishere. The little book already spoken of teaches thatPorto Rico enjoys ''tolerancia de cultos (religioustolerance)^ but this church was found tightly closedby our soldiers. Playa is the city's seaport, and isconsidered the healthiest spot on the island, and sec-ond port in importance.Mayaguez, the third city, is situated in the west

part. It exports sugar, coffee, oranges, pineapplesand cocoanuts. The annual export of coffee, rangingin price with Java, is 170,000 hundredweights. Of the180,000 bags of flour 'that the island buys annuallyfrom the United States, 50,000 are imported intoMayaguez.


35/198


36/198


37/198

PROVINCES AND POPULATION. 25Other principal cities, all ports, are Aquadiila on the

north-west, Arecibo on the north coast, Fajardo andNagabo on the east side, and Arroyo on the south-east.

Detailed information about rivers, mountains, rail-roads, etc., will be found under special headings. Seeindex.

PROVINCES AND POPULATION.Each town had jurisdiction over the immediate

neighborhood in which it was located, and below isgiven the population of the jurisdiction, together withthe year in which the town was founded and the totalnumber of plantations of various kinds in the province,according to the directory of the island and otherofhcial records.

BAYAMON PROVINCE.Year Popu-Name. Founded. lation.Bayamon 1772 15,316Ccrozal 1795 9,652Dorado 1842 3,985Loiza 1719 9,600Naranjito 1824 6,6olRio Piedras 1774 11,042


38/198

26 PROVINCES AND POPUIvATION.Year Popu-

Name. Founded. lation.Rio Grande 1840 6,237Carolina 1857 11,042Toa-Alta 1751 6,808Toa-Baja 1745 3,285Trujillo Alto 1801 4,015Vega-Alto 1775 5,498Vega-Baja 1776 10,648

Total population 103,789Cane plantations,, 88; coffee, 275; fruits, 2,446.

ARECIBO PROVINCE.Arecibo 1778 29,722Camuy 1807 9,181Ciales 1820 13,036Hatillo 1823 9,671Barceloneta 1882 6,246Manati 1838 8,191Morovis 1818 11,567Quebradillas 1823 5,929Utuado 1789 31,292

Total population 124,835Cane plantations, 38; coffee, 396; tobacco, 66; fruits,

2,849.


39/198


40/198


41/198

PROVINCES AND POPULATION. 29AGUADILLA PROVINCE.

Year Popu-Name. Founded. latTon.Aguadilla 1775 13,306Aguada 1511 9,557Isabela 1819 12,554Lares 1829 17,163Moca 1774 11,092San Sebastian 1752 14,042Rincon 1770 5,837

Total population 83,551Cane plantations, 40; colfce, 300; fruits, 2,394.

MAYAGUEZ PROVINCE.Mayaguez 1760 28,246Anasco 1703 12,437Cabo Rojo 1771 16,844Sabana Grande 1814 9,611San German 1511 19,933Las Marias 1871 9,792Hormigueros 1876 3,199Maricao 1876 7,728Lajas 1883 9,192

Total population o 116,982Cane plantations, 90; coffee, 778; fruits, 2,535.


42/198

30 PROVINCES AND POPUIyATION,

PONCE PROVINCE.Year Popu-Name. Founded. lation.

Ponce 1752 42,705Adjiintas 1815 16,321Aibonito 1825 6,397Barranqiiitas 1803 5,828Barros 1825 11,697Coamo 1646 10,537Guayanilla 1833 7,805Juana Diaz 1798 21,032Penuelas 1793 , 10,023Santa Isabel 1841 3,384Yauco 1756 24,411

Total population 160,140Cane plantations, 49; coffee, 7,453; tobacco, 570;

fruits, 9,260


43/198


44/198


45/198

PROVINCES AND POPUI


46/198

34 PROVINCES AND POPULATION.HUMACAO PROVINCE.

Year Popu-Name. Founded. lation.Humacao 1793 14,936Ceiba 1838 4,314Fajardo 1774 8,794Ltiquillo 1797 6,579Maunabo 1799 5,823Naguabo 1794 9,914Patillas 1811 10,553Piedras 1801 8,028Yabucoa 1793 13,103Isle de Vieques 1843 6,019

Total population 88,063Cane plantations, 60; coffee, 317; fruits, 1,892.

COMBINED POPULATION OF PROVINCES.San Juan, by last census 32,800Bayamon, by old census report 103,789Arecibo, by old census report 124,835Aguadilla, by old census report 83,551Mayaguez, by old census report. 116,982Ponce, by old census report 160,140Guayama, by old census report 98,787Humacao, by old census report 88,063

Total population 818,947


47/198


48/198


49/198

PROVINCES AND POPUI.ATION. 37The figures given above of the population will vary

somewhat when the new census of the island is pub-Hshed. In a few of the towns I looked up the officialfigures, which were completed but not published, andfound an increase in every instance.

In regard to the number of plantations given, itshould be noted that those referred to as fruit planta-tions are almost all small patches. Some of the coffeeand cane plantations are large, or fair in size, andmuch of the land is held by large owners and leasedor rented on conditions long established in the island.Inmany instances the cane land has not beenworked

of late years. Much of it is idle or used for grazing.This industry will certainly be much more extensivelycarried on now. In fact, a great increase may be madein all the products of the island, and this result may beconfidently expected. It takes time to bring cofifee,cocoanuts and such to a bearing state, but there isstill room for planting, and with the whole UnitedStates as a market, the prospects of this garden, called

Porto Rico, must be admitted to be bright indeed.


50/198

38

THE SOIL.The island undoubtedly is of volcanic origin. The

soil generally is clay, red in color, closely resemblingthe waste found around a brickyard where red brick ismade. In the bottoms of the numberless valleys thedecaying vegetable matter has accumulated andformed an alluvial stratum of darker hue. The fer-tility of the soil is marvellous. The use of fertilizers isunknown, because entirely unnecessary. The visitoris struck, as Columbus was, with the luxurious vege-tation. The lowlands, especially in the south, are cov-ered with sugar-cane fields, lined with cocoanut palms,the hill-sides are one mass of orange, lemon and limeorchards, interspersed with fields of pineapples andpalm forests. The rocky tops of the hills and moun-tains are crowned by the coffee plantations. Bananatrees grow everywhere. The rich deep green of thescenery is relieved and set ofif by a superabundance ofthe most gorgeous flowers and blossoms. Some ofthe flowers grow in clusters fully a yard long, hangingdown from large beautiful trees by the thousand, andare in blossom the year around.

Spring reigns perpetually, and there are three orfour harvest seasons during the year.


51/198


52/198


53/198

THE CIvIMATE. 41No cereals, such as wheat, rye or oats, are raised;

these thrive better under a Minnesota sky. The pota-toes, grown in small quantities, are of an inferiorquality.

