The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-19
SOME FACTS ABOUT PORTO RICO.
The Most DenseIy PeOpled and Pros
porous of the Greater Antilles.
New York Sun

new 4OTk sun.
Some of the interesting things about Porto
Rico are not generally known. In size it
ranks only the fourth of the greater An
titles, but in point of density of population
and general prosperity it takes the first
place. 1t is one of the few countries IN
tropical America where the whites out
number the other races. The best harbor
in the island is Guanica, the most western
port on the south coast, where 1900 of our
troops landed on Monday evening. The
largest city is Ponce which may already
be in the possession of our forces. Yellow
fever never scourgeS Porto Rico as it does
parts of Cuba, and, although most of 1t is
low lying, and may be said to be very billy
rather than mountainous, it is one of the
most healthful Of tropica! islands.
Though the harbor of Guanica, where our
troops landed, is the best in the island, it is
not visited by much shipping. The district
Immediately around it is low and swampy
and, unless improvements have been made
roads are not equal in quality to the main
roads marked on the map. Guanica is the
outlet for the produce of ST. German, Sa-
bana Grande, and to some extent of Yauco
which is on the railroad. Porto Rican
rebels" have been particularly numerous
in the western and southwestern districts,
and many thousands of people there Will
welcome the day of General Miles's coming
as the greatest in their lives.
The largest city and the commercial CAPT
tai of the island is Ponce. which lies three
miles north of the port of Pone, on rich
plain surrounded by gardens and planta-
tons There are hot springs IN the neigh n,
invalids. Along the playa or beach in front
of the port are extensive depots, in which
the produce of the interior, forwarded
through Ponce, the trading center, is stored
for shipment. AT the last enumeration
Ponce had a population of 37,545, while San
Juan, the capital on the north coast, had
only 1878 inhabitants. Ponce has num-
Der of fine buildings. among which are the
town hall, the theater, two churches, the
Charity and the Women'S aSylumS the bar
racks the Cuban House and the market.
The road between the city and the seaside
is beautiful promenade.
The main highway of central Porto Rico
runs from Ponce to San Juan in a north
eastery course through Juana Diaz, Goa
mo and Aibonito, where it goes almost east
ward to Cayey, there to take a winding
course to the north far as CaguaS, where
it turns west to Aguas Buenas and then
goes decidedly north to- San Juan through
Guaynabo and Rio Piedras, making in all
a distance of about eighty-hve miles. The
distance from Ponce to San Juan In
straight line is only forty-nve miles:
The eastern part OF the island is less
densely peopled than the western and as
the east coast is on the windward side and
offers less protection for shipping II is not
so conveniently situated for trade. Here all
the larger towns of the east lie inland or
at least some distance from the coast These
towns are in the billy region amid rich
coffee and extensive grazing lands.
The harbor of San Juan, the capital, is
deep enough to admit large vessels, but it's
channel communicating with the sea is
winding and difficult and can be navigated
safely only with the aid of a pilot.
One of the leading seaports Of the island d,a is
the advantage of a spacious bay sheltered
from the trade winds. Here are shipped the
sugar and coffee of the northwest part of
the island There, are seven or eight ports
of lesser Importance.
over 100000 people live in Porto Rico, and
about two-thrds of them are white. Cuba
is thirteen times larger than Porto Rico,
and its population was not double that of
the smaller island even before Weyler ex-
third ard St the ua maf tSe aPges
towns on the island are Arecibo 10000 in
habitants). Utuado (31, COO Mayaguez (2S,-
COO) San German (20,0G0). Yauco (25 .Oo0).
Juana Diaz (21 .O0O). and there are about ten
other towns with population of 1900 or
over.
population has gravitated to and around the
towns. particularly those of the seaboard.
They live in comfortable houses and many
wares of the civilized world. Porto Rico
abounds in sugar, coffee. tobacco. honey
and wax, which have enriched the island.
and many of the people are well-to-do. A
very large part of the islands trade has
been carried with the United States,
whose corn. flour, salt meat, fish and lum
Der are imported in return for sugar. mo-
lasses and coffee. The natives have little
taste for seafaring and most of their
foreign trade is carried in foreign bottoms
Porto Rico is rich in natural blessings.
and for a tropical region is very healthful
For some inscrutable rea son Spain has CIV
en- the inhabitants far better treatment
IHan she mas the natives OF NsuDd. One lids
dealt with the island as though it were
Spanish province instead of merely a coll
ony to be bed by Spanish officials for the
enrichment of themselves and the mother
country In fact. the island has been po-
litically province of Spain for over twenty
years Spaniards had little to do directly
with internal improvements in the island.
but she has so far kept her heavy hand off
the people that there was opportunity for
the spirit of enterprise to develop. The result
is that Porto Rico has about $50 miles of
railroad and as much more under construc-
ton: and system of wagon roads leading
TO all the important trading centers that
surpass anything of the sort seen in most
parts of Spain herself. The stretches of
railroad parallel with the coasts are long
links in the line that is to make the entire
circuit of the island. with short branches
to all the seaports and the inland markets
Change of n Letter.
New York Evening Sun.
The inability of the Scandinavian immi-