The record-union., 1899-05-04
A Great Improvement Since Amari-
cans Assumed Control.
The New System a Miniature Of That In
Vogue in United States.
San Juan, Ponce and Mayaguez to
Have Free Delivery, While Do
nestle and International Money
Orders are Soon to be Issued at
All the Offices.

|
! Correspondence of the Associated Pressp
SAN JUAN DE PORTO RICO, April
2I.-Porto Rico will soon be enjoying a
fifst-class postal service First As
sistant Postmaster General Perry
Heath, who arrived here a fortnight
ago, and who is leaving for the United
states to-day by the Caracas. has Wis.,
| TIED every nook and corner of the ISIS
and, accompanied by Captain w H. Ell.
ilott, Director General of the posts in
Porto Rico, and Inspector Moore. to-
get an intelligent notion of THE needs
OF the island in this respect
| Under the new system, domestic and
International money orders will soolI
be issued at all the Offices San Juan.
Ponce and Mayaguez viii have free de-
livery, the mails will be transported
across the island by new up-to-data
equipment, and the entire management
| of the postal service will be conferred
IN the Director Generals office here.
The new system will be a minaturetof
that in vogue in the United States.
Captain Elliott will have the EXCLUSIVES
control of the more than seventy minor
ofnces, viii employ his own men, make
the mail contracts, and audit the ac-
counts of the various branches There
will also be dead letter office in Sam
Juan
1t is expected that the postal SER
vice will be self sustaining. A con-
siderable sum has of necessity been
spent from the present proceeds in
converting the unsightly and unhealth-
ful "Correos" of the Spanish adminls-
tration into the attractive and sanitary
Postoffices with which all Americans
are familiar Nor has this been a.
small undertaking.
Tine new Postoffices of the Director.
General are the delight of Americans
travelling in Porto Rico. Over the door
will always be found the flag of the
republic, while Within and without
new paint and attention to cleanliness
have made a most inviting stopping
place for the traveller. 1t lis the hone
of the Director General to restore the
confidence of the Porto Ricans In the
postal service, which, under the Spal1-
ish regime, could not be trusted with
valuables. So reliable has the money!
order service proved that this brancfD
mas increased wonderfully among the
native population
Mr.. Heath speaks in the highest terms
OF the Porto Ricans, and is enthusiasts
tic over the future of the island. He
fayors its rapid Americanization. and
the introduction of American laws and
methods, advocating the employment Of
intelligent Porto Ricans in the variors
Postoffices, under the direction of ex-
perlenced American postal officials. He
has entire confidence in Captain E,lli-
otis ability
Like every American who travels
through the interior of the island. Mr..
Heath has been emphatic in EXPRESS
ing his admiration at the great I'M
provement in the roads since General
Henry established the policy of employ
ing Porto Rican laborers for road maxi
ing This branch of the work of the
military administration has been in
charge of Major Hills, assigned by Se-
nors Domenecih and Rodriguez, capable
native engineers. Where there were
impossible roads last year the tray-
eler may now speed his coach and tire
peon drive his OK cart, heavily laden
with the products of the field. to the
ports and towns nearby.
The possibility of distress has been
avoided by the employers of the native
laborers, who might have suffered ON
account of the bad condition of the
plantations after the war AT no time
has there been any actual distress. On
the contrary, Porto Ricans need neyer
suffer for want of food, as nature sun
plies bountifully. The Porto, Rican is
an industrious man, quite unlike many
OF his neighbors in adjacent islands
The poems and workmen EMPLOYED
upon the roads receive fifty cents day.
Porto Rcan money, which is about
equivalent to thirty cents American.
and with this daily wage they are con-
tent Indeed, the road making work.
has proved one of the wisest acts of
craftsmanship, and will soon demon
strate its beneficent effect in helping
to solve the problem of Government and
trade betterment in Porto Rico
The business men have suffered since
the war in having no organization
through which they could act Jointly
to secure favorable legislation and to
promote their common interests. For
merly they had a Board of Trade. or
Chamber of Commerce, but this has not
been revived since the war.
To promote harmonious action be-
tween the American and Porto Rican
merchants, and to contribute to the
advancement of insular business in
vention of all the business men of the
island, with view of establishing a.
new Chamber of Commerce The con-
vention will be held here during the
next fortnight