The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-08-04
The Dominant Industries are Agrl-
cultural and numbering.
HOT IN DAY BUT COOL AT NIGHT,
No Railways but the island Grows
Yearly Exports S17,OOo,O00-Ncl-
low Fever aud other Diseases.
Facts About san Juan.

Porto Rico is the most eastern island
Of tho Greater Antilles in the West In
dies on The east the lesser Antilles
sweep in "a great bow toward Trinidad
on tho South American coast. enclosing
on the windward tho Caribbean Sea.
% these ST. Thomas. n Danish island
and coalng station. u.s. OF greater STRAIT
efical Importance. To SIS southwest from
the capital OF Porto Rico. about ninety
miles away = strait OF seventy miles
separates tho island Of Hayu on tho
west Tho distances OF san Juan from
other strstcgical points are 2loO miles
to cape Verde Islands 0-0 20 Key West
and io 90 Hampton Roads. There arc
smaller islands which belong % the
colony especially on the eastern coast.
but they aro OF SLIGHT importance.
The main island is "a parallcroeram I'm
general outline io2 miles from the east
70 fhe west and from 90 10 A. miles
across and 30 has an area computed AZ
$3.50 square miles. or not quite half that
cf New Jersey Tho little island On the
easf of .iequcz on which is the town
~ Gabel Sccundt. IS military penal
station
The population. foo 1SS5. numbered 1856.
~ v1om ffH were white. 1854 mu-
l1tfoos and IC ft negroes. slavery was
abolished in 1873 three years after tho
colony was declared to Doe roprcsen-
t7iive province of Spain and divided into
seven dcrnrtmcufs
PORTS AND ADVANTAGES.
Cape San Juan IS i'm the northeastern
corner of tho island Going thence south
ward along the east coast the rort Of
Faiardo Isl reached. which is nothing but
channel sheltered by the small islands
of ObIspo. Z8ncudo and Ramos There
arc other ports and anchorages on this
coast where The sen is generally calm.
prevailing winds being the esstorlv
trades Near The northeast coast rum
the sierra de Lo0uIlo. iu which the ueak
~ Ei Yun0ue reaches the highest olcva-
zion on The island $500 foeO Here the
coast is broken and forhiddnC. The
north eh0fc ie almost straight and pre-
Eents no shelter between cape San Juan
and The port of Tho same name. thirty
miles west which Is described further
on. Here the sea is full of rocks over
which The swell tumblcs in heavy break
frs Further west lie the town and port
Of Manau. with 500 inhabitants II IS
The least dangerous port between San
juan and Arociho although it is an
open roadetead. and I'm tho windy sea-
son vessels cannot reach tho shore.
Rounding Pnnta Dc Brequen. which is
tho northwestern corner of tho island.
Aeundil1. or San Carlos dc Aguadilla.
is reached ON tho west coast IL is on
The banks NJ fno stream Of water II
T. one NJ The busiest ports I'm the island
and affords fine anchorage In summer
close % sh-ro. out Boo winter 10 is un-
safe
Passing Punta San Francisco. the most
western point of the island there comes
into view Punta Algarrobo. the shores
~ which form the northern boundary
of the Bay Of May3eucz The city Of
this name lies inland "a few miles. near
river 90 the mouth of which its port
g. located. II has 1900 inhabitants mill
tary barracks. am iron bridge. "a good
trade. raslight. and there arc sixteen
feet of water in fits harbor. but the en-
trance is difficult
Punta Guanaiiho forms the southern
shore Pilots care needed AN along the
coast
Come Arula Is the southwestern ex-
tromity of the island. Between this and
The Morrillos of Cape Roio Is the Bay
of Salinas. with from tan 10 twenty
feet of water. hut mot we'll protected.
Navigation along the southern coast re-
ou'rc7 great care. Between Cape Roio
and punta de- la Brc1 SIS "a long line Of
cliffs called DE DO MaIguritc. between
which and the mainland are inlcts like
the coast thorougnfIrcs Of Maine or New
Jersey 7nordine many good anchorages.
nut these cannot Doe reached without a
pilot
PORT or CUANICO.
THE port OF Gutnico. the largest an
Chorec ground on the southern coast
OF Porto Rico. lies fifteen miles east
of Cape Bolo With fifteen feet 90 thirty
three feet of water over % bottom OF
sod ana broken rock The coast pre-
scnt7 no further interest until we come
20 Ponce which port is one OF the most
important CON- the island Still further
cast is Guayama. with the port of Ar
rova near by ON the south coast
Porto Rico is travcrscd from east 20
west bv "a mountain range dividing the
island into two unequal portions. by far |
the longest slope being on the north. !
so that the rivers on that coast are
much the longer From this chain sew |
crai branches diverge toward the north |
coast giving 10 "a rugged appearance.
Part ot The main range is called Sierra |
Grandc or Barros. its northeast spur is !
known as the Sierra de Loquilo. that |
on the northwest is tho Sierra Larec.
The most OF the population IS located |
on the lowlands az The sea front OF the |
hill Tor lack OF roads the interior IS |
accessible only by mule trails or saddle /
paths. and 30 is covered with vast for |
csts.
INTERESTING CAVES.
There are interesting caves In the |
mountains those of Aguas Buenas and /
Ciales being the most notable. Rivers |
and brooks are numerous. fOrty-seVen |
very considerable rivers having been |
enumerated They are short and rapia |
especially on the Caribbean slopes which |
are steep and abrupt The mountains |
intercept tho northeast trade winds blow /
ing from the Atlantic and wiring their /
moisture from them so that The rain /
fan Of the north section is very copious \
South 81 the mountains severe drouchts /
occur and agriculture demands irriea-
ton but such work Is unsystematically |
carried on
The principal minerals found I'm Porto
Rico are gold. carbonates and sulphides |
OF copper and magnetic oxide of iron in |
largo quantities. Ignite is found at |
ltuado and MoCa. and also yellow am /
her. a large variety OF marbles lime
stones and other building stones are de-
posted ou tho island. but these resources |
are very undavclopcd There are salt
works az Guancla and Salina. on the
south coost and at Cape Roio on the
west and his constitutes the PRINCIPAL
mineral industry I'm Porto Rico. Hot
springs and mineral waters are found
at Juan Diaz san Sebastian. san Lo-
reno and Ponce but the most famous
81 40 Coamo near the town OF Santa
Isabel
The climate is hot hui much alleviatcd
by the prevailing northeast winds. 4
Temperature as high as IL degrees
Fahrcnhcit has been recorded but II sci.
dom exceeds 81 degrees Fahrenheit in
the shade during fhe hottest hours: at
night ~ sinks Co IS or 90 degrees
The rainy season lasts from August 10
bar