THE CLIMATE.The temperature, as must be expected in the torrid

zone, is always high, but the island, being so small, isswept in its whole extent by an almost constant sea-breeze from the north-east. In consequence, the mer-cury rarely rises above 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 de-grees Cent.), nor does it sink below 59 degrees Fahr-enheit (15 degrees Cent.). The highest point everreached in the last five years was 92 degrees.The hot season sets in about July 1st, and lasts till

the latter part of September. The rainy season com-mences in the latter part of August, and ends in De-cember. During the heated term the morning hoursare the hottest part of the day. By 10 o'clock a strongsea-breeze brings relief, and, together with the plenti-ful shade everywhere, renders life very comfortable.The rainy season is not as terrible as many people

imagine. It does not rain incessantly, but there arefrequent heavy showers, after which the sky clears


54/198

42 THE CIvIMATB.again in surprising rapidity. As the island is onemass of hills, and even the southern plane is inclinedseaward, the torrents of rain disappear as suddenly asthey come. In an incredibly short time all is dryagain, and everything greener and fresher for theshower-bath. Nor do the inhabitants seem to mind adrenching. There is no chill, and the light clothingdries quickly on the body, if a change is too trouble-some. Violent windstorms or tornadoes are unknown;none is recorded after the year 1828.

Porto Rico is. one of the most healthful spots on theglobe. With proper judgment in eating of the tropicalfruits, and if care is taken not to sleep in a draught,no fear need be entertained of fevers and other diseasespeculiar to this latitude. To sleep in a draught,however, be it ever so slight, seems to be fatal. Coldsand catarrh, consumption and bronchitis are commonailments among the natives.The sanitary arrangements on the island are not in

keeping with American ideas, but the abundance ofrunning water and the natural slope of the groundtoward the sea, in all directions, has been a naturalsubstitute for artificial sewerage and draining, so thatthe conditions are not so bad, in spite of the customs


55/198


56/198


57/198

THE CLIMATE. 45and habits of an indolent population. The capital,San Juan, is just building an aqueduct, very muchneeded. The city stands on a small island, and thehouses are built closely together, having two storieseach, which is unusual in Porto Rico. At present thepeople of the capital depend for their water supplyentirely upon rain-water, caught upon the flat roofsand conducted to the cistern, which occupies thegreater part of the inner court-yard, (the essentialpart of every Spanish house the world over, but hereexceedingly small on account of the narrow confinesof the island). Another large part of the court (patio)is occupied by the vault (cesspool), and, of course, itsclose proximity to the cistern is a source of frequentepidemics.American enterprise is sure to introduce at once

modern ideas as to sewerage, surface draining andaqueducts, stamping out all fevers; and a sure cure forthe bronchial and lung troubles of the natives may befound in a httle healthful physical exercise, to whichyour Porto Rican at present is a perfect stranger. Thelack of muscular exertion, together with the effects ofthe everlasting cigar or cigarette, and the enormousamount of strons: coffee consumed dailv, have left the


58/198

46 THE INHABITANTS.Porto Rican a poor specimen of manhood. Outdoorexercise, embracing athletics, football, etc., will beamong the greatest blessings that we can bring tO'them.

THE INHABITANTS.In complexion the inhabitants of the island vary

from a very deep black to a light brown. The coloredpeople represent the darker shades and the Spaniardsthe lighter, but a real coal-black African is just asrarely to be found as a really white member of thewhite race.

In character, language, actions and gestures, theSpanish and the native Porto Rican are not distin-guishable to an American eye. The men are spare inbuild, with a fair average in height. Owing to theirindolent life, they are not muscular, but straight incarriage, and lively in manners, and the author foundthem frank and generous. Their little island is too smallever to be a kingdom or republic by itself, and so theyhave felt the heartburns of the Cuban patriot but little,nor have they ever been jealous or envious of other na-tions. Friendly with all the world, satisfied with theircountry, without a possible national ambition, and by


59/198


60/198


61/198

THE INHABITANTS. 49the very nature of their country compelled and enabledto trade with anybody and everybody, they are cosmo-politan in their hearts and were ready to becomeAmericans, as they knew that the change would onlytend to enhance their liberties without threatening asingle one of their interests. This seems to be thenatural explanation of the cordial reception with whichour American boys and our flag met down there attheir first appearance, so surprising to ourselves andall the world, and especially to tHe people of Spain,who could not understand it, since the Porto Ricanshad not rebelled against the mother country but once,and that so long ago that hardly one in a thousandhad ever heard of it.The author found the men he met socially pleasant,

generous and eager to please, gentlemanly in everyrespect. They lack some of the qualities of the stal-wart American type, but this is due to their civic con-ditions. Without a voioe in the government of state,district or city, without a voice in matters pertaining tochurch or school, taxes or tariff, they lack all politicaltraining and their horizon is limited by that nnich.The laborers and lower classes are no doubt lazierthan their Northern brethren, but if we i:ake into ac-


62/198

50 SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION.count the climate and the impossibility under Spanishrule to ever rise by the work of their hands, we mayentertain the hope that under the American flag wid-ened chances will spur them' into greater and remu-nerative activity.

The fair sex in Porto Rico is of the same dark com-plexion as the men. They are as a rule plump andgood-looking. Beyond, this I cannot say, having seenbut little of them during my hurried travels. Of thechildren I saw more, In fact all there could beseen In most cases. Up to their sixth or seventh yearthey wear no clothes at all, but run around clad in in-nocence. Their plays are quieter than those of ourboys and children, but the author frequently noticedtheir jolly good-naturedness.

SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION.According to statistics there are 445 primary

schools in Porto Rico, 299 for boys and 146 for girls,attended by 31,541 pupils of both sexes. It is statedthat attendance Is compulsory, instruction free to thepoor, and they are furnished books, paper, etc., freeof charge.

In view of this oflficial statement, it was surprising to


63/198


64/198


65/198

SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION. 53find that so few people could either read or write, ac-cording to an estimate by a Porto Rican, in a positionto be well informed, only about 7 per cent, oi the popu-lation. Even if we do not assume that compulsoryeducation exists on paper only, like religious toler-ance, it will be possible to reconcile the two facts, byconsidering that the schools are entirely under theguidance of the Catholic Church, and that the greaterpart of the school hours is devoted to the instructionand drill of the children in the ceremonial and devo-tional exercises of the Catholic ritual, and to thelegends of saints and martyrs, for all of which neitherreading or writing is required.The school buildings which we saw, were of

the poorest possible description, some of them hardlydeserving to be called anything better than a shed.Scores of fine cathedrals and the substantial guard-houses for the soldiers on the royal highways formeda significant contrast to these apologies for schoolhouses.The introduction of the American public school sys-tem will work a radical change in this most important

matter. It will take some time to find and preparethe proper teachers, however, because they must speak


66/198

54 CHURCH AND REIvIGION.Spanish and pronounce it well, or the children will notunderstand them; but we should lose no time in plan-ning and starting the great work.

Institutions for secondary education are scarce onthe island.

