The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-11-05
Porto Rico.

The island Of Porto Rico, recently occu-
pied by United States troops, was one of
Spain's fairest colonial possessions, and,
Notwithstanding the illiberal rule of Spain,
it has enjoyed more tranquility, and there
fore more prosperity than Cuba or the
Philippines. 1t includes one of the most
densely populated areas in the world. The
form of the island is described as an irreg-
ular parallelogram, 108 miles long and 81
miles broad 1t contains $3.50 square
miles. Its superficial area is greater than
that of the State of Delaware, and less
than that of the State of Connecticut.
The population of Porto Rico is estimated
at 813, 900, or about 81, 900 greater than
that of Connecticut at the last census.
The northern coast has regular out
line on the maps, but is said to be rugged
and inhospitable, presenting few good har-
bors. Notwithstanding the fact that
Porto Rico was one of the discoveries of Col
umbus, the surprising statement is made
in a current descriptive publication, that
the coasts of the island are not we'll known,
and that the existing charts of Porto Ri
can waters are not complete. The pic
turesque features of the Porto Rican land
scape are the very numerous rivers, the
forest clad mountain ranges, eliminating
in the peak of FL Yunque, 300 feet
high; the extremely fertile valleys and
frequent villages and farmsteads.
Porto Rico has 40 miles of telegraph
and 1871 miles of railway, with 10 miles
Of railway under construction. The roads
and bridges have been neglected, for the
reason that the revenues have been used
for the most part to assist in suppressing
instructions in Cuba. The government
in recent years has given some attention
to the improvement of internal communi-
cation, but in several of the departments
primitive conditions still exist.
The climate of the country is warm,
but not so enervating as that of the other
Antilles. The temperature rarely rises
above 81 degrees Fahrenheit, in the shade,
while the temperature at night is not
above 20 degrees. Along the coast the
climate resembles that of Cuba, but at
certain places in the interior the climate is
as cool as that of much higher ATTITUDES
The island, like all other tropical regions,
is subjected to hurricanes, some of which |
have been very destructive. All the val
liable woods and tropical fruits grow here
luxuriantly, as well as the staple products
of tropical agriculture, sugar cane, coffee,
tobacco, cotton and rice 1t is said that |
the yield of sugar per acre is greater than
in any other West India island 1t is
noted as Il remarkable circumstance that |
very few wild animals, birds or flowers are
to be found in Porto Rico. Agricultural
operations are conducted by the natives,
but by far the greater portion of the COM
merce and business of the country is in the
hands Of foreigners and natives of Spain.
In 1896 the value of the importations
from all foreign countries into Porto Rico
was SIS, 945, 1913, and the total exports
Of the island were valued at SIT, 295, 525.
1t is estimated that about one eighth of
the imports into the island come from the
United States. Porto Rican importations
into the United States last year were of
the value of 50, 191, 024 In 1893 they
were of the value of $4,OO9, 623. In
1897 the United States exported to Porto
Rico 81, 9G4. $50 worth of goods. The
exhibit Of the trade between Philadelphia.
and the island for five years past, reported
by Collector Of the Port Thomas, shows
that the importations into Philadelphia
from that quarter have fallen from the
value Of 1859, 1876, in 1895, to SO, 089,
in 1897. But the exports from Philadel-
phia to Porto Rico have been increasing
every year since 1893. In that year the
value was SIG, 05S. In 1897 it was
SIS, 51S.