Evening star., 1898-09-12
PORTE RICO MAIL FACILITIES.
An Interesting Letter Received ut
the Post Office DEPARTMENT.

The following letter descriptive of the
postal facilities in Porto Rico has been
received from Port Ponce by Mr. Perry
S. Heath, first assistant postmaster gem
erai:
I'VE have established our post office in
the old Spanish custom house which 1 am
told, is nearly 2oo years Old. 1t is an an
tique structure, two stories in height made
of brick brought from Spain. When we
first came here the rooms which are now
| the post office were used to store the cap
tured arms and munitions taken from the
Spaniards, and at the time of our arrival
| there were stored 400 of their deadly
Mausers. We have twelve clerks in all and
our mail arriving here SO irreguarly makes
| II very hard TO work, as 1t comes in such
/ large quantities. Army headquarters are in
! the same building We occupy, Just over us
| We are anxious to get the post office moved
TO Ponce, two miles distant. We are at
| present at Playa de Ponce, or Port Ponce
| ana 1t Is rather a dirty place, being the
| port ana shipping point for this part of the
| island.
The road that leads from here to San
! Juan is thing of beauty and cost, L am
| told, thirty millions. 1t is lined on either
side by beautiful cocoanut palms and vari-
Gus other tropical plants and flowers whose
perfume fills the air with exhaustless odor
| IL Is dream TO go along the road and note
on elther side bananas growing wild while
| In front of the thriving plants a low,
thatched cottage stands out like some i'm
ag1nary painting. There are three classes
! of society here. One is very low and the
upper one is a very fine class of people 1t
| is no unusual sight to see children running
! about nude as the day they were born
Many OF the natives of both sexes go bare
| foot. All wear very thin clothing and wo-
| men as well as men smoke cigars Good
! cigars can be bought here for one cent
each: but board and lodging are rather ex-
| penstve. The house which We occupy was
the residence of San Martin, colonel of the
Spanish forces for this part of the island
| We are treated very kindly by the army
| officers, and l must say they have striven
| to do all they could to advance our part of
the business"
iIe first assistant postmaster general has
received a cablegram from superintendent
! Robinson at Ponce, reporting the arrival
there on Wednesday of the commission sent
/ out by the Post ONCE Department for the
| purpose of inquiring into the postal needs
| of Porto Rico He also gives the details of
! post routes established there by the Ameri-
| can authorities. The telegram follows:
| Commencing today, service Playa Ponce
| by Juandiaz to Coamo, with Spanish con-
| nection for San Juan, performed by army;
! Playa Ponce by Santa Isabel; Salinas and
| Guayama to Arroyo three times a week by
/ army, daily by citizens; Playa Ponce to
| give Guayanilla to Yauco daily service with
| connection for Mayaguez, by citizens;
| Playa Ponce TO Adjuntas, with connections
| TO Ctrado, daily by citizens All offices
within lines controlled by alcaldes except
| Playa Ponce. with stamp agency at Ponce
| Citizens and army mail dispatched from
| here kept separate. Twelve Americans and
one native employed at this station. Seneca
! with commission and clerks arrived yes
| terday. and agents and clerks for Maya
! gueZ and Guayama go forward today by
order of commission. VIII send Samuel w
/ kingSmore to Coamo, w. w. Jelliffe to
| Utrado. Ed Jiffkins TO Yauco. with stamp
| supplies. l request their regular designa-
| ton. with full supplies, including money
! failed to sail by Seneca. W. l.. Lawn
designated acting agent by commission. No
/ undelivered mail"