CHURCH AND RELIGION.The Roman Catholic Church religion is the only

one existino- in Porto Rico. It is the official or statereligion and the churches and the clergy are supportedby the state from general taxes. The island has abishop who is subordinate to the archbishop of San-tiago de Cuba.We, in the United States, have no conception of

the manner in which the whole public and private lifein countries exclusively catholic, is pervaded by theintimate relations to the clergy.We took pains to get the opinion of the Porto

Ricans as to the effect of the imminent arrival ofAmerican protestant missionaries, and were surprisedto find much Indifference,


67/198


68/198


69/198

57

PRODUCTS.The principal products of Porto Rico are sugar,

coffee, tobacco, and cocoanuts, but the variety offruits and vegetables outside of these named arealmost innumerable, oranges, lemons, limes, pine-apples, bananas, alligator pears, mangoes, papas,mamas and guavas, and of vegetables, beans, rice, corn,sweet potatoes, and almost every vegetable that growsin our land. All are plentiful. Wheat, rye, oats andbarley must be imported; the potatoes raised are of apoor quality.The time it takes various fruits and vegetation to

bear or mature differs greatly. The coffee tree takesfour years to produce, and then the yield is small, andnot till the tree is seven years old is it counted at itsbest. Before planting coffee a plentiful shade must beprovided. For the first two years a temporary shade isfurnished by banana trees, and after that larger treesare planted and trained to give a permanent shade.

Passing through a coffee plantation is like goingthrough a jungle. The large shade trees on an oldplantation give it the appearance of a forest, and thenthe growth of coffee trees beneath their greaterfriends, spread and bend, till the narrow space of nine


70/198

58 PRODUCTS.or ten feet between is covered and the branches inter-twine and weave together, forming one thick mass ofshrubbery. Beneath all this you will find anothergrowth of vegetation in grass, flowers, vines, etc., andwith this bottom mat, the dense shade and thealmost daily rains, the coffee grove is always wet, andyou cannot pass through without being draggled. Anew plantation gives some returns after the fourthyear. After the seventh year a good plantation is agold mine for twenty-five years to come.The trees are planted about three Spanish yards or

varas apart, (a vara is about 33 inches), and an acre isabout 75 varas square, which will make about 625coffee trees to an acre. I could get no reliable infor-mation as to what the yield was per acre, but theprofit is known to be very large. The trees growabout eight feet high and send out new shoots fromthe ground in different directions, and each and everystem is loaded with the highly-prized berries, eachberry containing two of what we term grains of coffee.The stem is the size of a lead pencil, or less, and prac-tically lined from end to end with berries. The berrieswill grow to the length of half an inch and a little lessin diameter, being somewhat oblong, holding a rich,


71/198


72/198


73/198

PRODUCTS. 61dark green color till ripening time, about the 1st ofOctober, when they turn a bright rich red color.Their brittle skin contains a kind of jelh around thetwo grains of coffee. The skin is broken by a ma-chine and the coffee is washed and cleansed of all ad-herent matter, and then dried on racks or cement bedsin a few hours and is ready for the market. PortoRican coffee is as good as any in the world and com-mands a price equal to that of Java.There are excellent coffee plantations in the island

that are miles up the mountains, being accessibleonly by little native pack ponies over mountainpaths. The life of a coffee planter is not so bad whenyou think of the value of the crop, as a little pony willcarry out at one time from a hundred to one hundredand fifty pounds of coffee, which means to the ownerof the hacienda from 20 to 30 dollars. This may lookto some as a slow life, but it very closely resembles agold mine as the years go on. The exportation ofcoffee out of Porto Rico by the last published reportfor one year was $8,789,788 worth. Sugar cane is thenext crop in value in Porto Rico. This crop willbear in nine months after planting, and will producewell for about seven years thereafter without replant-


74/198

62 PRODUCTS.ing. It is a valuable crop. The fields seem to becovered so thick that there could not be found roomfor any more stalks. The discouraging conditions inthe island the last few years have told more on thesugar industry than on anything else, and today theremay be seen many fine cane plantations lying idle, andthe buildings falling to decay, which show plainly bytheir architecture and extent that they have seen pros-perous times. Acres and acres of sugar land are todaygiven up to grazing of immense herds of native cattle,as the cultivating in years past was found to be un-profitable. There seems to be nothing different in theappearance of the cane when growing, or the manage-ment of an estate, from what we see in our own canefields of Louisiana. This business will beyond anydoubt take on new life now, and perhaps our occupa-tion of this territory will tell more on the sugartrade than on any other business of the island.Sugar haciendas are quite plentiful along the coastand river valleys, and when encouraged, and properlycultivated, will, like the coffee, be a gold mine. The landtoday is held at from $100 to $200 per acreAmericanmoneybut the prices may vary from this when somebasis for business is established there. The last report


75/198


76/198


77/198

PRODUCTS. 65published of the value of one year's sugar product ex-ported, was $3,747,891. This amount will probablybe doubled, when the industry takes new life.Tobacco is a paying crop and is cultivated about

the same as in the states. It is not grown to such anextent as. sugar and cofYee, only $646,556 worth beingexported in one year, according to last published re-port. It is a strong tobacco when made into cigars,and it may be possible to improve it by proper curing.On the high lands in the vicinity of Coamo andAbonito are the best tobacco plantations.

Cocoanuts are a staple in the markets. They areused by the thousand, by the people of the island, andare exported in great quantities. A person owningone hundred acres of cocoanut trees, need not do anywork the balance of his natural Hfe. A tree will growin about ten square feet, and this would give about 500trees to the acre, and each tree is valued at from onedollar to one dollar and seventy-five cents each year.This is for the nuts alone, without considering the fiberthat can be taken from the tree. It takes a tree fromfive to seven years to mature and bear, and it issaid that a cocoanut tree was never known to die ofits own accord. They live and yield continuously


78/198

66 PRODUCTS.for almost countless years, are pretty to look at andrich in production.Orange trees will bear in about four years. The

fruit is fine and will perhaps prove worthy of cultiva-tion.

Lemon trees will bear in about four years. Limesare grown quite extensively and are much more in usein Porto Rico than lemons.The banana in Porto Rico comes nearer being at

home everywdiere, than any other fruit or vegetable.From the lowest lowlands to the highest hilltops thebanana tree may be found, and apparently happy withits load of rich fruit. It is the best friend of the peoplewho occupy this land. Its fruit is plentiful and holdsabout the same place there that our potatoes hold here.The people would find life hard without them. Theyhave many varieties, which are used in different ways.The one that is eaten raw as we eat bananas, grows insmall clusters and only about five inches long. It isfine of meat and rich in flavor. From this varietythey run up to great size and length; and the largerones are much coarser and are used for cooking andalso drying and rubbing into flour. The tree will growto its height from nine to fifteen feet, and bear in


79/198


80/198


81/198

PRODUCTS. 69about nine months. It is rich and beautiful to lookat and gives good shade.

Pineapples grow in abundance. They bear fruitin about nine months, grow very large and are of thebest flavor and quality. Will be a paying staple andrequire little labor, as the same plant produces fruitmany times in succession. The pineapple culture islikely to be one of the leading industries of the island.

Grapes are grown but little. The grape vine seemsto thrive better in the temperate zone where the plantgathers strength during the winter season.The guava is a small fruit, growing on a tree like a

peach or apple tree, about one and a half inches indiameter. Nearly round in shape with seeds like atomato or fig. This fruit is used extensively to makea jelly or paste. Occasionally it is found in our mar-kets. Because of the plentifulness of the fruit and therich pleasant paste that can be made from it, a guava-jelly industry is sure to spring up and this delicacywill soon find a place by the side of our other sweet-meats.

