The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-02
LETTER FROM DOC HeRseY.
A First-Class Americas saloon Would n
Mint In Porto Rico.

Mint In Porto Rico.
A. H. Hersey. q well-known newspa-
per man. who for years entertained the
people OF Montana with his breezy style
Of clear cut phrases. has been heard
from. He II In Ponce. Porto Rico. and
interesting letter to his friend. Louis
King. Of this city. In which he says
h q the natives are pining away for
American mixed drinks. He also talks
about other things In his usually vigor-
Gus style. His letter IL as follows:
"Ponce Porto Rico. Oct. IL. '9s. My
Dear Louie: Your letter was very well
come indeed. 1t Is q great pleasure when
one becomes q wanderer under strange
skies and in unknown lands to receive
friendly messages from those with
whom We have enjoyed pleasant rela-
tions in the now fast receding past. We
are getting along in years. old man
its no use for us to try to pass our
selves for spring chickens. We can't
do II. you know.
II note what you say about a saloon
here There Is a fortune for the Amefi-
can who will come to Ponce and open a
fine place with fine bar and American
drinks served with ice by a skilled and
neat mixologist. There Is no such place
here, n yet the natives are fond Of
well-constructed. civilized beverages,
and there Is q good demand for beer
and light drinks. One man who has
opened a small American hotel is COIN
ing money with his bar. and he don't
know as much about keeping the place
right as a hog knows about a holiday.
Beer is brought from the United States
and from Germany at big expense n
the fools put cracked ice right into the
glass. A great many Americans are
coming and going n they all sigh for
a good bar, where they can go and sit
down and be served right with the
scientific, American-made cocktail, gin
fig. mint 5ulep. whiskey float. etc.
There are bound to be good times
here and already things are beginning
to open out. The climate is fine. n
except with h soldiers. who don't take
care OF themselves and oil up on bad
run. IL appears to agree with the Amer
leans. ! car say I eve felt better in
my life. although / have lost some flesh,
but I feel all the better for this. Thu
nights n mornings are the finest i
ever saw. outside of Montana. n you
feel good when you wake up. as you get
a refreshing sleep. 1t Is also very beau
tiful here and one can live like a king
with bananas and oranges, date n al
ligator pears. growing In your back
yard.
Cant some of you come down here
and take a look at the island?
Tell Jack Conley that / lent General
Miles a. marked copy Of h Anaconda
papers. which had his interview about
the general. when ! was In Washington.
I hin II pleased the old man, who you
know Is always true to his friends I
am In the Office of the captain Of the
port at Ponce and have a good position.
though not big pay. I shall get into
business. however. before long, as 1
can't lose the opportunities for money
making that seem to be opening on ev-
cry side. There is going to be a boom
here as sure as shooting.
Two Jews came here on h last
steamer to pen a big department store
They will hut up all the native shops
in short rder.
There are mines here, but I haven't
had the opportunity to look into them
as good propositions for investment. but
/ think there Is mineral that will pay
we'll for working. The country Is rich
in agriculture and you can raise any
thing from ~cocoanuts to pumpkins"