The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-05-17
HE ISLAND OF PORTO RICO.
Inhabitants ALs Ninety Per
Cent Negroes-A Rich Soil and
Great Mineral Resources.


In the discussions concerning the
banishment of the Spanish dag from
American territory we have heard !
very little about the island OF Porto
Rico, most fertile and productive OF all
Antilles. Compared with Cuba IL is
very small-nots so large as the smallest
OF the six provinces into which tho
former island Is divided. 1t is only
ninety miles long from tip to tip and
tolrty-six broad at the broadcast part.
the total area is 1850 square miles
one-third smaller than Connecticut
and not quite twice AS large as Della.
ware.
The c~oniiguration OF the island is
different from that of Cuba. The land
rises Immediately from the seashore
into q group OF hills and mountains,
eliminating in a peak 3,675 feet high.
Ihese mountains are covered with
magnificent timber and intersected
with lovely valleys, watered by run
ming streams, with a deep, rich soil
tina produces luxuriant crops OF all
tropical staples. 1t is said to be even
more fertile than that of Cuba, il such
u thing were possible'; but owing to
the MILLS and the rocks the proportion
OF the land susceptible to cultiva ion
Is very much smaller. The chief pro.
ducts are sugar, tobacco, coffee, rice,
cotton and fruit Of all kinds, and The
arabic land Is pretty well taken up
mere are supposed to be very rich
mineral deposits. Gold, iron, copper
lead, salt and anthony have been
found, and some OF the mines have
been worked for zoe Or 300 years with
u proht; but agriculture has paid SO
much better that the mineral re-
sources have been left undeveloped.
The timber upon the mountains is ex-
tremely valuable, being composed of
the hnest cabinet woods, add is easily
hccesslole In the rainy season, when
the streams are high.
The climate OF Porto Rico Is much
more healthy than that of Cuba, and
is as good as that Of any tropical coun-
try on earth, owing to the absence of
swanps, Jungles and other lowlands
which breed malaria. There Is GER
talnly no place in the West Indies so
agreeable, as far as climate and tenn
perature are concerned. The patural
conCltlons are almos perfect. Yellow
lever n other tropical diseases are
unknown. except when they are
brought into the seapurts from the
other islands. The thermometer often
falls as low as so degrees Fahrenheit
during the winter season, and never
rises above 80 degrees in midsummer.
+, inc nights are always cool, and q sea
!, oreeZe springs up regularly about III
, O'CLOCK In The morning, inc goes down
at sunset.
= Porto Rico is dcnsely populated, the
totai number OF people enumerated at
the last census being 7S4, T09, or more
tnan nall as many as are in Cuba. il
q. they were scattered evenly over the
!, island they would run about twenty.
!. two to the square mile, but they are
connned In towns and villages in the
iertlle valleys and upon the coast,
while the timber lands are totally un.
q inhabited. Ninety per cent of the
i, population are negroes or mulattoes
at least 400, 600 arc pure b,ooded de,
o ~scendants OF the slaves that were
4 brought over from Africa by the Span
lards. The white population does no,
: exceed 10000 $4,000 Spaniards and 8
few English, Germans, Dutchmen.
' Danes, Chinese. South Americans anc
a Canary Islanders. Only &c, S67 of the
population can read and write, ant
a Ihese constitute The upper aud middle
1 classes In the cities ana larger towns
p Inc blacks are absolutely illiterate
r There are 10 schools except those KEEP
+ by the priests, and they are not en-
codrageu. In the larger towns there
q are several private schools for the rich
but there is no place where the chill
q oiSh vi OhS COllUlOu Doodle can gel al
education.
The capital, San Juan, is a pictur
i etque place on the northern coast will
a population OF 81, Ala Ponce de Leor
a On the southern coast has the larges
population and is more popular anC
prosperous, having 81, 600 people. ST
n Germaine has 30, 600, and there ar,
two or three other cities OF more tina,
10000 population.
v The city of San Juan was founded b,
Ponce de Leon, who, in 1903, became
Its COVE nor. San Juan is situated OF
an island and connected with tn,
mainland by a bridge and a causeway
n a line high road extends acros,
through the sugar regions of the cit,
a Fonce' San Juan Is protected by al
a enormous citadel, which stands upon
q rock that projects into the sea, and |,
- surrounded by massive walls of ston,
y and cement, in some places 100 fee
high. The harbor is attractive an(
a the city is a favorite place for Spanish
a sailors and soldiers because of the fine
climate and other attractions.
The body of Ponce de Leon, wht
+ died in Cuba OF wounds received frop
the Indians in Florida was brought tt
4 Porto Itico and deposited in a lead
! case under the altar of the Church oil
DOmlnicans, and in the maiE plaza OF
p the city Is a monument to the memory
OF that romantic seeker of the foun.
tain OF youth. The inscription reads
| This narrow grave contains the re.
, mains OF a man who was a lion by
!, name and by deed"
, The revenues of Porto Rico have
a averaged about 81, 00O, 900 a year, hut
are nearly all sent to Spain. Not
more than $500. 600 is spent on the
island, and most of that goes to sus-
tain II garrison OF about $4,000 soldiers.
The exports and imports will aver
age o $I5, DOC, 600 u year. A large
part OF the Is with the
United States.
The people of Porto Rico are much
more peaceably inclined than those of
Cuba. They have beer fortunate in
having a better government. Thew
have suffered less from tyranny and
taxation, and the island Is 80 small.
the people are SO compactly settled,
tina they have been more easily con.
trol!ed by the military. There have
been revolutionary outbreaks from
time TO time but none of them were
serious, and the people have been kept
In such 9 state of ignorance that they
are scarcely ablu to tell the difference
between good and bad government.
Tho Intelligent classes, being mostly
Spantards, have BEEN loyal to the
mother country and frOwned upon
| political nnnlnirapi 10 Thn n,Ia