Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-07-28


CadiZ. By occupying it, it is be-
lieved the United States will control
the situation in the North Atlantic.
The Army ard Navy Journal says:
Porto Rico is about los miles long
by thirty-seven miles. Its area is
about three and one-half times that Of
Rhode Island, being $50 square
miles. Its geographical contour is
that of an irregular parallelogram; its
physical conditions are those of most
islands in tropical countries, /. e.,
mountains in the center and a moder-
ate belt of level land on the coast.
The average height of the mountain
ranges which run east and west, is
about 1900 feet. The highest peak,
Ell Yungue, in the Sierra de Loquillo,
in the northeast, is $500 feet in
height. The low coast land ranges
from five to ten miles in width. The
island is we'll watered, having about
1900 streams, nearly fifty of which
are considerable rivers. The climate
is hot, but not unhealthy and the
island free from beasts of prey and
serpents, although infested with rats,
centipedes, and mosquitoes.
"The rainy season in Porto Rico
does not begin until September and
lasts until March. Owing to the
hills the northern lowlands have a
superabundance of moisture, while
the south suffers from drought, re-
sultant of the prevailing winds. It Is
extremely fertile, it's staples being
sugar, cotton, rice, yams, plantains,
etc. Large herds Of cattle are raised
and it has undeveloped mines of gold,
copper, coal and salt. It's exports are
about double those Of Jamaica, ana
amounted in 1896, in the four princi-
pal items of coffee, sugar, molasses
and tobacco, to about $16,500,000. Its
exports to Spain in 1895 were over
$G,000,000; its imports from it about
$9,000,000. During 1895, LOTT vessels,
about 100000 tons, entered at the
various ports. Its population is some
what over 100000, half white, one
third creoles, and the rest negroes.
THE island has about 470 miles of
telegraph, 1877 of railway, and 17e
miles projected. The railroads run,
first, from Aquadilla in the north
west southerly through Mayaguez to
San German; second, from Ponce on
the south to Coamo eastward in the
interior, and third, from San Juan
Bautesta on the northeast directly
across the island southerly to Quay
ANA. By building about thirty
miles from San German to Ponce, and
twenty miles from Coamo to Quay
ANA, the island would be thoroughly
in railroad connection. 1t is prob
able that this has been contemplated
in the 10 miles projected. It's
four principal harbors are San Juan
on the north, Ponce on the south,
Mayaguez on the west, and Ma
quabo on the east. San Juan, the
capital, on the northeast, is situated
on an island called Moro, connected
with the mainland by bridges. It's
population is 24,000 The harbor is
one of the pest in the West Indies.
having a comparatively unobstructed
entrance, with depth at wharves Of
ten to thirteen feet at low and clever
and one-half to fifteen at high water
1t is place Of some strength. Ponce,
on the south, is the largest town,
having about 10000 inhabitants. May
aguez, on the west, has about $4,000.
1t has a good harbor for vessels not
exceeding sixteen feet draugth.
Porto Rico is a very valuable
possession to Spain, both strategi-
cally and financially. It's revenue for
1896 was 5,454,95S pesos; its ex-
penditure, 3,9O5,667. A peso is about
SO cents in value. Compact and
symetrical. Porto Rico could be oc-
cupied and held by a reasonable force
and Spain deprived of considerable
revenue. Our fleets could then be to
great extent released for effective
hostilities. TheN great want is good
roads and bridges wheeled traffic
along the coast being at times inter-
rupted but as we would simply need
to occupy the three or four important
seaports that would not initiate
against our operations.
"The island is the most healthy OF
the Antilles and the land breezes,
so constant at night in the other
islands of the group, are seldom felt
here. The prevailing winds are east
and east-northeast, with frequent
breezes from the north between
November and March. Much in
jury is done at times by hurricanes