The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-06-20

I@E~@
will shortly DO invaded by Unit
cd States troops.
Puerto Rico is a fair sized island. II
you were TO cut off q slice OF Ohio In
width equal to the distance from Gin
cinnati to Dayton and in length reach
ing to Portsmouth, you would have
about the same territory. 1t has a popu-
lation approximating 900, 600, one
third Of which are negroes. There are
470 miles of telegraph and 1877 miles OF
railway, besides 10 miles under o Il
struction. According to a report by
United States Consul Stewart Of San
Juan. printed in Highways Of Com
MERGE, Were are about $50 miles OF
good road ON the island. Elsewhere
transportation is effected on horseback.
The British report above referred to
SAYS that the telephone systems OF San
Juan, Ponce and Mayaguez have recent
ly been contracted for by local syndi-
Gates. In Ponce q United States com-
pany obtained the contract for the ma |
terial. There are 100 stations already
connected, and it is expected that 200
more will be in operation shortly.
There have been recent harbor improve
ments in San Juan.
San Juan is a perfect specimen OF a
walled city, with portcullis, moat, gates
and battlements. Built over $50 years
ago, it is still in good condition and re-
pair. The walls are picturesque and
represent o stupendous work and cost IN
themselves. Inside the walls the city is
laid of in regular squares, six parallel
streets running in the direction OF the
length Of the island and seven at right
angles. Tho houses are closely and com
pactly built of brick, usually of two
stories, stuccoed ON the outside n
painted in a variety Of colors- The up
per floors are occupied by the more re-
spectable people. while the ground
floors, almost without exception, are
| riyen MP to negroes and the poorer class,
| who crowd one upon another in the
MOI appalling manner The population
within the walls is estimated at 20, goo,
and most of it lives ON the ground floor.
I'm one small room, with q fimsy parti-
ton, a whole family will reside. The
ground floor of the whole town reeks
with filth and conditions are most un-
sanitary. In a tropical country, where
disease readily prevails, the conse-
quences of such herding may be easily
inferred.
There is no running water in the
town. The entire population depends
upon rainwater. caught upon the nat
roofs of the b, ildings and conducted to
the cistern, which occupies the greater
part Of the inner courtyard that is an
essential part Of Spanish houses the
world over, but that here, ON account o.
the crowded conditions, is very small.
There is no sewerage, except for surface
water and sinks, while vaults are In ev'
cry house and occupy whatever remain
ing space there may be in the patios no
taken IN by the cisterns. The risk q
communicating the water Is very great
and in dry seasons the supply is entirei!
exhausted. Epidcmics are frequent, ant
the town Is alive with vermin, fieas
c~ockroaches mosquitoes and dogs. Th
streets are wider than ia the older par
of Havana and will admit two cal
riages abreast. The sidewalks are nar
row and in places will scccmmodat
but n person. The pavements are OF
composition manufactured in Englan
from Stag, pleasant and even n duro
BILE when no heavy strain is brought {
: bear upon them, but easily broken an
0 unfit for heavy traffic. The streets al
swept once q day by hand, and, strang
{ to say are kept very clean /.
: From its typographical situation Gu
town should be healthy, but 1t is no
The soil under tho city is clay mike
with lime, 70 hard as to be almost Ill
rock. It is consequently impervious
is water and furnishes q good natur
drainage. The trade wind blows stroi
Of and fresh, and through the hsrbor rul
he n stream Of sen water at q speed OF n
n less than three miles an hour. Wi
10 these conditions no contagious disease
N if properly taken care OF, could ens
Id without them the place would he a We
liable plague spot.
in On the south coast of tho island
in Puerto Rico, on % beautiful plain, abo
as two miles from tho seaboard, is the CT
tn Of Ponce. 1t is said this has been sele'
ed by our government as the point
invasion. II is regularly built, the c.
n, trail part almost exclusively OF bri
houses and the suburbs Of wood. 1t
be the residence Of the military commant
u and the seat Of an official chamber
commerce. There is an appellate crir
on nal court, besides other courts; I
as churches-one Protestant, snid to be
Ter only one in the Spanish West indi
OF two hospitals besides the military n
pitfalls, a home Of refuge for the old Q
Ike poor, a perfectly equipped fire deps
ily ment, a bank, a theater, three first CT
IN hotels and gas works. The city has
&c. ice machine, and there are lilo yehie
ars for public conveyance. The inhabitar
ON who number 40, 000. are principally
ley cupied in mercantile pursuits, u
it'll penters, brichlayers, j%oiners' taii'
shoemakers and BARRIERS lind good
Dur p%loyment. -.
en- Mayaguez. the third city in imI
lis lance Of the leland, Is situated In