The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-06-16
QUEER OLD SAN JUAN.


The Fine Specimen Of o Walled Town
That the United States VIII Have.
San Juan is . perfect specimen OF o
walled town. with portculiis, moat, gates
and battlemeuts. Built over 200 years ago,
IL is still In good condition and repair.
The walls are picturesque, and represent
a s~tupendous work and cost in them
selves. Inside the walls, the city 10 ialo
OF in regular squares six parallel streets
running In the directoon OF tno lsne'n rs
houses are closely and compsctly built OF
brick. usually of Two stories, stuccoeo on
ths outside and painted In n variety OF
colors. The upper floors are occupied Dy
toe more respectable people, while tne
ground floors, slm ost wishout exoeptlon,
ara given MP to negroes and the poorer
classes. who crowd one upon another In
the most appalling manner. The .popula-
ton within the walls Is estimated at w
GOO. and most OF ii lives on the ground
floors. In one small room with Q niinsy
partition q who's family will reside.
The around floors Of the whole town
| vsek with 9th and conditions ara most
unsanitary. In q tropical country where
| disease readily prevailH the consequences
| of such herdine may be easily inferred.
| Thsre Is no running water In the town.
The entire population depends on RAIN
water caught on the nat FOULS Oh sro
l buildings and conducted to the cissern
which occupies the greater cart OF the
courtyard that IL nm essential pAre OF
Snenish houses the world over but enat
here ON account of the crowded conoi-
tions IL small. There IL no sewerage ex-
capt for surface water and sinks wnlle
vaults are in every u and occupy
Whatever remaining space there may be
in the patios not taken MP by the cisterns
Ths risk of communicating the water II
great and IN dry seasons the supply 10 On
tirely exhausted. Epidcmics nrs frequent
and ths town II alive with verm'n, mos
quitoes n dogs. -
mart of Havana and will admit two oar
siaees abreast. The sidewalks are marrow
and in placss will Accommodate only one
person. The pavements are OF Q compos
ton manufactured In ENGLAND from Stag.
pleasant snd even and durable wnen nc
them. but easily broken and unit FOL
hearv traffic. The streets Are swept ones
= dav bv hand, and, strange TO say, ar
rent yerv clean. From Its Typographical
situation the town should be healthy,
but it is not The soil under the Oily u
clay mixed with lime 90 naro a. 90 70 -
most like rock. 1t is consequently I'm
nervious to water aud furnishes Q gou'
nstural drainage. The trade wind blow
STRONG and fresh, and through the harbo
rims 3 stream Of sea water at q speea Q
not less than three miles an hour. Wit
these conditions nc contagious diseases
if ~propcrlv taken care OF, could exlst
without them tho place would be Q veri
table plague spot. -.,
Re sides the town within the WALL
there are small portions just onteld'
called the Marina and Pusrta de Terrs
containing 1000 or 5000 inhabitants encl
There are also two suburbs. onss 90
u,---~> s~urnachod nv the only roo
Isadinc out OF the CITY, and the othe'
Catano, across tue bay. reached By ferr'
The Marina and the two suburbs are 81
ustsd ON sandy points or spits, ard IL
latter arc surrounded by man gro
swamps The entire population OF q
citv and suburbs, according to the cens'
of 1857 was "a. 900. 1t is row (1896) est
mated at &c ,CO0. One-hslf Of the poppl
ZION consists Of negroes and mixed race
-Boston Evening Transcript.