Evening star., 1899-03-10
CUBA AND PORTO RICO
Experiences of an American Civil Engineer
On Both Islands.
Conduct of Affairs in Havana Under
the WeyIer Regime Porto
Rican Industries.

Rico from Havana while Weyler was ir
control at that city gives account OF
the management of affairs at that time
and details other information of interest.
When we left Havana" says the writer
''Weyler had issued his famous order and
the result was Il general exodus commenced
principally from Havana. Smallpox and
yellow fever were raging; the hospital was
full of unfortunate soldiers. officially stated
at more than 700 in the city alone.
"a year before i saw troopship after
troopship arrive in Havana harbor, gaily
decked with flags. but filled with soldiers
who We're mere boys. averaging eighteen
years; these We're fitted out in gorgeous
uniforms used in the peninsula, but as soon
as they landed they were marched to the
barracks and divested of their glory. which
was replaced by coarse blue striped linen
and Panama hats. After month of cam
paigning the men would be brought back
to the city, gaunt, ragged and diseased
and. what was more, unpaid. 1 have seen
the officers who had appropriated the pay
of these unfortunates reveling at the gam
ing tables. and living on the fat of the land
Having my passport vised. l visited the
steamship office of the Cia-Transatlantica
which was filled to suffocation with all
sorts and conditions of men pleading for
passage. Although ] was accompanied by
a high official, It was fully half an hour
vate office of the company's general agent
Owing to my credentials and the high posi-
ton of my 'cicerone.' l was furnished with
ticket which entitled me TO state room.
Fighting Their Way
When We reached the steamer men and
women were fighting their way up the
gangway. only to be pushed back roughly
by the police detailed to examine the pass
ports AS soon as the passport was hand
ed over the name of the owner was entered
in a book then the passenger was sub
Jected to a close scrutiny by some twenty
secret police. The ordeal was not partic-
ularly pleasant for the reason that the
police Were not always perfectly sure of
their man when making an arrest, SO that
visions of detention naturally came to my
mind. However, l was rot mOlestcd.
The steamer Barcelona on her return
trip to Spain carried LOO passengers, 7N
of whom slept on deck. and although small
poX and Yellow fever We're raging in the
city. no attempt was made to examine q
single passenger.
Il VIII not detail the horrors of that three
days passage to Porto Rico-the rough
weather. bad attendance and filth of the
frSt-class passengers At last We Sighte ed
San Juan. early in the morning of the third
day out. 1t was beautiful sight to see the
mountains that rise boldly near the shore
rugged with innumerabie peaks, ultra
marine colored. piercing the clouds. The
town Of San Juan lies partly on the sea
shore. but the principal part of the town
faces the harbor, which is landlOcked and
guarded by a headland on which is located
the fortress of Ell Moro. The town is
built on the side of a hill. with very steep
streets. which are paved with a kind OF
fire brick, and. owing to the small traffic,
are kept very clean. Surrounding the town
on the land side Is wall surmounted by
battlements which at the beginning of the
century were considered impregnahle. but
which today are dismantled, and the only
fortifica tionS that are of any Importance
are located on the ocean front.
An EnvinbIe Reputation.
San Juan. previous to the American oc-
cupation, was the seat of government in
thu island, and here resided Captain Gen.
eral Nacias. The latter bore the envia BILE
reputation of being a gentleman, and
shared with Marshal Martinez Campos the
istinction of being thoroughly honest
official, the only two such that the PENN
sula ever sent out TO govern its colonies
Gen. Macias record a soldier and states
man is well known. In fact. he was spoken
of as the successor of Weyler. but as he
was known to have such ridiculous views
as to honesty, It was unanimously decided
not to send him TO Cuba. Although the
capital, San Juan. is not the principal
business center of the island, consider
able trade is carried on there. The popula-
tiCn, like that of Washington. contains a
large number of officials and clerks in gov.
ernment employ.
There is very little to amuse the trave!e,
or soiOurner within its gates, the only
place of recreation being the inevitable
Paseo. which Is located near one of the
walls OF the town. Here the best classes
promenade when the military band plays
The hotels are very poor and expensive
The only one that lays claim to being
first-class IS the Inglaterra,' in whose of.
flee the traveller is greeted with the sign al
the clerks desk that Ingishcs Speaker
The harbOr. although well protected from
the ocean by coral reefs, is Vary shallow
compelling vessels to anchor half a mill
rom the shore. A great many attempts
have been made to obtain a concession
from the government to build a wharf
which would pay very handsomely, but the
necessary red tape and 'backsheesh' DE-
manded has prevented everybody from ac
complishing anything. The charges fo
landing goods are excessive, and owing Il
monopoly Of this the importer is com
palIed to avail himself of the only means o
landing his wares, or else go out of bust
ness.
The Sugar Estates.
There are many sugar estates in tht
surrounding country, some of which arr
extensive and well equipped with moderI
machinery. mostly from Scotland. Plant
ing takes place once g. year. and the pro
duct per acre is very much larger than tina
OF Cuba. These estates are 10 a great ex
tent controlled by Spaniards. and tn. labo
is composed mostly Of negroes. who ar,
paid very small wages. The soil of til,
island is very productive, and it's lninera
wealth extensive. The latter has been yer,
little exploited. for thu reason that tn,
Porto Rican government opposed all mir
ing operations except by Spaniaris.
"One of the principal railroad lines Of tn
island from Ponce to Yauco. a distanc,
of 10 kilometers; it is narrow gauge { nt
very badly managed. The cart road be
tween these two points is almost tband )net
by the government, but a heavy traffic il
carried on by means OF oX-carts tha
actually carry freight al less than half tn
r. Llrn.L ...laS nd rlal.a ,u,,., ~