The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1898-12-23
PORTO RICO IS QUEER.
OUR NEW POSSESSION HAS IT'S
PECULlARiTIES.



Carious waus-OS Teams Seem Strange
Alongside Of Improvements Of Very
Recent Date.
Although Porto Rico is the proud
possossor Of three distinct lines OF rail-
way. one partially encircling tho island,
one running from Ponce TO San Juan,
and the third penetrating the Interior
OF the northeastern part Of the island
still the vast bulk OF the carrying trade
10 performed as In the days Of Spain's
past greatness. by oxen and natives.
II II true that some OF the larger sugar
plantations possess sugar cars on
which TO haul the ripe cut cane. but
the greatcr portion Of the work Is done
In the old primitive style. aud the
Spaniard content 10 let well enough
alone ~ satisfied 10 wait for manana,
or tomorrow, before making any I'M
provementa As result n strangely
incongruous. yet highly picturesque,
panorama Of moving vehicles Is sure
to be the nrst thing that attracts and
draws tho attention OF a visitor to the
far-famod Pearl OF the Antilles. Side
by side one sees the ancient modes OF
/ transportation In vogue three centuries
ago competing with tho more modern
methods. First. In order TO appreciate
the comparison. II n necessary to
know what manner Of beasts OF bur
den are used. II Is a question which
/ are the most numerous. the small, com
/ pactly built ponies or bronchos, scarce
~ Nifty inches In height. with their
huge pnnlera or baskets almost II not
completely hiding th'm from view. or
the slow. cumbrous heavily moving
OK teams. whose name IL leglon-the
latter popularity termed the "hurry-up
teams" being sure to reach their des-
tination tho following week. n not the
next day. Desiden these a donkey here
and there completely lost TO vlew,wlth
his rider nstride Of him and wicker
baskets bobblng 10 and fro. gost
team or two. and last. but not least.
the barouchoa or carriages drawn by
dlmlnutivo horses. two or four 20 a
team. complete the usual assortment
OF conyeyaneea. These latter have the
monopoly OF carrying passengers from
town TO town by means OF relays. ana
deliver the mail In different parts OF
tho island Since the arrival OF the
Americans large horses have been In
troduced upon tho scene, an well as tho
hugo army mules, as big rs three OF
the native horses. II may seem from
the above description that Porto Rico
~ not blessed with very rapid travel
Ing facilities. and yet such II the en-
durnnce and speed OF the wiry little
animals used In the coach line OF car
riages between San Juan and Ponce.
that the distance Of some seventy-nye
miles In covered In anywhere from ~
10 rs hours over a more or less noun
tainoua road. Then, again. when these
ANAL horsoa ara used Tor rialnE thsy
can tire out the larger American
horses and. besides this, cover a great
deal more territory In days travel
The railroads are small and would mol
compare favorably with our old mar
row gauge railroads that have virtual
ly passed out OF existence In thii
county for the past two decades. Tha
does not bother tho natives The
railroad Ia a new institution with then
and u the alzo OF the engine and car
do not compensate one the two armed
guardia civil In each car Impress then
thoroughly with sense OF the import
ance OF the railroad, In vivid contras
90 these methods are the more prlml
tive styles, In this country, as In M
\ ! al
men are used as pack animals for con
veying goods q short distance, and {,
see a crowd OF black natives laborinl
at this sort OF work with their over
seer In charge reminds one OF the task
masters OF ancient Egypt more thai
anything else. In addition to this IN
, old-fashloned OK carts used In tn
country districts. not only for IN
, transportation OF goods. but also IN
} natives. drawn by oxen. remind tn
onlookor OF the old death carts use
| IN the dread days OF the French revu
, luton to take the hated royalista an
. finally the king and queen 10 the gull
lotlne and their last resting place, IN
, carts resembling these old open wood
, en- cages more than anything else.
~ almost pity that the days OF IA
! old regime In Porto Rico are alread
numbered. for In a short time. wit
the infection OF little American pua
4 and energy, all the above scenes wi
a be memories OF the past, Alread
|, plans are being executed for the COT
|, structlon OF electric lines. and wit
:, the completion OF the unfinished raj
: way lines all win be changed. m
= land OF ayes yesterday will hecon
q thu country OF today, and the Quain
y picturesque scenes OF Porto Rico
. II is and was, with the exception
y the solid and substantial Spanish res
J. doneos, will be an evanescent dl
II dream. May the introduction OF u
y modern innovations allow the spill
y OF the departed dons TO requlescat
aee.-Philadeiphi Timen.
Perfection 81 Modern Pumping Enaln.