Arizona republican., 1899-03-17
NEW NAVAL STATION.
The Old Spanish Arsenal at San
 Juan, Porto Rico.
4 Valuable Acquisition to the United States, Which the Spaniards Sur rendered on Their Evac-
 uRtiOn.

rendered on Ine1E EVaG-
 uRtion.
 Part of the government property 1 handed over to the United States wheG Spain evacuated Porto Rico was the
 old arsenal, as the Spaniards called it
 which is to-day occupied lay the Ameri-
 cans at San Juan as a navy yard. Wha:
 the future naval station at this poin.
 will amount to has not yet been an nounced When we have absorbed
 Porto Rico's exports and are supply
 ing the greater part of her imports: when questions of money tariffs ard government have been determined i;
 when the commercial and political edu- cation of the people of this island is
 well under way; when the restless curl osity of American adventurers IS satis- fled and our people at large have been told what Porto Rico amounts tC; and when the winter tourist trade is regu- larly established-when all this has been done, the value of this new posses sion as a naval station will have bee;, recognized and there wiz be estab- lished here a navy yard sufficient to meet the needs of the location. in the meantime certain navy officers hare been sent down here to take official possession of what the Spaniards turned over
 On the norta side of the island there is the city of San Juan, and reaching out into the harbor is a large stretch of low. made land. This area is given over to foundries, gas works, coal yards, storehouses and the navy yard. The Spanish arsenal was built many years ago, and to-day. wren the addi- tions are considered. the yard is con- fusing collection of thick walled. one story houses. The ground is only about three feet above the level of the bay; consequently the houses are damp and for the most part musty and ilI-smelI- ing; the sun and air have little chance to reach the inner rooms aud passages, and the place is oppressive. The shad- ows of heavy trees and thick shrubbery around the cCmmandant's house give pleasing variety to the white walls and the Roman Catholic chapel on one siese of the small square in the center of the clump of buildings, and the curi- ous belfry and clock on he other, are both picturesque and novel. The main entrance to the yard faces the north; it is large white portal in the center of a white wall. This portal holds on high the royal arms of Spain and is decorated with the signs of the ECdiac. Above escutcheon and device floats the American flag, brilliant against the in tense blue sky behind it.
 The Spaniards were never known for or>proper living. and the con- dition of the arsenal when We took possession was proof of this statement. The place was filthy. Ali drains were choked by the accumulation of years, and hundreds Of cart loads of dirt had to be removed before our men cOuIi living in these quarters. The Spaniards never had any sanitary water and refuse were allowed to sink to the ground, so the earth of the entire yarl can be re- garded as polluted. There has been yellow fever here within the las: three years, and there is TO doubt but that the place is teddy unhealthy.
 Much can and is being done to i'm prove it's conditions; the entire place is being thoroughly cleaned. all floors are being newly cemented. and cracks in walls are being sealed up, to prevent poisonous emar2tions from the so:i under the buildings. 4 distiIling plan, with daily capacity Of 3,o00 gallons is being erected; until this is com pleted the station will get distilled wa ter from the collier Caesar, anchored in the harbor. Sleeping quarters for 40 marines are laid with board floors. F inches above the new cement. so thar fresh air can circulate freely unGer the boards The commandant's house, which is in better condition than any other building in the yard is now used as offices by the American occupants Golfers Weekly.