The Irish standard., 1898-08-06
solemnized, all assembled at the home of
the brides parents to partake of sump-
tuous wedding feast.
ISLAND OF PORTO RICO.
The Most Beautiful and Productive of
All the Antilles.

The Most Beautiful and Productive of
All the Antilles.
The island Of Porto Rico is the most
beautiful, fertile and productive of all
the Antilles. Compared with Cuba, it
is very small-not so large as the small
est of the six provinces into which the
former island is divided. 1t is only 80
miles from tip to tip, and So broad at
the broadest part. The total area is
$3.50 square miles-one-third smaller
than Connecticut, and not quite twice
as large as Delaware.
The confguration Of the island is Diff
fcrent from that of Cuba, writes w. E.
Curtis In the Chicago Record The land
rises Immediately from the seashore into
group Of hills and mountains, culmi-
mating in peak 3.67S feet nigh. These
mountains are covered with magnificent
timber and intersected with lovely val
leys, watered by running streams, with
a deep, rich soil that produces luxuriant
crops of all tropical staples. 1t is said
to be even more fertile than that OF
Cuba, If such a thing were possible, but
owing to the hills and the rocks, the
proportion of the land susceptible to
cultivation is very much smaller. The
chief products are sugar, tobacco, cof-
fee, rice, cotton and fruits of all kinds,
and the arabic land is pretty we'll taken
up. There are supposed to BIO very rich
mineral deposits. Gold, iron, copper,
lead, salt and anthony have been
worked for 200 or 300 years with a
profit; but agriculture has paid so much
better that the mineral resources have
been left undeveloped. The timber upon
the mountains is extremely valuable, be-
ing composed of the finest cabinet woods,
and is easily accessible in the rainy
season, when the streams are high.
The climate of Porto Rico is much
more healthful than that of Cuba, and is
as good as that of any tropical country
on earth, owing to the absence of
swamps, jungles and other lowlands
us
no place in the West Indies so agree
able SO far as climate and temperature
are concerned. The natural conditions
are almost perfect. Yellow fever and
other tropical diseases are unknown,
except when they are brought into the
seaports from the other islands. The
thermometer often falls as low as so
Fahrenheit during the winter season,
and never rises above IS in midsummer.
The nights are always cool, and a sea
breeze springs up regularly about II
O'Clock in the morning and goes down
at sunset.
Porto Rico is densely populated, the
total number of people enumerated at
the last census being 7s4,7O9, or more
than half as many as there are in Cuba.
II they were scattered evenly over the
island. they would run about % to the
square mile, but they are confined in
towns and villages, in the fertile valleys
and upon the coast, while the timber
lands are totally uninhabited. Ninety
per cent OF the population are negroes or
mulattoes; at least 100000 are pure
blooded descendants of the slaves that
were brought over from Africa by the
Spaniards. The white population does
not exceed 50,O00-35, 900 Spaniards, and
few English, Germans, Dutchmen.
Danes. Chinese and South Americans
and Canary islanders. Only 96,S67 of
the population can read and write, and
these constitute the upper and middle
classes in the cities and larger towns.
The blacks are absolutely illiterate.
lhero are no schools except those kept
ny the priests, and they are not en-
couraged. In the larger towns are sew
cral private schools for the rich, but
there Is no place where the children of
tho common people can get an educa-
ton.
The capital, San Juan, is picturesque
place on the northern coast. with n.
population of 23,414. Ponce de Leon, on
the southern coast. has large. popula-
tloh' and Is more popular and prosper
GUS, having $1,000 people. St. Germaine
has 10000, and there are two or three
other cities Of more than 10000 popula-
| tion. 49,.
The city of San Juan Was founded ~by
Ponce de Leon, who in 1903 became it's
+, governor. San Juan is situated upon an
island connected with the mainland by
n bridge and a causeway. A fine high
road extends across through the sugar
regions to the city of Ponce San Juan
Is protected by an enormous citadel
which stands upon rock which pro-
1ects into the sea and Is surrounded NV
massive walls of stone and cement. in
some places 100 feet high. The harbor
is attractive. and the city is favorite
place for Spanish sailors and soldiers.
because Of the fine climate and other at
! fractions ~.
The body Of Ponce de Leon, who died
IN Cuba of wounds received from the In
dams in Florida, was brought to Porto
Rico and deposited in lead case under
the altar of tho church of the Domini-
cans, and in the main plaza of the CITY
is monument to the memory of that
romantic seeker of the fountain Of