The evening times., 1898-11-28
PORTO RICO CITIES.


guez, says a correspondent of the New
| York Evening Post. There are other coas
| towns and cities with more or less desir-
! able harbors, but 1t is safe to assume thai
the competition for the commercial SUI
| premacy of the island is likely to center
in these three places. There are other
harbors, such as Guanica, FajardO, Ar
| royo, Aguadilla and Arecibo. But none OF
| these or any other offers more or greater
4 advantages as seaport than do the
/ points which are now in the lead. 1t Is
| easier and less costly TO improve harbor
/ which may even be a long way from
| being particularly desirable than II is to
move an old city or to build a new one
| at what may be a better point, though
| there might be reasons for the new es-
| tablishment which would warrant the
undertaking.
| There is fair warrant for cutting Ponce
| out of the race, though II will doubtless
| remain a city of some Importance. But
| there is little ground for anticipating any
very great or very rapid growth for 1t.
1t has been given a good deal of promi-
nence by recent events. 1t has been the
center of our military operations and the
landing point for a large percentage of
! the Americans who have visited the is
| land.
Few of these visitors have gone much
beyond it, and, deceived by its tempo
rary activity. many of them have spent
a d III of time, in hotels and cafes, in dis
cussing real estate speculations, hoteI
schemes, and commercial enterprises, in
the city and it's vicinity But l have been
unable to learn of any very important
transactions there, or of any very strong
probability of future transactions. ex-
cept a probable street railway line. The
harbor of Ponce will be a factor in the
development of the city but il is likely
TO be an adverse factor.
San Juan has an immediate pull in
being the capital and present chief city
of the island. II has the advantage of
better present establishment than any OF
its possible rivals for supremacy. Its
harbor, while far from ideal is a. fairly
good one, and is susceptible, by means
Of dredging, of very considerable i'm
provement. 1t has excellent holding
ground, is land-locked. and could be
made reasonably commodious It's en-
trance is none of the best. and involves
close steerage and d careful lookout in
anything like rough weather, though once
inside the Moro, vessel would be about
as safe as it would in a dry dock. San
Juan's chances of retaining her present
supremacy dAt NCLs SOot- sic nus ZIG
advantage at the start In racing par
lance. she is the pole horse" The place
will naturally be the military and naval
station for many years to come. at any
rate. The present fortifications will be
improved and adapted to the SPECIAL
needs of the new owners.
These fortifications, and the many 9TH
er points of historic and scenic interest
will always make San Juan d place of
many attractions for visitors. A system
of waterworks, a suitable system of
drainage, and a thorough cleaning out
OF many a hidden corner, which is now a
reeking mass of disease breeding filth,
should. by al the laws of sanitation,
make San Juan one OF the most heaBhful
places in the world. Were all done that
might be done. it would seem as though
longevity might become an epidemic here
| can make no suggestion. save that OF a
Sodom and GomoTrah process, for the
eradication of its active and energetic
feas
But my observations on the island
lead me to an idea that some day quiet
little Mayaguez. out there on the west
coast, may make good running in this
race. and that it may even come in
winner. 1t Is there. and it has reached
It's present size apparently because there
Is room for it, 1t now occupies some
what Isolated position. Twenty-Five tc
thirty miles of the most ab0minable high
ways cut it on from the railroad connec-
tions with the other principal cities But
the city of Mayaguez is the natural gate
way to what is probably the richest and
most productive section of Porto Rico
The products of two-iifthS of the whole
island would find their natural outlet at
MayagueZ, If channels of inland trans
iJDrtatiDU
This two-ffths would include the best of
the coffee district. large area OF sugar.
tohacco and fruit lands, and larger per
centaSe of established towns of some i'm
portahce would then pertain to the VI
cinity of San Juan
The harbor of Mayaguez Is one of the
best on the island, though much work
would be needed to adapt il TO any very
considerable amount of shipping II js
We'll protected from the directions of the
seVerest winds. though it could never he
made as thoroughly secure from storms
as the harbor of San Juan Yet. as har-
bors go. 1t could readily be made into a
Whoiiy safe and secure anchorage. .except
in the possible case of on. of those rara
hurricanes of disastrous severity 10 which
all tropical points seem to be liable. But
the laws OF trade, of commerce and of
transportation. the chorOgraphy of the
'-NAA-AiS anu tA4S 41dNilI di resources OF the
surrounding district and their present
state of cultivation all point clearly to
8layaguez for the site OF a large city. and
indicate the region as one of the best
on the island for investors. The place is
reported as being quite heal,hful. though.
like all Spanish-American cities, there is
endless room for Improvement L can. Of
my OWE knowledge and experience. testify
to the charming beauty of the MayagueZ
region. At all events, it seems to the
writer that investors in Porto Rican prop
erty will DO wisely to keep close watch
on the city of MayaSuez Whether or no
1t ever becomes the chief city of the IS
land. there is little room for doubt that
it will be one of the growing places, and
that its growth will be legitimate and
warranted Its citizens are enlightened
and progressive, and, though 1t be so by
a few hours only, it is the nearest impor- |
tant coast city to the ports of the Unit |
ed States
Singing in the army.
lat. 10, hn I