The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-21
Prices in Porto Rico

/ visited stores OF various kinds and
found them well supplied with the mer-
ehandiSe Of their different lines. the stock
neatly kept and well displayed, writes a
correspondent al Ponce. Porto Rico The
goods were the manufacture of different
nations. a few American some French
English, and German. Prices were prob
ably not unreasonable. considering the
cost of freight and the inevitable duty.
Flour. on which there IS hish tariff.
was quoted at 50 TO s. cents per pound
in Porto Rice money, equivalent 10 one
half OF the amount in our money. The
campaign hat which I wore. and for
which paid 81 in Chattanooga. I was
told would sell for $50. Porto Rico
money, in Ponce / was wearing a brown
canvas shooting-coat for which l paid
$3.50 in Jacksonville. / was told that the
same sum would not even purchase the
cloth &c make IL In Ponce. Ice is quoted
at about the same price as that In most
of our southern cities. where ice is manu-
featured. On cigars I thought / did quite
well. I called for such a cigar as was
used by the general run of smokers. l
was given q very fair article OF the weed.
free smoking and agreeable in flavor,
made from native tobacco. / am not an
expert IN "two-fers." but I have often
paid dime for a less satisfactory cigar
than those for which paid the equiva-
lent of s. per hundred. American money.
in Ponce Should Porto Rico become an
integral part OF the United States. and
her ports be free to such articles as -four.
cotton cloth, shoes, hardware. and farm
ing tools, the island should become
popular place with industrious men who.
perhaps, may not hope TO grow rich. but
who do desire to find comfort and home.
with a few dollars IN the bank or in good
real estate. What the country can be
made TO do has hardly been shown as
yet Its general fertility has been Demon
strated, and it has been clearly shown
that life can be maintained in comfort
for very small cost per annum. But
it stands in common with all other places
in the fact that 1t is the place for the
industrious. The lazy and the incapable
will have hard time anywhere. There
will be good opportunity for the loaning
of money at reasonable rates on good
security. 1 am told that the Spanish
bankers who controlled the larger part
OF the banking business, made two per
cent month their usual trate for loans.
The place claims three hotels, though one
who is al all familiar with American hos
telries is naturally somewhat loath to APP
ply the name Of hotel TO such establish
ments as those at Ponce. One gets a place
TO sleep, food to eat and a bottle Of wine,
all at reasonable prices. My companion
and myself dined at the best OF the houses.
The dinner of six or seven courses with
bottle of table claret cost ona dollar
and ninety-five cents for the two. But |
know a number of places in New York
where we could have done much better
al seventy-fve cents apiece. Probably
hafr arFfaa
enterprising American will be out here
looking towards the establishment Of
winter-resort hotel II the right man
comes, he will certainly stay and go
ahead with the project Beyond question.
the location could be made an excellent
one The present hotel facilities, though
adequate in their way, are not such as
would prove at all acceptable TO visiting
Americans after the first touch Of novelty
had worn off.
From what had seen and heard in the
port city, I could see little room left for
doubt that the arrival OF our troops and
some form of political and commercial
connection with the United States was
matter Of no little popularity with the
people there. The same approval was
manifested, but in fuller measure, in the
city Itself. I saw no scowls as we passed.
My companion was a captain OF dTtfiltFyr
in uniform, OF course; to whom the Span
ish tongue is only less familiar than his
native language. Scores Of men who,
from their dress and bearing. were evil
IDENTIFY Of the best class Of citizens. bowed.
smiled. and saluted. There was no sub
servience, only marked courtesy and cor
dial hospitality.
A local paper changed its title 20 Ia
Neuva Era, Ano !. Numero l. (The New
Era. Year l, Number J.