The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-30

open to American enterprise and capt.
tal." said Gen. Nelson A. Miles to-day.
The last of the Spanish troops will
soon have taken their departure and
we shall be In full possession of all
parts of the island I should say that
the best prospects for Yankee energy
on the island are offered by the OPP
%portunities of supplying a very nota-
BILE deficiency in transportation facil-
tiles. Almost no railroads are to be
found there, and of electric roads I saw
none.
Porto Rico has no manufactures
that amount to anything. and the lack
of them suggests a great opening Tor
American money and ideas. They
make Panama hats on a very consid-
cradle scale, and particularly fine ones.
on the island. but that cannot be re-
garded as an industry of much import
ance. Hitherto labor there has been
quite cheap. but the price of 1t Ii apt
OF Yankee methods. Naturally. the
raising OF sugar. coffee and tobacco. all
of which are produced in immense
quantities by the fertile soil. will at
tract capital from this country. Also,
I might add. the growing Of tropical
fruits"
said Colonel Michler. aide to General
Miles:
There are fine opportunities for
Americans in Porto Rico. and they are
ready to be grasped right now. Al
ready capitalists from this country are
going in there and are obtaining all
sorts OF concessions. They are buying
up hot springs. which on the island are
used for baths, and are investing in
transportation enterprises. Five miles
from Coamo. which is on the military
road that connects Ponce with a
Juan. are mineral hot springs which
compare favorably with those Of AK
les Bains In France. The baths there
are delightful, and are taken In hot
or cold water. the water as II comes
from the springs being sometimes
cooled and reheated to please the fas-
tidious.
II should say that a most promising
opening was available in the culture or
coffee. This appeals to me particular
ly. because I I'm fond OF conee. n
the Porto Rican berry is OF wonder-
fully fine flavor. The grades Of cof-
fee considered in Paris to be the high
est. and which bring the best price
in that metropolis Of gourmets, are
from Porto Rico. IT seems ~astonish-
ing to learn. what i assure you Is the
were exported last year from Porto
Rico"
Said Colonel Allen. who was on the
island with General Miles recently:
Porto Rico to-day is full of Ameri-
cans who I'VE millions behind them.
One finds them browsing about over
most of the island. looking for conces-
| sions and for profitable schemes 10
promote Now IL the time to go there,
il you are going with any speculative
or Industrial idea. A few days from
now all the Spanish troops VIII ave
I heen sent away. Transportation Is the
business into which most Of the enter
prising Yankees seem inclined 10 60.
II represents the problem of the imme-
date future OF Porto Rico. At present
there is only one railway on the island,
running from Ponce to Yauco, and IL IL
in French hands"
Said Genera Gilmore:
THE island Of Porto Rico IL as open
now as IL ever win be. 1 should say
that railroads and sugar growing anoru-
ed the best opportunities Tor Americahs
and American money. Under the new re-
gime Porto Rico gives promise OF a SUBJ
stantial future. and IL may yet be rec
oenized as the winter Newport OF TINS
countryside favored resort OF rich peo-
pie who desire to avoid the
OF a Northern climate
Said Colonel John Biddle. who brought
a Spanish battle nag back from Porto
Rico:
I'm Porto Rico there are no factories.
no coal. no tramways nor lumber. Those
facts afford fairly adequate suggestions
as 10 opportunities open TO Americans.
There are tclegraphs all over the island.
the PRINCIPAL points being connected by
wire. but there are no telephones. There
used TO be n tramway between Ponce
and the Playa. or port OF the town, COW
e-ine a distance of about three miles,
but Il was done away with for a very
queer cause. II the gossip I heard on the
subject is correct. II IL alleged that the
company which owned the road had a
contract with the Spanish government by
IA - NAV n GnTfaln
sum to the latter every time a car ran
of the track. So. whenever the govern
ment got hard up IL put INSTRUCTIONS on
the track. and thus was enabled TO col
lect. Al last the company got tired OF
this and went out of business.
There was a plan, which now II sure
to be carried out before long. TO build
n railroad all around the island. The con-
tract for its construction was given TO
the French government. but IL never al
vanced very far. The money gave out.
and II was abandoned. the enterprise
earning for itself the name of the Petit
Panama II may be that this name was
APPLIED because of jobbery. actual or sus-
pected. but of this j have no KNOWLEDGE.
The fact is. however. that, as Things
stand at present. FRAGMENTS OF the pro.
jected road are scattered all over the
island. 1t has been carried Is miles out
from San Juan. There is a bit OF IT, too,
near Managuez. but these parts are MOI
connected. II seems that tne expense
was underestimate. Surveys were made
for the whole route.
MANY agricultural Industries IN Porte
Rico invite American attention. Among
these are the growing Of coffee. tobac-
co and sugar. There is no agriculture
machinery Of the modern kind. old-fash-
toned plows being etill used In the heids
on the other hand. the machinery foi
sugar making is first rate and OF THIS
most improved kind. just as II Is In Cuba
! which is so far behind the age In mos
other mechanical matters. ! saw no fac.
tories in Porto Rico. except some thai
were engaged in the production OF match
rs and of chocolate. There are aoon,
500 600 people on the island. who vii
:. doubtless require many things which THU
country has TO supply