The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-25
RUM, DOGS AND SNAKES
CHARACTERISTICS OF PORTO RICO
FOUND BY PROF. WILSON.
Fine Climate, Fertile Soil and No
tened by Ponce de Leon.
New York Telegram.

SCulAl, HdS pT6pdIeQ SOlllG llllCTcStill6 Udtab
about Porto Rico. much of which has never
been printed, but everything about Porto
Rico is of general interest just now. The
trade statistics are new and authentic. Pro-
fessor Wilson's paper follows:
Porto Rico is the most eastern island of
the Greater Antilles in the West Indies. On
the east the Lesser Antilles sweep in a
great bow toward Trinidad, on the South
American coast inclosing on the windward
the Caribbean sea. OF these st. Thomas. a
Danish island and coaling station, is of
greater strategical Importance. Tt is south
west from the capital of Porto Rico about
ninety miles away. A strait of seventy miles
separates the island from Haiti on the west.
, The distances of San Juan from other STRAIT
egical points are 2.100 miles to Cape Verde
islands, 1850 TO Key West and /. 42O to Hamp-
ton Roads. There are smaller islands which
belong to the colony. especially on the east
ern coast, but they of slight Importance.
The main island is parallelogram in gen.
eral outline los miles from the east to the
west and from thirty-seven to forty-three
miles across, and 1t has an area computed
at $3.50 square miles, or not quite half that
of New Jersey. The little island on the
east of Viequez, on which is the town Of
Gabel Segunda, is a military penal station.
of whom 474,993 were white, 246,647 mulat-
toes and 1896 negroes. Slavery was abol-
ished in 1873 three years after the colony
was declared to be a representative province
of Spain and divided into seven depart
ments
Cape San Juan is in the northeastern cor
ner of the island. Going thence southwark
along the east coast the port of Fajardo is
reached, which is nothing but channel
sheltered by the small islands of Obispo.
Zancudo and Ramos. There are other ports
and anchorages on this coast where the sea
is generally calm, prevailing winds being the
easterly trades. Near the northeast coast
runs the Sierra de Loquillo, in which the
walton on the island $3.50 feet) Here the
coast is broken and forbidding. The north
shoIe Is almost straight, ana presents no
shelter between Cape San Juan and the
port OF the same name, thirty miles west,
which is described further on. Here the sea
IS IuIl of rocks, over which the swell tum-
bles in heavy breakers Further west lie
the town and port of Manati, with 5000 in
habitants 1t is the least dangerous port
between San Juan and Arecibo, although 1t
is an open loadstead. and in the windy sea-
son vessels cannot reach the shore. Round
ing Punta de Bruquen which is the north
western corner OF the island, Aguadilla, or
San Carlos de Aguadilla, is reached on the
west coast. 1t is on the banks of fine
stream of water 1t is one of the busiest
ports in the island. and affords fine an
chorage in summer close to shore, but in
winter it is unsafe.
Passing Punta San Francisco. the most
western point of the island, there comes
into view Punta Algarrobo, the shores of
which form the northern boundary of the
Fay of Mayaguez. The city of this name
lies inland few miles, near a river at the
mouth of which its port is located. 1t has
600 inhabitants, military barracks an iron
bridge, a good trade gas light and there
are sixteen feet of water in its harbor, but
the entrance is difficult. Punta Guanajibo
forms the southern shore. Pilots are need
ed all along this coast.
SHALLOW WATER HARBORS.
Cape Agula is the southwestern extremity
of the island. Between this and the Nor
rilios of Cape Rojo is the Bay of Salinas,
with from ten to twenty feet of water but
not well protected. Navigation along the
southern coast requires great care. Be-
tween Cape Rojo and Punta De la Brea is a
long line of cliffs, called De la Marguerite,
between which and the mainland are inlets,
like the coast thoroughfares of Maine or
New Jersey, affording many good anchor
ages, but these cannot be reached without
a pilot.
The port of Guanico, the largest anchor
age ground on the southern coast of Porto
RICO; lies fifteen miles east of Cape Rojo,
with fifteen feet to thirty-three feet of
water over bottom of sod aad broken
rock. The coast presents no further inter-
est until we come to Ponce, which port is
N~~AAN
Still further east is Guayama, with the port
of Arroyo near by on the south coast
Porto Rico is traversed from east to west
by mountain range dividing the island
into two unequal portions, by far the long
est slope being on the north, so that the
rivers on that coast are much the longer.
From this chain several branches diverge
toward the north coast giving 1T a rugged
appearance. Part Of the main range is
called Sierra Grande or BarroS; it's north
east spur is known as the Sierra de Loquil-
10, that on the northwest is the Sierra
Larec.
The most of the population is located on
the lowlands at the seafront of the hill.
For lack of roads the interior is accessible
only by mule trails saddle paths, and it
is covered with vast forests
There are interesting caves in the noun
tains, those of Aguas Buenas and GALES
are numerous, forty-seven very considerable
rivers having been enumerated on the
Caribbean slopes. which are steep and alb
rupt. The mountains intercept the north
east trade winds blowing from the Atlantic,
and wiring their moisture from them, so that
the rainfall of the north section is very
copious South of the mountains severe
droughts occur and agriculture demands ir-
rigation, but such work is unsystematically
carried on.
The principal minerals found In Porto
Rico are gold, carbonates and sulrhides of
copper and magnetic oxide of iron in large
| quantities. Ignite is found at Utuado ana
Moca, and also yellow amber. A large va
riety of marbles, limestones and other build
| ing stones are deposited on the island, but
are salt works at Guancia and Salina on
the south coast, and at Cape Rojo on the
west, and this constitutes the principal min
eral industry in Porto Rico. Hot springs
and mineral waters are found at Juan Diaz,
| San Sebastian, San Lorenzo and Ponce but
| the most famous is at Coamo, near the town
| of Santa Isabel
! The climate is hot but much alleviated by
| the prevailing northeast winds. ~ temper
allure as high as III degrees Fahrenheit has
been recorded. but it seldom exceeds 81 de-
grees Fahrenheit in the shade during the
| hottest hours; at night it sinks to IS or So
degrees.
| RAINY SEASON IN AUGUST.
The rainy season lasts from August to
December and the rainfall is at times so
copious north of the mountains as to in
undate cultivated fields and produce
swamps. Thesrainfall for 1878 was 81 inches.
It's mean annual average is sixty-four and
one-half inches.
The prevailing diseases are yellow fever
elephantiasis tetanus, marsh fever and dys.
entery.
Porto Rico is unusually fertile, and It'll
dominant industries are agricultural and
numbering In elevated regions the vegeta
ton of the temperate zone is not unknown
There are more than five hundred varietiea
OF trees found in the forests and the plains
The principal crops are sugar. coffee to-
bacco, cotton and maize, but bananas. rice
| pneapples and many other fruits are inn
! portant.
The wild dog is the most predacous
| quadruped on the island, and he chiefly at