Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-08-09
QUEER OLD SAN JUAN.

San Juan is perfect specimen of q
walled town, with portcullis, moa',
gates and battlemenls. Built over $50
years ago, it is still in good condition
and repair. The walls are picturesque
aud represent 8 s;upendous work and
cost in themselves. Inside the walls
the city is laid off in regular squares,
six parallel streets running in the di-
reotion of the length of the island and
seven at right angles. The houses are
closely and compactly built of brick,
usually of two stories succeed on the
outside and painted in variety Of
colors. The upper floors are occupied
by the more respectable people, while
the ground floors, almost without ex-
ceptlon, sre given up to negroes and
the poorer classes, who crowd one upon
another 10 the most appalling manner.
The population within the walls is es
iimateQ at 10000, and most of it lives
on the ground floors. In one small
room with himsy partition whole
family will reside.
The gcound floors of the whole town
reek with filth, aud conditions are
most unsanitary. In tropical coun
try, where disease readily prevails, the
cons, q elces of such herding may be
easily inferred. There is no running
water in the town. The entire popu-
lation depends on rain water caught or
the flat roofs of the buildings and con
Quoted TO the cistern, which occupies
he greater part of the courtyard tina
is an essential part of Spanish houses
the world over, hut that here, on &C.
count of the crowded conditions, Is
small. There is no sewerage, except
the surface water and sinks, while
vaults are in every house and occupy
whatever remaining space there may be
IN the yards not taken up by the cis'
terms. The risk Of contaminating the
~atnr is great, and in dly seasons the
supply is entirely exhausted. Epiden its
are frequent, aud the town is alive win
veimin, mosquitoes, and dogs.
The streets are wider than in the
older part of Havana, and will admit
two carriag abreast. The sidewalks
are narrow, and in places will accomo-
late only one person. The pavements
are of composition manufactured in
England from Stag, pleasant and even
sad durable when no heavy strain is
brought to bear up them, but
easily broken and unfit for heavy
traffic. The streets are swept
once day by hand, and, strange to say
are kept very clean. From lis topu-
graphical situation the town should br
healthy, but it is not Tne soil under
the city is clay mixed with lime, so
hard as to be almost like rock. Ii is
consequently impervious to water and
furnishes good natural drainage. The
trade wind blows strong and fresh, and
through the hsrbor ruus stream OF sen
water at q 81 eed of not less than three
miles an hour. With these conditions
40 contagious diseases, If properly TAX
en- care of, could exist; without them
the place would be veritable plague
spot.
Besides the town within the walls
there are small portions just outside,
called the Marina aud Puerto de TERRA,
containing 1000 or 5000 inhabitants
each. There are also two suburbs
one, San Turce, approached by the only
road leading out of the city, and the
other, Catano, across the bay, reached
hy ferry. The Marina and the two
suburbs are situated on sandy points or
pits, and the latter are surrounded by
manerove swamps. The entire popu-
lation of the city and suburbs, accord
,pc IN tho cansns of 1897. was 27 900
1t is now QS9S) estimated at 10000
Oae. half OF the population consists of
negroes and mixed races.