Alligator pears are plentiful and much used by thenatives. They grow on large trees and are offeredfor sale in abundance in the markets and by peddlers.


82/198

70 PRODUCTS.They are three times the size of our large CaU-fornia pears, dark green in color and coated witha hard shell-like skin. The taste is not much likethat of our .pear and in first trying to eat the fruit onemay pronounce it a poor pear, but a good kind ofpumpkin. Cooking or preserving may bring out itshidden virtues. Beside the fruits named there aremany others, such as the mango, which the natives useextensively, but which proved to be very unhealthy toour soldiers while doing service in Porto Rico. Thefruit is large, reddish yellow in color, and grows onlarge trees in abundance. Then there is the cactusfruit, the mama, the canape and innumerable others.

It is a land of fruits of all kinds and in the greatestabundance. In addition to the fruits, vegetables of allkinds are plentiful. Sweet potatoes and beans areexcellent. The Porto Rican rice is of a variety thatdoes not require so much water as the Louisiana rice.Corn is good and three crops may be grown in one year.Almost all the vegetables familiar to us are found onthe north side of the island and well up to the highlands.

For a person with a love for a grand garden with


83/198

Officers Of ^-^-^^^^^^^^^^ in Porto Rico, Composed of Company A, First Illinois, anaWashington, D. C. Company, in their Kitchen at the Base of a LargeTree while in Camp Near Ponce.


84/198


85/198

CATTI.E, FODDER AND POUIvTRY. 73fruits, flowers and vegetables, by the side of runningwater, Porto Rico is the place, especially the northernportion.

CATTLE, FODDER AND POULTRY.The stock and poultry of Porto Rico are very infe-

rior. You will find poor horses or, rather, no horses,but little ponies weighing GOO or 700 pounds. Thecattle are fair in size, up to the average of ours, butnot the best for milk or meat. The oxen of the islandare perhaps superior to our own, as they are so mus-cular and strong in the neck, having been bred forthe purpose of drawing heavy loads. The yoke is tiedto the horns by rawhide thongs, and the loads on thetwo-wheeled cart are pushed up-hill and controlledgoing down-hill by their great necks.Draught oxen are worth from 125 to 200 pesos a

yoke, according to the quality of the stock, the excel-lence of the match and the care with which they havebeen broken, of course. Good beef is scarce andbrings in good times 3J or 3-| pesos for the arroba(25 pounds).The principal varieties of pasture grass grown in


86/198

74 CATTI.E, FODDER AND POULTRY.Porto Rico are guinea grass, para and gramma. Thefirst does not require a rich soil and grows an thehills. Cut and chopped it makes an excellent greenfodder. Gramma is about the same, while para re-quires the rich, alluvial soil of the bottom land. Itfattens the cattle, but does not give them much solidflesh.

Cattle raisers have to contend with two pests, theguava and a peculiar plant called ''mori vivi. Theguava is eaten by the cattle with avidity. The undi-gested seeds are scattered everywhere, take root, and,growing and multiplying rapidly, are more destructiveto a pasture than the thistle of the north. The ''morivivi is a sensitive plant which it is hard to fight. Thecenter of the little weed is a tempting morsel for cattle,but it is surrounded by a circular row of very sharpand stifif needles, which usually he flat on the ground,but rise like the bristles of a porcupine as soon as acow or steer attempts to nibble at it. The cattle sooolearn not to poke their noses into these prickles andthe weed, unmolested, soon overruns the whole pas-ture, so that it has to be abandoned for a whole seasonat times, until these pests can be exterminated.

Cured hay is unknown on the island, as green fodder


87/198


88/198


89/198

CATTIvE, FODDER AND POUIvTRY. 77is abundant all the year around. In the cities the grasspeddler makes his daily rounds, like a milkman.The other animals found on the island, like the

goat, sheep, hog, dog, etc., seem to be dwarfed andneed new blood to bring them up to a useful stateand to the size that is common with us. The hog canbeat the long-nosed Mississippi rooter in leanness andlength of head.The poultry, like the animals, are of inferior grade.

The chicken, which is so useful to man, is very smallin size. It looks like a species of game, not so large,but even leaner, if possible. The little cock uf thechicken family is as proud as a Spaniard, and beingtrained for the pit, would put up a good fight, assome of our army officers, who turned to this sportin their leisure hours, will testify.Turkeys are small. They do not seem to take on

any meat and are almost unfit for use, nor can youever call a Porto Rican turkey pretty, as it is generallyas innocent of plumage as the children are of clothes.

This state of things was certainly brought aboutby the island being cut off from the balance of theworld, and no new blood being taken into the com-numity. For four centuries thev have been inbred


90/198

78 INSECTS, GAME, FISH AND BIRDS,and inbred, till they are so diminutive in size that theyare almost worthless. It is a grand opportunity forour stock breeders to try experiments and see whatthe country needs and what will thrive there, andfill this one void in Porto Rico as we found it.

INSFXTS, GAME, FISH AND BIRDS.There are no snakes in the island of any conse-

quence; only very small and perfectly harmless speci-mens are to be found.

Centipedes are quite plentiful, but are not muchdreaded by the people. The peons go barefoot andseem to have no fear of them. They are found prin-cipally about old buildings. Their sting is not countedfatal.

The tarantitla is also to be found there, but I nevercame in contact with one, and know of no case ofour soldiers being disturbed by them in all their camp-ing in low land and on mountain side, and I do notthink they will seriously interfere with the enjoymentof life.The lizard is common and may be seen in all its

glory along the road, and of all colors ; perfectly harm-less to any one that Is not too nervous. If you are


91/198


92/198


93/198

INSECTS, GAME, FISH AND BIRDS. 81nervous, you may find your peace broken by feelingone of them glide gently over your neck when in bed.There being no game on the island, it is no place forthe hunter. I was told, though, that this class mightfind entertainment enough by simply crossing Moaiachannel to Mona island, about thirty miles distant,where wild hogs and goats and other game areplentiful.

Fish are abundant around the coast and many arecaught, but there is no great business done in thisline, as the climate is too warm to handle fish withoutice, which is scarce.While lying at anchor in Ponce and Mayaguez, we

saw many large fish in the water around the vessel,and some officers aboard amused themselves shootingat sharks. Whether there are any fish in the rivers Icannot say from my own knowledge, but I shouldjudge that trout and similar fish would enjoy thosemountain brooks and rushing rivers.

Birds are not very plentiful; those seen are verypretty; the parrot, the canary, the nightingale, thethrush, and manv others.


94/198

82

RIVERS, LAKES AND LAGOONS.I know of no other land on the globe so plentifully

blest with pretty little fresh-water rivers as is thisisland. In her small area of less than 4,000 squaremiles, and v^^here the whole island may be girdled bya trip of 275 miles, we find over sixty rivers pouringinto the seas. None of these are large in the sense inwhich we of the land of the Mississippi, Ohio andHudson speak of large rivers, but they gather quitea volume of water in their short course.They form high up in the mountains from fresh-

water springs, and, joining forces with many littlestreamlets and increased by the frequent rains, theybecome of volume enough to float a good-sized boatby the time they reach the coast.

