The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-06-01

PORTO RICO THE GaM
or THE ANTILLES.
A Sketch ot That BoauutW and Fcr,lc
Island by one ol our Soldier
BuyA
So H,,lc was the Intercourse between
the United States and the countries which
have come under American DONNA lon
as a result ~ the late war with spain
that any tuf lrma,tgn pertaining TO tnvir
social. Industrial. agricultural ana other
conditions Is of great interest 90 the pc'-
pie OF this country There Is especial In.
.rrest In Po-Jo Rico, which is credited
With being The gem ut the Antilles,
/ George r. Wvch who was wl,h Gen ral
Miles expedition when Porto Rico was
conquered has kindly given The Asst riau
a br,cy ac.oun, oi his observations and
experiences while IN that island Mr.,
Wrlch is y graduate ot the oregon state
+ University. and ts a man OF tjucatlon and
travel having seen mush ut the United
States In the last few y,ars, and being
close observer his statements can %
/ relied upon
As Co the climate OF the island Mr..
WEIGH says that he did NOT hnd q so
oppressive as a; Tampa, Florida, whcrr
he nearly dlcd OF the hea, during the
six weeks he was stationed there The
I temperature Is from 60 TO 9 degrees
Z .ltt H.. Lob Al
ways pleasant In The Afternoon the sea
breeze springs up. making the evenings
extremely delightful The rains are very
heavy during August and september bu,
during the remainder o. the year there
is just rain enough TO keep all vegetation
In perpetual verdurc. lie found the
island quite a healthy place FOR a north.
ern man. provided he did not try 20 eat
all the fruit and drink all the whlskcy
found there. Mosquitoes and neas OF
the most ferocious kind are In myrlads
all over the lkland. There are tarantulas
and ccutIpedes bu, they are small, and
their sting is seldom fatal and there are
but few snakes. and they are small and
harmless. There are no Wild animals. !
There are great numbers of cattle on I
the island They have the color OF our I
Jerseys but are large and iine. The 1
custom OF the country does not permit /
the native dairyman 20 adulteratc his /.
milk. for the cows arr driven 10 the /
doors Of the customers and the milking |
done IN their presence The horses are
small but very strong and hardy. Goats /
and an kinds Of fowls common 10 this /
country are kept In immense numbers.
The topography Of the country Is very /
high mountains. The soil is extremely /
fertile 10 the tops Of the hills upon which |
are grown very fine crops. Sugar, coffee
and tobacco are the chief products and |
vegetables are grown 70 considerable exc
tent In the markets can b. bought all
the vegetables known to our gardens
and Of splendid quality. The tropical
fruits are delicious and embrace many
varieties never brought to the markets
q oregon. Corn grows well but cereals
do not. II is a great grazing country,
grass growing two feet after being cut
In six weeks There Is only one road on
the Island and II Is a military road from
San Juan 10 Ponce. II Is n broad avenue
and Is finely macadamized and has no
heavy grades. All communication with
the other parts Of the island Is by sled
roads and trails. mud sleds being the
principal vehicles.
The natives, Mr.. Welch states, are do
f.I Iri.. It,g !
veterate thieves. The lower classes live
primitive existence. and are densely
ignorant. The middle class, which IA
small, live better and are fairly well
educated. The upper class are all highly
educated and a refined courteous people.
They were all very friendly to the Amer
leans. and the better classes extended
the hospitality Of their homes and social
to any American who con-
ducts himself as a gentleman. Many
Of the American boys have fallen victims
to the charms Of the fair Porto Rican
girls Mr. Welch was not altogether
certain whether It was the wltchng eyes
Of the beautiful senoritas or the great
coffee plantations to which they were
heir that entrappcd our boys. The lower
classes are seldom married, but the coli-
pies live together with no thoughts OF
doing wrong, and separations among
them are quite az few as among the
higher classes who are married. The
great cost Of a marriage within the Cath
bic church Is the reason FOR the poor
people not obeying the bible injunction.
Dances. cock lighting and going TO church
are the only diversions Of the people.
Every public affair ends with dance.
Sunday the men put In the day cock
lighting, while the women attend the
church. In the evening all attend the
lance.
The few public buildings are fine, and
4 town pretentlous to be a city Is gagged
BY the size and magnlicance OF Its church
.difce. A town like Astoria would be
ure to have church costing from
1000 TO $4,000. The only schools are
n The towns The girls schools are
aughi by women, and lace making and
ancy work ls the principal branch
aught. The boys schools are always
aught by men, and the course Of study
3 limited to the common branches.
'atholic is the religion Of the people,
MT Protestant missionaries were coming
n before Mr.. Welch left the island
here are but few negroes in proportion,
D the population, and the color line is
nknown, lntermarrlages being common.
As to the possibilities for Americans,
e does not think Porto Rico a very in