Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-09-08
NATIVES Of PORTO RICO.
USE BANANA LEAVES FOR SHINGLES,
Mr.. A. SoIIday, Former State Senator From
Watertown, Writes Friend About Sol
der Experiences Around Ponce
He Thinks of Chicken Season.

Cranmoor the first of this week, a letter
came to Mr.. Lester from his friend
Senator A. Solliday i'll Porto Rico. Sen.
ator SoIlday formerly owned q large
tract of cranberry land in the vicinity
Of the Lester marsh. He is an enthu-
siastIc chicken hunter and always
planned to get up here for the open
hunting season, but this year he had
other duties for Uncle Sam in the far
south. Mr.. Sollida writes an enter
tainingand instructive note and although
he did not expect its publication we
have been kindly permitted its use by
the receiver. 1t is as follows:
Coamo, Porto Rico, Is miles northeast
OF Port Ponce, Aug. 10, 1808.-Mr. G. E.
Lester: AS it is nearing the first of
September, when the open game season
commences, it is not strange that my,
thoughts revert to those who have given
IN" such pleasant sport. | had a faint
hope when | enlisted last April that
there was a probability that this war
might be ended III time so | might try
my new dog on my old stamping ground,
but the indications are that if | do any
limiting this fall it will be birds of an
other nature, and the shooting not all
on one side nor by Spaniards alone, but
by that greatest of a soldiers enemies
sickness, which does not face YOU on
equal grounds in regulation uniform but
stabs you in the back, awake or asleep.
So far the regiment has had but one
brush with the Spaniards and no harm
done any of US. But disease has dimin-
ished our ranks so that today we are
not able to muster for duty half of our
original number Of 1920 men. Malaria
and typhoid fever have been our con-
slant foes ever since we left Wisconsin,
and while our deaths have not been as
numerous as one WOnld expect under
the circumstances, still it mas disabled
all such for period of from six to eight
weeks and many will never be of sufli-
Cient strength to do service in this ell
mate unless the war is continued for
some time to COLI. [ am the oldest
man in the two Wisconsin regiments on
this island and it would be strange if |
should be one of the fortunate ones.
! have my courage up and hope TO full
fill my hunting contract with you next
fall
A week ago we received official notice
of the armistice. Since then the stimu-
liant of war has vanished but there is no
let upon our active preparations. Heavy
outpost duties continue just the same
and it is seldom that the enlisted men
have 24 hours intervening before they
are again detailed for some guard or
other service equally aS laborious, and
exposure to the fatal night air in this
wet and malariOus climate is deleterious
to good health. Service in this war,
with Regulars at the head of all bri-
gades, is far more stringent than it was
during the Civil war This in addition
to the fact that we are among a people
whom we are trying to COncilIate and
win to our side and must be on our good
behavior at all times, no matter how
short or poor our ratiOns are. No for
aging except with your pocketbook, and
that in q consumptive condition with
most of the men. Until today, all out
posts were changed at 4:30 a. m. This
meant that every man marching through
the tall brush and grass, covered with a
dew peculiar to this locality at this time
Of the year, would be as wet as though
he had plunged in the water, and the
only comfort in sight was the approach
of scOrching tropical sun to drive it
off in steam. Natives could not stand
such exposure, although, as a general
rule, this is a healthy island except
during the rainy season, which is now
prevailing.
The land of this island IS mostly
mountainous i'll the interior. Along the
coast are fine rolling flats of rich bottom
land which are planted in sugar cane.
The south part of tie island, where we
are now located, is not SO much subject
to rains as the north and central noun
resorted TO for the sugar fields. There
is an abundant supply of the finest
water on hand for this purpose, flowing
from every ravine of the foothills and
at such elevation that the highest flat
can be flooded at all times. A great
, amount of money has been expended
for this purpose by the sugar planters.
Wherever ravine little gully would
interfere, u substantial brick aQueduct
is constructed and lateral feeders to
turn stream into any furrOw desired.
What a bonanza you would have if you
had such water facilities for your cram
berry marsh; no frost to heave out the
gates. The soil is rich even to the very
tops of the mountains, and tall grass,
called guinea grass, grows all over them
with here and there patches of short
trees intermingled with cOCoauut trees.
Coffee is cultivated at high attitudes on
the sides and top of the mountains. In
these mountains there are frequent
showers and cloudy weather which is
essential to the cultivation of coffee. A
Young grove is generally planted with
bananas to give shade to the young
coffee tree and sometimes these trees
are planted right among the natural
timber growth and when they attain
sufficient size the forest or bananas are
cut out The mountain sides are steep
but the soil is of such q rich sticky
nature that it is not liable to wash out
in gullies. All kinds of tropical fruit
can be raised on this island but only a
small part of it is in cultivation, owned
in large tracts by Spaniards and other
foreigners. Fine corn is grown here
and this, with the immense wild growth
Of nutritious grass everywhere, ought
to make this an ideal location for cattle
raising. | have seen the guinea grass
as high as my head, and as often as it is
cut off it shoots out with another crop
in a few weeks. They cut it and tie il
in bundles to feed TO their ponies, which
are the only horses to be seen In the
place. One acre of this grass will fur
nish more stock food than six or ten dc
with us and is the only feed used tC
fatten the cattle A few of the officer
are using these ponies for saddle horses
Everyone of them is saddler anC
although they weigh not over 700 lbs
will carry the heaviest man over noun
tain trails with perfect ease and safety
When brought into camp they woul(
not eat oats and had to be starved to it
They keep in good condition if given
chance at the grass. Cattle are of tn
large horn variety, of fair size and q