There are three rivers of considerable importance.The Loiza, rising in Cerro-Gordo, near Cayey, passingthrough the districts of San Lorenzo, Caguas, Guraboand the two Trujillos, emptying into the Atlanticocean in the north of Loiza.The Plata, rising in the Cayey district, on the Pelado

range, passing through the districts of Cayey, Aibo-nito, Cidra, Sabana del Palmar, Naranjito, the two


95/198


96/198


97/198

RIVERS; LAKES AND LAGOONS. 85Toas, and El Dorado emptying Into Boca-Habana, inthe north of Lower Toa.The Anasco, rising in San German, on the northern

side of the Cain range, empt3ang in the west of theisland.

Of some importance are, also, the Bayamon, Ma-nati and Arecibo in the north; the Culebrinas andGuanajibo in the west, and the Jacaguas and Patillasin the south.

This wonderful supply of water for so small a terri-tory is certainly worthy of comment. It is to thiswealth of water and its perfect distribution throughoutthat the island owes its beauty and fertility. There isno place where the dry season or dry weather everaffects the crops, except in the south-east corner. Itis here, perhaps, that the enterprising American mayfind a splendid field for the exercise of his genius andenergy.There need not be a crop failure on account of a

drought if the water is properly husbanded, and theswift currents can easily be harnessed and made toturn the wheels of industry, or produce an electriccurrent that will propel the trolley car even to themountain peaks, or give light to the homes that are


98/198

86 HARBORS.

now lighted by the crude lallow dips that we delegatedto the past so many generations ago.There is a lagoon running east from Arecibo about

one mile inland, about four miles long, which will floata good-sized vessel. Several small inland lakes maybe found along the coast, principally on the north side.

HARBORS.Guanica Bay is on the south side of the island and

well to the west. It is beyond question the best har-bor on the whole coast of Porto Rico. It is deepinland, with enough depth of water to carry any vesselin ordinary shipping. It is the bay where the Ameri-can army first landed, when the invasion commenced,and by building pontoon docks out 225 feet, all stockwas unloaded from the transports with ease. It isalmost a model harbor, and with small expense can beput in perfect condition, as it practically already hasdepth enough and is completely protected from thesea.

It may become the principal trading port of theisland, when roads and railroads are completedthroughout.The harbor of San Juan, the capital, is of ample size


99/198


100/198


101/198

HARBORS. 89and sufficient depth of water, but the channel leadingto it is narrow and so difficult that the frequent stormsof the north coast seriously interfere with San Juan'strade.

It is probable that the channel will be improved, asno doubt San Juan will remain the capital and prin-cipal town of the island. It has many great advan-tages, and with an improved harbor, will soon becomean American city.The other harbors, some of them hardly to be

called harbors, Arecibo, on the north, Aguadilla andMayaguez on the west, Guayanilla, Ponce and Arroyoon the south, and Humacao on the east, are nothingmore than small pockets in the coast line, and some ofthem nothing more than open roadways in the ocean.Arecibo is exposed fully to the ocean and has no pro-tection. A vessel cannot risk lying at anchor if a blowis on, but must put to sea. Ponce, Mayaguez, Agua-dilla and Arroyo, are a little better, but will necessitategreat outlay of money in building docks and molesor breakwaters strong enough to resist the enormouspower of the ocean waves.American capital will find a large field in the needed

harbor improvements in all the ports of Porto Rico.


102/198

90 MOUNTAINS, MINES, CAVES, ETC.

In Playa de Ponce, for instance, the warehousesseemed to be ah wrongly located. They certainly arenot near the place where the first shipping dock willbe built. The Spanish administration seems to havetaken absolutely no cognizance of the requirementsand interests of commerce. At present there are nodocks. Unloading is done by means of Hghters, amile or so out in the bay. Our American merchantswill not stand the loss of lime and the unnecessaryexpense of such a method very long.

MOUNTAINS, MINES, CAVES, ETC.To those approaching Porto Rico from any direc-

tion, it appears to consist of nothing but mountains,and the aspect of the green terraced tiers, rising gradu-ally from the coast to a height varying from 670meters (2,233 feet) in the west to 1,520 meters (5,066feet) in the north-east, is certainly beautiful and veryattractive.The highest peak is Mount El Yunque, 1,5^0 meters

high and visible from the sea at a distance of sixty-eight miles. It is part of the lange running east andwest, and dividing the island into the north and southportions. The range extends from the capes of San


103/198


104/198


105/198

MOUNTAINS, MINES, CAVES, ETC. 93Juan on the eastern extremity, to Point Cadera, nearRincon in the west. From this range, the greatwatershed of the island, the waters have run north andsouth for thousands of years, washing out deep ravinesand valleys and leaving standing between them in-numerable ridges, which in turn became small water-sheds and were cut into by the torrents of the rainyseason.Notable high peaks are Torrecilla, between Barran-

quitas and Barros, 3,667 feet high; Mata de Platanos,near Penuelas, 3,030 feet high; Torito, in Cayey, 2,856feet high; Silla de Guilarte, in Adjuntas, 3,660 feethigh, and Cerro-Gordo, in San German, 2,233 feethigh.

In minerals the little island cannot be expected tobe very rich, but there are three salines (at Salinas,Guanica and Cabo Rojo), while galena is mined inLa Rosita in Guayama; gold is washed in La Cati-nesterlila in Luquillo; lead is found in Guyama, andHme-phosphates on the island of Mona.

There are some thermal springs, the most famousamong them being the Banos de Coamo, near SantaIsabel, in the south, where people afflicted with


106/198

94 MOUNTAINS, MINES, CAVES, ETC.rheums and skin diseases find relief. The water herehas a temperature of 113 degrees.Two miles from Ponce are the sulphur baths of

Quintana, the waters of which contain calcium andsoda besides the sulphur. During the morning hourshealth-seekers enjoy the baths, while the afternoonand evening are given up to the sporting element.The springs of Juana-Diaz have the reputation of

strengthening an enfeebled stomach, and there areothers In San Sebastian, San Lorenzo and Ponce, buttheir virtues do not seem to have been discovered orclassified.Of caves the island contains a large number. The

interior of the most notable one, Aguas-Buenas, provesthe volcanic origin of the island. It is tortuous, with

deep recesses, but a visit is rendered unpleasant byclouds of bats inhabiting it, and whose droppings fillthe cave to about one-third of its natural height. Ofthe other caves we will name two, that of Ciales, andin Arecibo the cave called Consejo, which is interest-ing to the geologist and traveller.


