The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-10-01

battles fought for the possession OF
Sicily would have sufficed to conquer
the Russian empire from the Vistula TO
the Ural, and il is probable that the
Spaniards regret the loss OF Puerto |
Rico more than that Of Cuba and the |
philippine islands taken together.
OF all her colonies, writes f. l.. Os- |
wald in the Cincinnati Enquirer, Puer- |
to Rico alone continued TO repay the |
expenses Of administration with a
steadily increasing surplus, which in
1895 amounted to nearly $7000,0O0, |
though neither the mineral nor agri-
cultural resources were ever more
than half developed. In the course OF
the last 80 years the exports Of coffee
slowly rose from 100000 600 to 100000
900 pounds, those Of sugar from 49,
100000 70 Os,0OO,OO0, and only the
trade III dye stutfs decreased, owing
TO the exhaustion OF the best logwood
forests and the neglect of cochineal
plantations that could no longer com
pete with the Improvement OF aniline
dyes. The area Of the orange gardens
could be increased 1000 per cent, and
\ American mining methods applied to
she auriferous lodges Of the Sierras
might again justify the islands name
in it's original significance.
During the first quarter of the six
teenth century the valley of the Sierra
Grande was studded with gold wash
ers' camps and the harbor Of San Juan
was par excellence, ell puerto rico, the
rich port, Of the Spanish American
colonies.
But for emigrants from the United
States the chief attraction Of the pref
ty island is, after all, the Incompatible
climate OF its mountain plateaux. The
backbone range OF the island, the Sier-
ra Grande, runs from Penas Negras on
the east coast 10 Cape San Francisco
in the extreme northwest, a distance
of just about so miles; but parallel 10
that ridge and some 10 miles nearer 10
the north shore extends rampant OF
foothills variously known ms I'll Cerro,
or Las Alturas (the heights, and so
easily accessible from the harbor
towns that the little saddle mules ac-
complish the ascent with only two or
three midway rests.
And while the midland Sierra cul-
inmates in Jagged crest, the Cerro is
a table-land range, nearly ten miles
broad al some points and with an aver
age of az least six miles.
In geological ages preceding the
catastrophe that burst out the gates
OF the gulf stream, the Antilles prob
ably formed tile east coast Of our con-
tinent, and The Arrangement OF the
West Indian Sierras curiously re-
49, ia, AZ al 81 ra &
! OF our southern Alleghanics. The
main chain of the Appalachians,
too, terminates il narrow cliffs,
while the Chillhowees and Walden's
Ridge (the foothill range of the
Cumberlands), are SO broad that the
level of the plateau could accommo-
date cities as large and fiat as Chicago
and Berlin.
The elevation, both of the Dixie and
West Indian tabeland hills, averages
500 feet above tidewater, and the
charms OF their prospect points are
about evenly matched, oceans views
from the Cerro and grander high
land panoramas from the cliffs
OF the Chillhowees. The Puerto
Rico Sierras (south Of the Cerro)
5000 feet, and their eliminating point
FL Cumbrc de San Miguel, is 1000 feet
lower than Mitchell's peak
But IL remains true that fine land
scape without water is fine room
without a mirror, and the remarkable
absence Of lakes modifes the scenic
attractions OF our Alleghenies from
PENNSYLVANIA 70 northern Alabama
Their largest highland tarns arc mer,
fishponds, few hundred yards across
and hidden in the ferns and alder
brakes Of the foothill valleys, Will
the guides Of San Juan will point on
cliffs where ramblers on the plateau
OF the Ccrro can get glimpses OF th
two great seas-the Atlantic on tn
north. and the Caribbean glitterini
through gaps OF the midland noun
tains. On the north slope Of the Ccrr
there are villas that enjoy seawar
, prospect not easy TO rival. Ocea
steamers 60 Vera Cruz and Ilayan
draw their smoke trail along the dis
tant horizon, the coast waters ar
specklcd with the sails Of fishin
smacks, and the rush OF the Atlanti
breakers sends up its spray high abov
the cliffs OF the rocky promontoriei
Northwest storms, sweeping dow
from Iceland and Spitzbcrgen, Ell
counter no obstacle until their FIRE
sweep Of 5000 miles is broken by III
bulward OF the Antilles, OF whic
Puerto Rico forms the eastern on
post.
On the Cumberland plateau the II
dian summer OF the south ends abor
the middle OF November and tw
weeks later snowstorms force swarm
OF winged refugees to continue the
southwark fight; but on the Alburt
of Puerto Rico the end OF the sun
mer rains heralds the beginning OF
six months season OF the most plea
o,fovoJ by upv ~