Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-10-20
LIFE IN PORTO RICO
HOBART BIRD GOSSlPS ABOUT
1T ENTERTAINlNGLY
NATIVES KIND TO AMERICAN
But Spaniards Very Ugly, Indeed
Hotel Fare Good and Cigars Cheap
Women Smoke Everywhere-Our
Money Being Forced on the Island
Land Titles Much Mixed.

Col. George w. Bird of Madi-
son has received letter from his
son, Hobart S. Bird, who is now
at San Juan, Porto Rico, giving The in
formation that he lost only $50, whicn
was stolen at night from his room in
the hotel, which he occupied with six
others. We are permitted to give
some highly interesting extracts from
the letter.
The people here" writes Mr.. Bird,
ARE exceedingly kind to Americans
and | have made the acquaintance al
ready of all the most reliable business
men in the city. | will open my office
as soon as the Spaniards get away
from here. | have a place picked out
and will get in there as soon as the
French ambassador vacates the rooms.
Many of the leading men have offered
me business as soon as | am estab-
lished Americans are treated like
kings here. They receive credit any
where, known or unknown. | can't
tell you how much the people here
have done for me in every way. These
people l refer to are Porto Ricans the
Spaniards are different
Living is cheap. 1 can get my meals
at this hotel, the leading one in the
city, for $35 per month and can rent
the office which | have selected for $25
or $50 per month.
The customs of the people are pc
culiar and sometimes shocking. Young
girls and women generally smoke in
public places, in open houses and hotel
Hobbies; indeed people smoke con-
stantly, generally cigarettes. They
are fine Havana cigarettes, not the
American kind. Cigars of the very
best kind are &c apiece, good ones
also for 1c, and the best 81 to 81 per
box of SO. There is no place in the
city where smoking is prohibited.
Hotel fare suits me we'll enough;
that is, there is such a variety that
can get IA good meal of what | want
Many have coffee with bread and but
ter brought to their rooms in the
morning before they are up. Then
breakfast comes at II a. m, consisting
of II courses; everything is on the
bill. Then they take Il sort of vaca-
ton after breakfast and everything is
closed up until 2 o'clock. Dinner is
at 8 p. m. There are II courses to the
dinner also and then some of the peo-
pie have coffee again at night. At
breakfast and dinner when they start
on the meat courses they all begin TO
smoke, cigarettes principally. 1t takes
long time to finish a meal. 1t is i'm
possible to get through in less than an
hour, and it generally takes longer.
The bill of fare includes soup, fruit,
fish. croquettes, fritters, fowl, fruit,
coffee, etc.
Had a good deal Of trouble to send
my cable. First | wrote out my dis
patch and had it translated into plain
language, then into English and took
it to the office. The officials there sent
me to the governor generals office to
explain it to him and get his authori-
cation, Then the governor general
had to send for an interpreter and
after half an Aour | convinced him
that it was all right and he signed and
sealed it. From there | went back to
the office and the officials there sent
me for stamp to put on the dispatch.
The United States government IS
forcing United States coin and small
bills into circulation here by paying
the soldiers in small pieces nothing
larger than 81. The Porto Rican
money is special money provided by
Spain for use on this island. 1t will
pass in Porto Rico and Spain only.
OF course it was given the people here
so they could trade only with Spain.
The people, and even the bankers, here
are afraid of our money. They feel
safe with their own. They think our
money is unsafe because 1t tiuctuates
with theirs. People are actually sell.
ing their real estate and holding Porto
Rican money for rise. They were
very greatly surprised when l told
them that the constitution of the
United States absolutely prohibited
any tariff on anything among the
states and territories and that con-
gress could not levy any tariff or GUS
tom on goods between Porto Rico AMI
the United States after We obtained
cession of the island. They are inquir-
ing constantly about my opinions of
the situation, about our taxes and
everything. In fact | am busy a great
deal of the time talking with them
about matters and getting acquainted
with them. The American consul
Mr.. Hanna, Is a very nice man and has
been exceedingly kind to me. ! have
met Admiral Schley, Gen. Brooke, Adj.
Gen. Gordon and other officials OF the
army. Mr. Doyon will probably be
/ here in the course of week.
The method of titles is very crude.
/ A deed is made in this way: the par
/ ties and their attorneys make the con-
tract terms, etc, then they go to not
airy, who makes the deed and makes
three copies. The original he files
with himself; certified copy is given
each party and one is taken to the reg
lister. The register makes an abstract
of II in his books and fees the deed n