107/198


108/198


109/198

97

PUBLIC ROADS.On account of the topography of the island, the

pubHc roads, which the government built principallyfrom a military point of view, conform closely to theoutline form of the island, making the circuit, with theexception of the south-east corner, while the south andnorth coasts are, in addition, connected by two roadsrunning across the back of the big watershed. Oneof these, the road from San Juan to Coamo, is a splen-did piece of engineering, and the pride of the inhabi-tants of the whole island. The road is about 100kilometers or sixty-three miles long, and thirty feetwide, solidly built, macadamized and as smooth asanything except asphalt can be. From Coamo theroad continues west through Ponce along the southshore, but although it is very good, it does not com-pare with the part first named.The ''royal roads, plainly indicated on our map,

must be called very good as a whole, but outside ofthem there are absolutely no roads worth speakingof. What this must mean in such a mountainousregion, where any road deserving the name can bebuilt only at great expense, the reader will be able to


110/198

98 PUBLIC ROADS.imagine. From Mayaguez you may travel due eastfor thirty-five miles through a weld-populated districtbefore you reach a road, say at Utuado, and from thereto Caguas, again due east, is about sixty miles betweentwo good roads. There are roads connecting cities andvillages, but they are so rough that a carriage or wagonwould go to pieces in the first half hour, and in placesyou have to lead your pony over boulders and fallentrees for miles. Good roads will do wonders for thecountry, by opening up the interior.

In traveling through the island, you nuist be a goodhorseman to make one of these trips up the mountains.It is thrilling and grand if you can stay on your pony,as he climbs up and slides down the steep banks andwallows through the little rivers. I, myself, broughtsome marks of my trip back with me to the UnitedStates, in the shape of bruises.When the rainy season sets in, the clay ground be-

comes so slippery, that the faithful animal, be it everso honest, will lose its footing and sometimes give youa roll down the bank and land on top of you. This Itried to take as a joke because I was about the samesize as my mount, and I simply acknowledged that itwas a pony on me, and would lead him till we found


111/198


112/198


113/198

PUBLIC ROADS. 101a better road. I shall never forget the impression Ihad, after climbing about two thousand feet above thesea, making eight miles on the back of a pony,when I turned and looked at the country be-hind me. We were in the midst of a cofifee plantationand in view of the lower lands. We could see foursmall towns, and the capital in all her grandeur in thedistance.Certainly if you can endure the ride and are sure that

you can stand a six hundred pound animal falling onyou about three times, it will pay you to make such atrip. A more pleasing view, a more exhilaratingatmosphere and a more restful place cannot be found.You are disturbed by nothing but the chatter of thefew birds in the trees and these pass unnoticed, as thewild parrot does not talk our language; and the crow,if he ever had the caw of our American crow, has beencompelled to leave it ofY and spends his time in study-ing the cut of your clothes.

If you desire to make an extended trip in PortoRico, you may, of course, by taking plenty of time,cover a good part of the island by sailing around itand landing at dififerent points, and then running


114/198

102 PUBIvIC ROADS.inland as far as the roads are good, but this will takemuch more time, and will be much more expensive.

In this connection I should hke to speak of an ideathat occupied my mind frequently, as I travelled alongthe royal roads. All along these highways, at intervalsof about six miles, there stand substantial buildings,erected for the purpose of sheltering the civil guardsor military of the island.These houses are constructed of masonry, about

20x40 feet. They are first-class buildings and by slightalterations could be made into most elegant publicschool houses. We shall not need them for the pur-pose for which they were erected, and as the peoplemust have free schools, let our government, whichwent into this war with Spain for humanity's sake,import into the island some of our liberal-mindedschool teachers, of which we have enough and tospare, and open up all these good buildings as publicschools, as soon as possible, since Spain has nowvacated the land.


115/198


116/198


117/198

105

RAILROAD AND STREET CARS.The railroads of the island are all narrow gauge and

not far reaching in length. The island is girdled by onefranchise, which starts at the capital, San Juan, andwere the road built, would carry you clear around theisland, about 275 miles, touching all the towns alongthe coast, and at Humacao, on the east end oi theIsland, a branch would run intO' Caguas about twenty-five miles, and there are nice dotted lines on the com-pany's map to show where other branches may berun. As I said before, this is only a franchise. It wasgranted to a French company about eight years ago,and you must not gO' tO' Porto Rico expecting to ridearound the island by rail for some two years to come.It will be taken care of by some of our enterprisingAmericans, and from some little facts I gathered I amconfident that the first steps in this direction havealready been taken. The franchise referred to hasexpired and is declared by good authorities to be per-fectly worthless. The present tracks will be utilizedso far as this can be done, but there will be a newgrant, leaving the old company out.When the franchise was granted eight years ago,


118/198

106 RAII/ROAD AND STREET CARS,a start was made from the capital south to Bayamon,and thence west to Arecibo and a Httle beyond thispoint, which is in all about fifty miles. A start wasalso made at Aguadilla to Rincon, through Anascoand Mayaguez, and beyond, to within about two milesof San German, with a branch from Anasco to Lares.Another start was made at Ponce and carried throughGuayanilla to Yauco, and also a short piece of roadwas built from San Juan toward Carolina, which lieseast of the capital, but was not finished and has neverbeen used. This is all that has been done in railroadbuilding, and as it rests to-day, is absolutely useless tothe public. Out of the whole franchise of about 300miles, only about 134 miles have been constructed.The gauge of the road is 3 feet llj inches. The roadis well equipped with rolling stock and the depots andwater tanks all along these pieces of road are ofmasonry and in good condition. The incompletenessof the system and the irregular running of trainsexclude all freightage and keep the usefulness of theroad down in every way. The roadbed looks as muchHke a pasture as like a railroad. In fact, stock may beseen along the tracks, and in fifty miles our engineerslackened his sixteen-mile-an-hour speed more than


119/198


120/198


121/198

RAII^ROAD AND STREET CARS. 109once to give some huge ox or bull the privilege ofcrossing, as the animal was weightier than the engine.Trains are run only in the early morning and lateafternoon hours. From 10 a. m. to 4 p. m. there is notraffic.

This will all soon, and very soon, be changed.American business methods are bound to bring goodresults in this, as in all other directions. The enter-prising early visitors on the island seemed to prefer acold franchise to flowers, oranges and pretty things,as the franchises were well looked to before they hadseen a plantation in the land. When we were in Ponce,about the time the protocol was signed, it was trulyamusing to see the crowd of speculators gatheringthere, and all of them trying to get on the inside ofsomething good. Not one of them seemed to realizethe insignificant size of the island and had they com-promised the matter by agreeing to divide up on thewhole franchises and each take an equal share, theywould not have gotten more than about eleven feeteach.From the capital to Rio Piedras runs a narrow

gauge railroad to accommodate the small suburbantravel, and to haul grass. By the way, Rio Piedras is


122/198

110 RAILROAD AND STREEP CARS.the summer resort of the capital; the governor-gen-eral's summer home is there among others. This shortroad would make a nice electric line and will undoubt-edly be used in this way in the near future.

