Evening star., 1898-08-20
DEFENSES OF SAN JUAN
The Harbor strikingly Liks That Of Ha-
vRnH,
The Quaint Old Walled City built
on q Coral Reef and Its
IL III
People.
From the Scientific American.

San Juan, the capital of the Island of
Porto Rico, hes on the northeast shore of
the island and has population of about
2S 600. The harbor is one of the finest in
the West Indies, being large, sheltered and
capable of accommodating any number Of
the largest ships, having an anchorage Of
from three to seven fathoms. 1t bears a
very striking likeness to Havana harbor.
to which it is but little inferior.
Its entrance toward the north is inviting
ly open to the vessels of our great repub-
lie, being over 1900 feet wide, and the
harbor is defended the west side by
forts erected on two small Islands.
A Walled City.
The city occupies what Is generally sup
posed to be an island, but the city is really
built on a coral reef. 1t is a long, irregu-
lar peninsula and it is connected with the
mainland by short bridge at the eastern
end. The town is completely inclosed with
massive walls Of stone and mortar which
rise to a height in some places, of from
fifty to one hundred feet. 1t ia a perfect
specimen of a walled town with portcullis,
moat, gates and battlements.
The fortifications We're begun over 250
years ago, and were still in good condition
until they were attacked by Admiral Samp-
has a MORO" Castle, or citadel (really a
round Moorish tower). The walls have
many sentry boxes at intervals hanging out
over the sea on the grim, gray walls. One
can find a counterpart on a small scale in
the old fort at St. Augustine, Fla, and
they are in every way similar to those at
Havana before her walls were torn down.
The peninsula on which MORO and the
lighthouse stand is thrust out into the sea,
one side breasting the laundering surges
of the Atlantic ocean and the other guard
ing the placid waters of the beautiful and
almost land-locked harbor.
The Notifications have one advantage
over a fleet in being at a considerable
elevation, thus enabling them to deliver a
plunging fire. In Admiral Sampson's at
tack San Juan only one man was killed
on the American vessels, and the admiral's
ships did great damage, destroying many
of the batteries.
Inside the walls the city is laid off in reg
ular squares, six parallel streets running
In the direction of the length of the penin-
sula and seven at right angles The houses
are closely and compactly built of stone
and are usually one or two stories high,
succeed the outside and painted In a
variety of colors. The upper floors are
cupied by the more respectable people,
while the ground floors are almost without
exception given up to negroes apd the poor
er classes. The population wi/in the walls
pie live on the ground floors. In one small
room, with a fiimsy partition, a whole fam
lily will reside. AS may be supposed, these
ground floors of the whole town reek with
fever and the conditions are most insani-
tary. AS Porto Rico is a tropical country,
where disease would readily get foot
hold, the consequences Of such herding
may be easily imagined. There is some
water supply, but the population depends
also on rain water caught on the fiat roofs
of the buildings and conducted to the els
tern which occupies the greater part Of the
court yard which is an essential part of
the Spanish house the world over. There
is no sewage except for surface water and
sinks. and the risk of communicating the
water in the cisterns by adjacent vaults is
very great. Epidemics are frequent, and
the town is alive with vermin, mosquitoes
and dogs
The Streets.
The streets are wider than in the older
part of Havana, and will accommodate
two carriages abreast. The sidewalks are
very narrow. and will only accommodate
one person. The pavements are of a COM
position manufactured in England. They
are unfit for very heavy traffic, but are
pleasant and durable when no heavy strain
is brought upon them The streets are
swept once day, by hand, and. strange
to say, are very clean. From its topo-
graphical situation, the town should be
healthy, but 1t is not. The soil under the
city is clay, mixed with lime, and 1t is
hard as to be almost like rock. 1t is, con-
sequentiy, impervious to water, and fur
nishes a 6Cou natural drainage. The trade
winds blow strong and fresh, and through
the harbor runs a stream Of sea water at
a speed of not less than three miles an
hour. With these conditions, no contagious
disease, if properly taken care of, could ex-
list, and without them the place would be
a veritable plague spot.
Though the main portion of San Juan is
inclosed within the walls, through which
entrance is obtained only by well-guarded
gateways, yet there is a small town by it
self between the Marina and the walls
which contains two or three THOUSAND in
habitan.s Here is to be found d public
garden aui pleasure space for bootns and
restaurants, as well as a public cock pit,
where battles royal are frequently wagei.
There are also two suburbs, San Turce and
Catano, across the bay, reached by ferry.