The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-18
San Juan
lis an
OldCity

San Juan del Puerto Rico which was
recently bombarded by Admiral Samp-
son S fleet, with the exception Of Santo
Domingo, is the oldest city in America
The pious Spaniards by whom it was
founded called il the "rich port Of John
the Baptist " and to Spain it has been
source Of great profit continually for
8S7 years. Ponce de Leon il the larger
city, having about 35, 600 inhabitants
and lying in the midst of the sugar dis
trict. San Juan has about 25. 900 popu
lation, and its great advantage Is a
commodious protected harbor. The city
lies upon all island connected with the
mainland by bridge and causeway.
The streets are narrow, the houses are
low, mostly of single story, and are
built in the old fashioned Spanish style,
with thick walls around the courtyard
The fronts are ugly and are painted all
sorts of brilliant colors pink, blue,
purple and yellow. They wear heavy
shutters in the windows for protection,
but there isn't pane Of glass or
chimney in the town. Behind the
gloomy walls are glorious gardens and
patios with splashiug fountains shaded
by that most beautiful of all trees, the
royal palm, whose plumes nod in the
breeze like those Of bird of paradise.
There are cathedral, theater, a city
hall, the governor generals palace and
several notable churches, and in the
center is park covering about the same
area as one of our city squares, with
concrete walks lined with seats and
stately palms. but not spear of turf.
Around this park the market women
gather every morning, selling poultry,
eggs, vegetables and flowers, and in the
evening it is filled with the higher class
es Of the population, listening to the
music of a military band. The young
women are beautiful, particularly those
Of mixed blood, but they conceal their
attractions SO far as possible by the ex-
oessive use Of face powder, which makes
them look as if they had plunged their
heads into -four barrel
/ observed phenomena at San Juan,
and the same at Ponce de Leon, for
which have never been able to obtain
a satisfactory explanation. The old ne
and the shady street corners selling dull
ces from large baskets are habitualiy
smoking long black cigars, and they put
the lighted end in their mouths Why
they do so and how they can endure it
are mysteries that could not be solved,
but it is nevertheless fact and a Gus
tom that are unique in Puerto Rico.
One evening at San Juan we attended
bazaar, church fair, in the theater,
which is large, fine auditorium, equal
in size to anything we have in Wash
ington, having three galleries, divided
off into boxes and handsomely upholster-
ed in red velvet. The chairs in the par
quet had been taken out and level
floor had been built upon plane with
the stage This was used as prone
made and for dancing, while the dow
ayers and chaperons looked ON compla-
Gently from the boxes and famed them
selves. This stage was covered with
display of articles for sale. Everything
you could possibly think Of had been
contributed by the merchants Of the
place and the friends Of the hospital
that was to be benefited by the proceeds.
There were bedroom sets, rolls of car
pet, kitchen utensils, engravings and
chromos, china, silverwafe, pocket
knives, revolvers, jewelry of all kinds,
toilet articles, embroidered slippers and
dressing sacks, suits of clothes, under
clothing, hosiery, gloves and bonnets,
an infinite variety of articles which were
arranged with an eye to artistic effect.
Each article was numbered, but it
was not possible for person to make
selection. He was allowed no choice. 1t
was a lottery. He paid 81 for ticket
and then waited for the drawings. He
might get suit of furniture worth
500 or paper Of pins worth cents,
box Of cigars or lace collar, as the
fates might decree. The tickets We're
sold by black eyed damsels in pictur-
osque costumes who wandered through
the crowd enticing their friends and
acquaintances with yarious coquettish
motions to patronize them. The num-
bers were printed upon little slips of
paper Of different colors, which were
rolled up like the old fashioned lamp
lighter, and it was not considered good
form to open them until the drawing
took place. so that the audience might
share the surprise of this purchaser. The
drawing was postponed until very late
in tho evening, because the managers
insisted that all the tickets should be
sold first, and finally those who had
bought one or two were compelled to
purchaso mora
Then graceful Spaniard mounted
the platform like an auctioneer and
with O few humorous Introductory
words invited the people TO pass up
their tickets He announced tho names
and the numbers, which were recorded
by clerk, and then produced the cor
responding articles on the sage. OF
course there was great deal Of fun, as
you may well imagine. Bachelors drew
cradles and articles that pertained only
TO the feminine side Of life, while scdate
dowagers were presented with rag babies
and other equally inappropriate things