Evening star., 1898-09-29

hundreds of the natives of San Juan and
vicinity to the shore to what it was all
about, and the passengers from the Seneca
VINO We're coming ashore in bumboats as
fast as load could be procured were OBJ
Jects of considerable curiosity As "the
Americanos' stepped ashore they were i'm
med1ately surrounded by the embryo citi-
zens Of Uncle Sam, who appeared truly
glad to see their new allies. They made it
a 1eStal occasion, and in haphaZard sort
OF 1ashon formed a procession for the pur-
pose OF escorting their guests through the
narrow paved streets of San Juan 1t SEEM
ed 10 be entirely forgotten by the popuIace
that only a few days before they were snh
Jects of the boy king of Spain to whom
'hey owed allegiance and paid taxes As
soon as they felt themselves to he free
rom n the 1askmasters who had lorded it
over them for SO long they felt in dutv
bound to give their deiyerers a hearty and
sincere welcome. This program was car
rled out to the letter, and during the time
thdt tne members of the postal commission
anu other Americans remained in San Imam
there was not even a suggestion Of an
Ii!Hs that savored of discourtesy
some OF the Spanish officers " no were en-
Couiilvreu II-u IN the narrow streets on the side
walks were inclined to be naughty and ar
rogdht, but these worthless were<srerdii,.
Pusheu aside unceremoniously by their for
! nier victims and their broad-shouldered
ferastoz ana me subsequent proceedings in
'eieSteo the spanish officers no more
A Tour of the City.
A tour OF the city of San Juan showed it
~ DE one OF the most interesting as well as
f'o'uie e'que places imaginable. Surmount-
an lihPre esnabie looking rocky site was
the fortress of MORO. which commands NOT
only the narrow entrance from the seq b,,,
ihe iaiid-lnclosed bay as well There uar.
visible traces of the recent hor,t.rz..
OF thls forttflcation by Admiral Samnsor
pul the damage was slight and can easii,
oe remedied with a few hodsfuI of hricL,
ana mortar From the frownine haiti
ments black-muzzled cannons stiGI 5
cut but they were found to be of iImost
opsolete patterns and therefore almost
~ ~ndlfnlcss In this age of modern Improve
hehtS IN guns and Workmanship
Generally speaking San Juan is n1ao
on, piace TO look at but il was distance
indeed, that lent enchantment to tho via,,
Us nts streets are clean and paved with a
Hsht credn-colored glazed brick but tbase
same streets are narrow and as crooxeJ az
the proVerbial rams horn. Externaliy ths
Eouses. which are of the two-storv variety
We're found to be white and clean-annear
ing. but an examination of some of the in
terlors quickly dispe!led even an idea that
cleanliness is considered next to golliness
oy resident of Porto Rico. 1t seems to
De the desire of the people of Porto Rico
to get along in this world with as little ay
ertion as possible and by this means they
succeed in getting maximum of dirt and
hIth around them in their living rooms and
I n N
residences in the tropics A peep into +ha
open doorways of some of the houses AT
san Juan and Ponce showed whole families
OF nan d dozen or more persons living in
one or TWO rooms, the walls of which were
discolored and stained, while the ceilings
were 1estooned with cObwebs which have
| been accommodating ever since the founda-
| ton of both these places. What is trua nj
'he houses applies with equal force to the
| general condition of the people of these two
cities dirtter and more disreputablc
| looking aSSemblage of human beings was
PROBABLY never before presented for an in
spection by strangers. Men women and
| children are included in this category and
| In many instances the little people of these
Two cities paraded the streets as naked as
the DAY they were born, with distended
stomachs far beyond the normal condition
| or children of their age. showing plainly the
| lack OF nourishing food. These miserable lit
! tie wretChes were, indeed objects of pity as
| wen as commiseraton. But neither the
| children nor the adults of Porto Rico have
time to consider the niceties of civilization
| Their time Is occupied in a continual strug-
| gle for the necessities of life.
! Every one of them seen on the streets
Is on the lookout for aims from the new
| possessors of Porto Rico, and they are not
at all backward about presenting their
| claims for consideration. No matter how
| tr1hing an act of courtesy may be perform
| ed by them, almost the next breath will be
request, "Dadme centavo, Yo hambra p?
| meaning, Give me cent, | am hungry -
! Others will say "Mucha hambra," which
means very hungry and the appealing
! glances with which this request is made
render it difficult to refrain from compli-
ance So far outward appearances go
| the blacks of Porto Rico seem to be the
better class. and II dress Is any indication
| they are far In advance Of the half breeds
| and natives. who are usually the most
| begone. destitute-looking creatures.
Charncteristics.
| There is nothing that savors of Ameri-
| canism among the people of Porto Rico
| and they will never be able to assimiate
| themselves with the Anglo-Saxons. All the
average Porto Rican desires is enough for
| his or her immediate necessities and the
| future can take care of itself There is no
| evidence of thrift enterprise in any of
| the cities on this island, and there will
| never be either as long present cond-
| tions exist.
! A little Yankee push and persistency
| would make this one Of the most valuable
| possessions of Uncle Sam. but things will
| have 10 change very materially from what
| they now are If such IL conSumnation is to
| be brought about. Some of the most press
| Ing needs of Porto Rico are improvements
| in sanitary arrangements. electric rail-
| roads, ice plants, Implements for tilllng and
| otherwise taking advantage of the soil
| given by Dame Nature, first-class hotels,
! animals for heavy draught purposes to re-
place siow-goinG oxen and the diminutive