The record-union., 1898-07-30
Weather Forecast.
ANOTHER GEM OF THE OCEAN.

without the loss of a single American
soldier General Miles forces nave TAKEN
the city of Ponce in Porto Rico Inc
few spanish who opposed were easily
scattered. a half dozen were killed, and
something over a dozen were wounded,
some four or five of our men receiving
wounds also.
The CITY is one of considerable size,
variously reported to have population
of from 10000 to $4,000. The General
reports that the people received the
American troops with open arms ana
unrestrained enthusiasm. This was ex-
pected. Ponce, it has long been KNOWN
was opposed to the Spanish comma
tion. In 1869 the Spaniards gave Porto
Rico what was dignified by the title OF
a. Constitution, but it has been the
plaything of political thieves and I'M
roverished rascals, whom Spain has
sent out to rule over and plunder one
of the most fertile spots on earth.
At Ponce the seat Of dissent from
Spanish methods has been located.
There Porto Rican patriotism mas peeh
most manifest, and there Spain mas e2-
perienced most difficulty in depressing
the people and wringing tribute from
them our capture of Ponce, therefore,
is shorn of it's brilliancy by the fact
that the people of the place welcome
us. and doubtless made it difficult 1or
fhe SPANISH to hold the city. The enc
NV therefore avoided the mistake they
made in Cuba, and have Withdrawn
their forces mainly to San Juan, Where
concentrating their energies they VIII
stand a siege.
General Miles takes and restores the
railways, captures large NUMBER oi
lighters, very necessary for his pur-
poses just now, and holds the port
which is one Of first Importance. lie
echoes all that has been said Of the
country that it is beautiful of land
scape. rich and fertile, the people pros
porous, the climate healthful. the lands
elevated in the main. and the products
varied and valuable.
Iuthisisland the land wind so constant
mother West Indian sections is sunknoWn'
the winds being mainly from the north
east and the east, and from November
to March direct from the north. or
the products, cabinet and dye woods,
mahogany. lignum vitae, cedar and
ebony. all tropical fruits in perfection,
sugar cane, cotton, rice, maize and to-
bacco are the staples.
There are few wild animals in the
island and few birds, while the flora
of the land is poverty-stricken as to an
amount or variety. Gold, copper, iron
and lead are found, but no mines Of
any great account are worked There
is no West Indian island where so much
or good sugar cane is grown to the
acre as in Porto Rico.
The chief reason why Porto Rico has
declined in the last few years in pro-
duction and general commerce is not
due to failure of the soil, or the falling
off of any natural endowment, but sole
ly to the fact that Spain has drawn
the very life blood from the veins OF
the people in order to carry on the
war against the insurrectionists in
Cuba.
They have been taxed, oppressed and
punished beyond endurance. We can
well understand, therefore, why they
hail the entry of American troops with
Joy, and raise the Stars and Stripes
11,ar thar houses in Ponce with sincere
enthusiasm Columbus discovered
Porto Rico in 1893. and now in 1898
Columbia takes charge of his find, and
will continue to hold it, and under ner
benefcent administration will make it
another gem Of the ocean.