The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-07
PONCE AN IMPORTANT TOWN.
First City Captured in Porto Rico
Has Social and Business Life

NNt lily captured IN Porto Rico
Has Social and Business Life
Military Notes on Porto Rico" pre-
pared by the War Department for the in
formation Of the army, contains the fol-
lowing description of Ponce:
A city of 1900 inhabitants, with a juris-
diction numbering 1900 1t is situated on
the south coast Of the island. on plain.
about two miles from the seaboard. IL Is
the chief town of the judicial district Of
ITS name, and is seventy miles from San
juan IL Is regularly built, the central
part almost exclusively of brick houses
and the suburbs of wood. II IS the resi-
dence Of the military commander and the
seat of an official chamber of commerce.
mere Is an appellate criminal court, be-
sides other courts; two churches, one Pro
testant said TO be the only one IN the
spanish West Indies. two hospitals be-
sides The military hospital, home of ref
uge for old and poor. two cemeteries,
three asylums, several casinos. three the
aires, market, a municipal public libra
~, three hrst-cass hotels, three barracks,
a park gas works, a perfectly equipped
ure department. bank thermal and nat
ural baths, etc
Commercially, Ponce Is the second city
OF importance on the island. A fine road
leads 20 the port playa where all the
Playa has about 5000 inhabitants and here
are situated the custom house. the office
OF the captain of the port and all the con-
sular Offices The port Is spacious and
will hold vessels Of 25 feet draft.
The climate, on account Of the sea
breezes during the day and land breezes
at night Is not oppressive. but hot and
dry and, as water for all purposes, in
Guiding the fire department. is amply sup
piled by an acqueduct 4442 yards long,
II is said that the city of Ponce is perhaps
the healthiest place In the whole island.
There Is a stage coach to San Juan,
Mayaguez, Guyana, etc. There is a rail-
road to Yauco, a postofIice and telegraph
station.
II is believed that Ponce was founded in
1000; IL was given the title of villa in
1913, and In 1877 that of city. OF its thirty
four streets the best are Mayor, Salud,
Villa, Vives Marina and C0mercio The
best squares are Principal and Las DELI
cias, which are separated by the Church
OF Nuestra Sonora de Guadalupe The
church. as old as the town itself began
TO be reconstructed In 1898 and was fin
ished in 1874 It Is eighty-six yards long
by forty-three broad and has two steeples,
rich affairs and fine ornaments. The Pro-
testant church is of Gothic architecture,
of galvanized iron outside and wood with
in; Vt was built In 1874
The town hall which also serves as a
jan, is a good two-stOry building of ma
sonry, and was finished In 1877. There are
two barracks, one for infantry, with ca
pacity of 700 men and another for cavalry.
The former was constructed Ia 1919 and Is
two stories high, while the latter Is a one
story structure belonging to the municipal
council.
The military hospital. Of masonry. Is sit
uated on Castillo street and has a capacity
Tor seventy patients. The smallpox and
pestilential hospitals are more simple and
are situated outside the city limits. The
Albergue de Tricoche (hospitaD was built
with money left by Valentin Tricoche for
this purpose in 1868. 1t is in the northern
part of the town, Is built of masonry on
the doric order. with a porch supported by
doric columns. II has capacity for six
~ persons.
The Damas asylum s built of masonry,
with an elegant porch, iron gate and gar
den at its entrance. II is maintained by
money left by various persons and by
other charitable means, and will accom-
modate twelve men and twelve women.
having besides four beds designed for sick
seamen.
The theatre Is called the Pearl and Il de-
serves this name, for IL Is the finest on
the island. tt has sculptured porch, on
the Byzantine order. with graceful coli
umns. It is mostly built of iron and mar
BILE and cost over 10000 pesos. 1t is fifty
two yards deep by twenty-nne wide. The
two yards deep by twenty-nlne wide. The
roomy and nicely decorated II may by
mechanical arrangement be converted
into a dancing hall.
About one and one-eighth miles north
east of the town are the Quntana Their
NAL baths, in a building surrounded by
sufferers from rheumatism and various
other diseases.
The city of Ponce proper has no military
defenses, but In the hills to the north Of
the town a series of earth intrenchments
have lately been constructed. West of
Ponce, where the railroad and military
road touch the shore, earthworks have
been constructed to guard this stragetlc
point There are about thirty mountain
howitzers I'm Ponce available for defense
of the city and the railroad.