Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1898-08-30

Porto Rico, under date of August 6,
from which we copy the main portion. as
follows
PoRr OF PONCE, PoRTo RICO, !
Saturday, August 6, 1895. )
Dear MAJ mailed you letter on the
ship about two hours before we reached
this port, which presume you have re.
ceived. We reached here Tuesday even
ing about AGO p. m. Our ship, through
some mismanagement or ignorance of the
navigator. ran onto sand bar in the har-
Dor and stuck. Every available means
were used to pull her off, but of no avail.
We stayed on board until Thursday,
when we were all transferred to the war
ship Prairie until Friday morning, when
we were pulled to shore in small boats, and
maybe we were not glad to get our feet
once more on land, even though it was
inhabited by our enemies. lust before
reaching this port we were met by large
hospital ship, bearing a message from
General Miles instructing us to come di-
rect to port, that the town of Ponce had
surrendered. When this news was de-
livered to us through the megaphone
from the hospital ship wild yell went
out over the sea from the tfroats of eight
hundred soldiers and sailors.
1 sent you diary of my trip, and will
now try to explain the many curious
things and people, though can hardly do
sufficiently well to make you thoroughly
understand, being a stranger here myself.
The port of Ponce is only the harbor,
though it contains about two thousand
inhabitants. They are mostly Cubans and
look like our negroes at home, with this
exception, they all speak the Spanish
language and some of them are almost
white. They greeted us as though we
were descendants of Christ, or as though
we had come from Heaven to save them
from being massacred or starved They
mingle among US and keep crying
Americana Porto Rico" Spain is no
good" and 1--WE are all Americana Porto
Ricans." They claim the Spaniards
starved and beat them daily. This, how
ever, only comes from the ignorant class.
The most intelligent and prosperous
natives are quiet and cautious, and polite
and modest in their appearance.
The town of Ponce contains about
twelve thousand inhabitants, and is just
three miles over in the valley from our
camp, which is situated right behind an
ancient queer looking Roman Catholic
church. The first expedition reached
the port about ten days ago. At the time
it was sighted there were eight or ten
thousand Spanish soldiers here in the
port and at Ponce proper. The natives
claim they broke Immediately and ran
into the mountains. Gen. Miles came
ashore, the gun boats shot few shells
around, and the town of ponce and its
port surrendered The American flag
floats over all public buildings, and the
American officers and soldiers have taken
possession of all large buildings, and are
using them as custom house, post Office,
army headquarters. and for any purpose
they need them for. / can never describe
to you just what the situation looks like
Guards and sentries are on the corners of
all streets, and all except Americans are
prohibited from entering the streets or
buildings. To make long story short,
the Americans have taken full possession
of the city and port, and close and open
stores and public houses at will.
The scenes at the dock are indescriba-
bic. Wagons, horses. mules and men by
the thousand are busily engaged in un-
loading and hauling off to camp thou
sands of tons of provisions, hay, guns,
ammunition and tents. There are at
present twenty-five vessels in the harbor
the war ships Columbia, Prairie and
Terror, the others being large transport
ships and dispatch boats The natives
look on perfectly amazed. On every side
can be heard expressions of q great Amer
cano," etc.
The island of Porto Rico is certainly a
most beautiful spot and well worth fight
ing for. Long before we reached port it
was in full view few miles to the left of
us. It is composed of the most beautiful
mountains ever looked upon, beautiful
valleys of palm and cocoanut trees,
mangoes (something like an orange), lines
(similar to the 1emon), bananas and all
kinds of fruit. In fact everything that is
good to eat.
Cigars that sell at home for ten cents
are sold here at one cent. Cigarettes two
cents box. You can take one dollar of
our money to the custom house and get
two dollars of the Spanish money. Our
gold dollars are worth S2.25, and silver
two dollars for one. All of their money
is silver. They won't take paper money.
Their silver ranges from one dollar, next
forty cent piece, next twenty cent piece,
then on down to one cent. A drink of
rum mo whiskeyl costs one cent our
money, two cents theirs. Beer is very
high. 1t is really the only thing that is
not fifty per cent. cheaper than at home.
The natives do little work. They live
principally on fruit and fish, and wear
comparatively no clothes. even to the
women. The houses are all low and
squatty, very queer looking and ancient
architecture.
The climate here is very little different
from that of the extreme south in the
States have not been sick day, not
an hour, and feel better than did at
home. There are few snakes or reptiles
of any kind here. The only thing that
bothers us are the huge mosquitoes and
the land crab. which is about as large as