In Mayaguez, the west end town^ there is a little toystreet car line from the harbor up to the street onwhich the town hall is situated. It is the only realstreet car line on the island. The cars are drawn byHttle ponies, and are so small that but few people canride at a time. If a car jumps the track, the colnductorand driver invite the people aboard to leave the car,and then they lift it back on the rails. I don'tknow who owns the road, but think it is a syndicateof residents of the town. Directly after our peopletook possession of Mayaguez on the 12th of August,the board of directors of this extensive enterprisenotified the public that instead of the 3-cent fare thathad been charged up to that time, they were compelledto charge now 5 cents^ assigning as the reason that thegreat increase in business necessitated it, as the man-agement had to exert themselves so much more tofill the demands on them. It was perhaps good argu-ment, but it looked to my skeptical mind more as if


123/198


124/198


125/198

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONES. 113the owners had heard of WaU street and were takiagadvantage of an opportunity.Whether American capitaHsts wiU find profitable

fields in Porto Rico in the way of street car lines, Icannot say; but until the interior is opened up moreand until wages for labornow 60 to 70 cents a dayshall have risen to a higher standard, I should saythere will not be people enough who want to ride tomake any new surface road pay anywhere on theisland.

TELECxRAPH AND TELEPHONES.From the capital you can communicate with all the

principal towns of the island by telegraph, both aroundthe coast and throughout the interior. It was esti-mated that at the time our army invaded the island,there were in use about 500 miles of telegraph line.It can be said of the telegraph in Porto Rico that itwas found in more perfect working order than anyother branch of public improvements, and it will needbut few additions to make the system complete. Asin European countries, the telegraph lines were builtand controlled by the government, and were, there-fore, like the royal roads, well planned and constructed


126/198

114 TELEGRAPH AND TBivEPHONBS.at the expense of the people. This method has oneadvantage: As the people have paid the cost of estab-Hshing the plant, they are not called upon to pay morefor the service than it takes to run the system. Therates are consequently so low as to be a surprise toan American.The telephone is not in universal use in the island,but is making fair progress. We found it in quitegeneral use in the three principal towns. In San Juanthe residents estimated that there were 500 'phones inuse; in Ponce 200, and more being added daily, andin Mayaguez it was coming into general use. Thetelephone is destined to play a prominent part in theaffairs of the island in a short time. The towns arenot far distant from each other, and a simple littleline, such as is needed to do business from placeto place will cost little. A system reaching from shoreto shore north and south and even east and west willnot cost much, and I doubt not that each and everytown will soo'n have the telephone and through thismeans of communication the island will be much bene-fited.


127/198


128/198


129/198


130/198

118 MEASURES AND MONEY.silver, and 5 and 10 pesos in gold. The latest coins allbear the imprint 'Isla de Puerto Rico/' but they wereminted in Spain. Of paper currency they have 5, 10and 20 pesos bill^. The fives are of the size and shapeof a cabinet photograph; the tens are considerablylarger, and the twenties are of commercial letter size.The bills I saw were made in the United States.Of course this money will be speedily replaced by

our United States currency. We shall have to shoul-der the expense of cancelling and withdrawing thecoins and substituting ours for them. What will be-come of the bills I cannot say, but there will probablybe no difficulty about it, and no loss entailed to any-body.During the author's sojourn in the island a local

paper (a curiosity, printed on one side o'f a sheet12|- inches by 8-| inches, without date or indication ofthe place of pubhcation, called El BuscapieFoot-guide), contained a leader, in which it was stated thata New York moneyed company intended to buy upall the Porto Rican pesos at $1 each, to make sou-venirs of the war of them and sell them, making aprofit of about $2,000,000 o,n them and relieving thePorte Ricans of a serious and embarrassing problem.


131/198


132/198


133/198

MISCKIvLANBOUS INFORMATION. 121Our saying of castles in Spain has, of course, itsequivalent in Spanish. Could it be that this equivalentis anything like ''gold mines in New York ?

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.Coal has not yet been discovered on the island ex-

cept in insignificant quantities, and it is not believedthat there is much of it there. What is used comesfrom Norfolk, Va., and costs 8^ to 10 pesos per ton.Only the electric light plants, factories, railroads, etc.,requiring a constant supply of coal, have occasion topurchase it. All cooking is done by charcoal^ broughtdown from the mountains by the peons and sellingat 25 centavos per bushel.Bricks are rather poor in quahty, being soft and

easily broken, though durable when laid in the wall.They are made of a size about 6x9x1^ inches. Theyare commonly sold in the towns at 8 pesos per 1,000delivered. The supply of clay is unlimited.

Paints.Way up in the mountains, 2,000 feetabove the sea, about seven miles south of Rio Grande,are found in abundance the minerals used for paint, inred, white and blue. These colors are displayed onthe buildings, throughout the island, with scarcely


134/198

122 MISCElvIvANEOUS INFORMATION.any variation, either by mixing them together oradding other shades. It is curious indeed that MotherEarth should, in this island, supply the colors whichrepresent, so completely, our national emblem^thestars and stripes. The people of Porto Rico willvalue henceforth, more than ever, this chalky sub-stance, because it will serve as a reminder of the flagthat relieved them from the oppression endured bythem for centuries.Lumber.The duty on lumber up to this time has

been 4 pesos on rough, and 6 pesos on dressed. Theprices at which lumber has retailed run from 28 pesosfor the commonest pine to 45 pesos for good Georgiapine. The island produces some beautiful hardwood,highly prized for furniture. Some of it sells in the logfor 5 pesos per cubic foot in the harbors.Galvanized Corrugated Iron is used generallythroughout the island for roofs and temporary enclos-ures. Heretofore it has been principally importedfrom England, and is now selling for 6 pesos and 25centavos per 100 pounds, being sold in bundles offourteen sheets, 3x6 feet, with an average weight of220 pounds a bundle. It s-tands the climate well, not-withstanding many reports to the contrary.


135/198


136/198


137/198


138/198

126 SOME STRIKING PECULIARITIES.are considered good when proper transfers have beenmade, which means getting- the signatures of all theliving people who might in any way becoiiie heirs tothe seller. The recording does not seem to giveany advantage, except as a safeguard against the lossof the papers.Rents.The rate of rent charged for any property

seems to be established at about 12 per cent, of its costor earning power capitalized. If the house cost 1,200pesos and the lot were valued at 800 pesos, the rentat 12 per cent, would be 240 pesos a year.

SOME STRIKING PECULIARITIES OFPORTO RICAN LIFE.

Ice, artificially made, is only to be obtained in threetowns: San Juan, Ponce and Mayaguez. The priceis from 20 to 30 pesos per ton in large quantities, andfrom 2 to 6 centavos per pound at retail. The nativesuse but Httle, and since the American occupation thearmy has utilized the plants to their utmost capacity,frequently no ice being obtainable at any price.Butter is not made on the island. The sniall quan-

tity used is brought from Denmark and Holland, aiidcosts 1 peso per pound. It comes i(n sealed packages.


