Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-02-09

and valleys clothed in everlasting
green; her fragrant flowers and delic-
ious fruits; her running brooks OF pure
sparkling water, and soil in which
can be produced anything that man
may require for his sustenance, with
but little or no effort on his part. Even
the manner in which many of the peo-
pie dress reminds one of the pictures
frequently seen representing the first
settlers" in Eden.
The United States, in acquiring Por-
to Rico, has become the owner of a
spot more beautiful than can be found
anywhere else in all her possessions.
Situated 1890 miles southeast of New
York City between latitudes II degrees
"a minutes and IS Legrees 80 minutes
north of the equator, she is we'll with
in the torrid one, and thus partak of
such benefits as may accrue from a
tropical climate, as well as the disad-
vantages, also.
The island is oblong in shape, ex-
tending from east to west, with an eX-
treme length of about 110 miles and a
width of As miles. and has an area of
1868 square miles, or about four-fifths
that of the state of Connecticut.
There is level belt of land, but lit
tie above sea level, from four to six
miles wide, extending almost around
the entire island, while in the interior
are two mountain ranges extending
from the east to the west, parallel with
the coast line, and attaining an eleva-
ton of over 3,7OO feet at the highest
point, ell Yunke.
There are no less than 1900 streams
of pure water on the island, some of
them of considerable size, but the most
CT them small and insignificant, many
of them being in evidence only in the
rainy season. Forty-seven of them
however, are navgable for boats of
light draught for short distance in
land.
The principal towns are San Jpan,
the capital, on the northern coast, with
a population of 10000. 1t is walled
city, being surrounded on every side
by n massive stone wall from 80 to 100
feet nigh, and it is the oldest city on
the island, having been founded in
1911, IS years after the discovery of the
island by Columbus. The city is real
ly built upon "a small island, separated
from the mainland by a narrof chan
mel, which is spanned by two sobstan-
tial bridges, the latter being guarded
by the San Cristobol Fort, the strong
est fort on the island with the eXcep-
ton of Moro Castle, which guards the
entrance to the harbor at the other end
of the city. While San Juan is not the
largest city on the island, it has many
advantages not possessed Dy any of the
o.her cities, and will no doubt main
tain it's supremacy in the future as it
has in the past.
Ponce, the largest city on the island,
is located on the southern coast. 1t
has a population of $4,000, and as an
extensive shipping point for sugar, ,cof-
fee and tobacco. 1t has an excellent
harbor although it is not landlocked
as is the one at San Juan. The city
is connected with San Juan by an eX-
cellent road, of which more will be
said later on. Mayaguez, on the west
ern coast, is the largest coffee ship
ping point on the islands and has pop
ulation of between II 900 aud $4,000,
L. also has a good harbor. Humacao,
near the eastern coast, is the fourth
city in size, and has population of
about 5000, and is noted principally for
lis fine church and beautiful plaza. 1t
is located inland about fye miles from
the cost, having as its port Punta de
Santiago.
Besides these cities there are mum
ber of others, some OF them of consid-
eIdDle importance, bOlh oiphS bhN
coast and in the interior.
The roads are we'll worth mention
ing as being either very good or very
bad. There appear to be no medium
reads on the island. The principal
rrad--in fact, THE roads the one
leading diagonally across the island
between San Juan on the north and
Ponce on the soHth. 1t is 81 mile'
long, and is what is called in tha
country military road. In fact, i
was constructed exclusively for mill
tary purposes, and had there not beer
military necessity for such a road
it would not have been constructed a
all
There are perhaps just as goo,
roads elsewhere in the world as is thi
one, but there can be none better. Thi
road Is of comparatively recent coh
sctruction, having completed onl!
about 10 years ago. 1t was built b!
the Spanish government with convic
labor at a cost of 10000 600 pesos 9TH.
peso corresponds to our dollar, it be
ing the Porto Rlcan standard of value
but it's true value is less than 80 cent
OF our money! Each convict employ
ed on the work was allowed the muni
ficlent sum OF ~ centavos Qess than
eents) per day. which amount wa
placed to lhls credit and paid to hin
upon completion OF his sentence. o
course. convlcts performed only tn,