The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-08-12

Description oS the City Near which
General Miles IL Landing His Forces.
(Washington Post)

wv washington fOSIb
Military notes On Porto Rico a
booklet issued last week by the adju-
tant general of the army, contains a
full description of the city Of Ponce,
near which General Miles forces have
landed. 1t is described as follows:
Ponce is a city of %, 600 inhabitants,
with a Jurisdiction numbering 1000.
II IS situated OF the south coast of the
island, On a plain, about two miles
from the seaboard. 1t is the chief
town of the judicial district of its
Eame, and is seventy miles from San
Juan. It is regularly built, the CEN
tral part almost exclusively of brick
houses and the %surburbs of wood. 1t
Is he residence of the military COM
mander, and the seat of an official
chamber Of commerce. There is an
appellate criminal court, besides
other courts; two churches, one
Protestant, said to be the only one in
the Spanish West Indies; two hospi-
tails besides the military hospital, a
home of refuge for old and poor, two
cemeteries, three asylums, several
casinos, three theaters, a market, a
municipal public library, three first
class hotels, three barracks, a park,
gas works, a perfect equipped fire de-
partment, a bank, thermal and natural
baths, etc.
Commercially, Ponce is the second
city Of. importance on the island. A
fine road leads to the port tPlaya),
where all the import and export trade
is transacted. Playa has about 5000
inhabitants, and here are situated the
custom house, the office of the cap
tain of the port, and all the consular
offices. The port is spacious and will
hold vessels of twenty-five feet draft.
The climate, on account of the sea
breezes during the day and land
breezes at night, is not oppressive, but
very hot and dry; and, as water for all
purposes, including the fire depart
mert. is amply supplied by an aque-
duct 4,442 yards long. it is said that the
city of Ponce is perhaps the healthiest
place in the whole island. There is a
stage coach to San Juan, M~ayaguez,
Guayama, etc. There is a railroad to
Yauco, a postofice, and a telegraph
station.
The Protestant church is of gothic
architecture, of g~alvinized iron out
side and wood within; it was built in
1874. The town hall, which also
serves as a jail, is a good two-story
building of masonry and was finished
in 1877. There are two barracks, one
for infantry, with a capacity for 700
men. and another for cavalry. The
former was constructed in 1S49, and is
two stories high, while the latter is a
one story structure belonging to the
municipal council.
About one and one-eighth miles
northeast Of the town are the Quln-
tana thermal baths, in a building sur
rounded by pretty gardens. They are
visited by sufferers from rheumatism
and various ether diseases.
The city of Ponce proper has no
military defences, but in the hills to
the north Of the town \ series OF earth
intrenchments have lately been con-
structei. West of Ponce where the
railroad and military road touch the
shore, earthworks have beenc onstruct-
ed to guard this strategic point. There
are about thirty mountain howitzers
in Ponce available for b defense OF
the city and the railroad.