139/198


140/198


141/198

SOME STRIKING PECULIARITIES. 129The scarcity of butter makes the problem of eating aserious one for Americans, as one is obHged to becomeaccustomed to many unfamihar dishes. OUve oil andgarlic reign supreme. A native cannot eat unless hisfood is flavored with odorous garlic and swimming inoil. When we forbade our cook to further use thesearticles, she said, straightening up, that it was impos-sible to prepare a meal without them.Peddling Milk.In many of the towms the milk-

man drives his cow from door to door calling outvaca (cow), and his customers generally bringout a large bottle and watch the fluid milked intoit. The calf ahvays accompanies the cow\ Thepeddler cannot be accused of watering his milk unlessthey think him expert enough to carry a supplyup his sleeve. I saw^ one of our soldiers buyingmilk, who, after seeing it drawn from the cow accusedthe milkman of selling him agua (w^ater). I w-onderedwhom the charge was against, the man or the cow. Thecow looked unconcerned, I am sure, but the milkmandid not, although I could not swear that he understoodthe Yankee's joke any better than his fourfooted milkcan did.Watering the Streets.The island being so rich


142/198

130 SOMK STRIKING PECULIARITIES.in mountain streams, it is no wonder that many of thecities have water-works. The streets are sprinkled bya man going from point to point, opening a small trapin the narrow walk, attaching a hose to a water mainand squirting a thin stream as far as the force wallreach.A FUNERAL in Porto Rico is as simple and unpre-

tentious as it can be made. The rank or circum-stances of the family who suffers loss by the death of amember, may be judged in watching a procession tothe cemetery. The poorer are carried to their last rest-ing place by their friends and sometimes on the headsof a couple of sturdy peons. The next class, ormiddle class will enjoy the luxury of a cart, and thehigher class will resort to the extravagance of a hearse.In no case do the women or children attend the funeralof a native or a Spaniard. Sometimes when a funeralof a foreigner is held, they will turn out, but this doesnot occur often.The cemeteries are a curiosity. They are partly

walled in and the walls are thick enough to have tiersof recesses, in which the coffins are deposited. Thepoorer people rent one of these vaults for five yearsfor 25 pesos, the well-to-do buy one or several outright,


143/198


144/198


145/198

SOME STRIKING PECULIARITIES. 133while only the very richest families aspire to a privatetomb. In our picture of the cemetery of Ponce, thereader may notice, on the seal of the vault in the right-hand lower corner, the letters R. I. P., signifying:rcquiescat in pace; or ''may he rest in peace. When Ifirst noticed this inscription, I wondered in my mindwhether I was the lucky discoverer of the grave of RipVan Winkle, but the remainder of the name dispelledmy ludicrous fancy at once, of course. The lettersmet my eyes many times more in that cemetery.The houses are mostly built of brick, and stuccoed.One story is the rule. Glass panes for windows areunknown. Slats take their places.'The stores have no show-windows, but, as shown

in our cuts, nothing but doors, three or four of whichlead into the same room, to be used either as a store orshop or dwelling, according to the tenant's needs.One of our cuts shows the polite Spanish way of

protecting the walls of their houses from the disfigur-ing poster. Instead of our forbidding Post no billsyou find the notice that You may post your bills at'the rate of 25 pesos each.


146/198

134

AN OBJECT LESSON.In presenting the two pictures, one of the Spanish,

the other of American officers; taken while thearmies were in service in Porto Rico, we call atten-tion to the striking contrast in bearing and differencein dignity of the two forces. This difference is soimpressive as to be an object lesson to the world ofto-day, and to all coming generations.The Spanish officers are pitiable specimens of

soldiers, with their frail bodies and half child-likebearing, in their humiliation and dependency, withall manhood blasted by superstition and tyrannicalgovernment. The American officers, on the otherhand, have won the admiration of the world. Insteadof looking the humble insubordinate, every man is aknight, brave and true. Their tall, muscular frames,their bright faces and their dare-devil courage, isthe product of the free schools of America.

Surely these two pictures may stand as forcibleillustrations of the truth, to be learned by everyman, woman, boy and girl, that governments, likeindividuals, are known by their fruits. One teachesthe folly of bad government, while the other is a


147/198


148/198


149/198

THE MARKET OF PONCE. 137splendid apotheosis of the blessings of our freeinstitutions and self-government.

THE MARKET OF PONCE.The daily supply of food is always procured at the

market, where from 6 o'clock to 10 a. m. each day,Sunday included, the servants of all the wealthy fam-ilies and the mistresses and children of the poor, repairfor the purchase of their daily supplies. The grocerystores are chiefly concerned in the sale of liquors,of various canned goods, condiments, and sucharticles as are not perishable. There are no meat mar-kets, no refrigerators and no ice except in cafes of thebetter class, and even there only in homoeopathicquantities.

The market in Ponce is an iron-roofed buildinsf,open on all four sides to the elements, surrounded byenormous stone pillars, with a floor of cement, andthe entire scpiare surrounding it is paved with blocksof native dressed stone. In the interior of the marketare hundreds of little stalls, or booths, leased by themunicipality and presided over by a market-masterand native policemen, who enforce order.On one side is the fish market, in which a great


150/198

138 THE MARKET OF PONCE,variety of fish are exposed for sale. At one place asteak will be carved for you from an enormoussturgeon; in another, large red snappers are exposedfor sale, whole or by the pound; in others, small fish,freshly caught, are for sale by the string, usually sixto eight strung together, and offered for from 20 to2.-) centavos. All the fish in these waters are beautifullymarked; one variety is a deep red, almost crimson;another will be gold, al^out twice as large as the goldfish of the aquaria, and several varieties of silver fish.There are no fish in any way similar to those of theUnited States, and perhaps the most marked char-acteristic of them all is their unusual coloring.On the other side of the market meat is sold, all

nativebeef, pork, mutton and poultry. The nativemarketmen have not learned to cut up beef across thegrain, but slice off a slab indiscriminately, with or-across the grain, as the case may be, and it is all soldat a uniform price, the customers seemingly havingno preference as to the cut, the choicest of steaks go-ing at the same price as the coarser portions.

In another section of the hall are fruits; in anothervegetables, in another laces, tinware, hardware, hos-iery, gay ribbons, shoes, in fact a department store,


151/198


152/198


153/198

THE MARKET OF PONCE. 141tjiough owned by a hundred eager, screaming indi-viduals, each one crying his or her wares as loudlyas possible.

I asked the prices of many things, as they were soldin small portions that morning, with the followingresult. Musk melons, the kind our grandmothersraised, long, deeply-ribbed and yellow, 25 cents each;half-grown chickens, 75 cents per pair; eggs, 3 and 4cents each; home-made cheese, similar to the goodDutch or cottage cheese, 10 cents a pound; guava jelly,25 cents per pound; pine-apples, 10 to 20 cents each,according to size; bunches of bananas, 50 cents to $1coarse brown sugar, 6 to 8 cents per pound; a lightercolored sugar, 8 cents per pound; refined white sugaris unknown; shelled corn, 4 cents per pound; Ameri-can ham and bacon, each, 20 cents per pound; flourfrom New York, 8 cents per pound; home-made hardsoap, 20 cents per pound; small head of cabbage, 20cents each; guavas, 40 cents a peck; jerked beef fromSouth America, 16 to 20 cents per pound; bread, 12cents per loaf, weighing about a pound and a half;fresh rolls, 10 cents per dozen; small tomatoes, 1 centeach; oranges, 50 cents per hundred; white beans, 6cents per pound; corn meal, 6 cents per pound; south-


154/198

142 THE MARKET OF PONCE.ern cow pears, 2 cents per pound; Irish potatoes, -8cents per pound; sweet potatoes or yams, 2 cents per

. pound; native co

Documents

The story of the beautiful Porto Rico