The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-07-04

san Juan, lOttO hlcO'
June 20. 1899.
To The Free Lanc0:
Perhaps a line from one of your
ST ,ffoid neighbors, now residing
in this newly acquired lnsular pos
session OF Uncle Sam, may be OF
some interest to your readers.
Since my arrival here, on May %,
have been favored with several
copies of the Lance, sent from my
home in Washington, among them a
copy containing kind notice OF my
appointment as Auditor OF Porto
Rico, under the United States Mill
tary Government of the island, and
of my departure from Washington.
Newspapers from the States are high
" appreciated in San Juan. The
only paper here published in En-
gllsh is the San Juan News, a
small daily, devoted mainly to mat
ters of local interest, and with very
mesger dispatches respecting news
item of genera interest. There are
several small daily papers published
in the Spanish language.
The voyage direct from New York
to San Juan, is made in five days
being something over | 800 miles, and
when one travels on a large, well
appointed ship, like the "McPhersOn'
on which your correspondent came, Is
exceedingly pleasant. One peeu-
liarity is the beautiful dark blue col
or Of the ocean in southern ATTITUDES,
which, as was informed, is owing
to the Gulf stream. Be that as It
may, one never tires in looking out
upon the vast expsnse OF water, col
ored in hues, so pleasing to the eye.
Besides the government trans.
ports, there are two commercial lines
of steamers between San Juan and
New York-the Red Bee Line and
the Porto Rican Line. A number of
foreign steamers may be seen in the
harbor of San Juan every day. Its
commerce is very considerable. The
chaunel entrance to the harbor Is
mar ow and intricate and must be
made by day under the guidance Of
an experienced pilot.
The appearance Of the city
and its surrounding, as the approach
is made by sea. is exceedingly plct
uresque. Moro Castle, .of light tan
color, nearly white, looms up grand
ly. while the green verdue on the
high banks beyond it is pleasing
to the eye, and beyond the city IS
spread out IN fine panorama.
AS one passes the Castle the rents
and scars caused by the shells from
Admiral SIMPSONS ships are plainly
visible. Indeed in the lntendencis
Administration Building, in the
heart OF the city, fronting the Plszs
of Alfonso XII, where the Office Of
your correspondent is located, "a huge
rent, now repaired and plsstered up,
is pointed out as having been caused
by one Of the shells of the lombard
ment, which must have been produc.
tive of considerable CONSERVATION to
the inhabitants of San Juan.
was agreeably disappointed in the
city in finding its streets, which are
kept scrupulously clean under the
military rule, we'll paved in the mid
die with vitrifed brick, made in
Europe, with concrete sidewalks.
These sidewalks, however, are too
narrow for two to walk abreast with
comfort, the whole street including
the sidewalk being no wider than
some of the spacious sidewalks in
Washington city. The city of San
Juan is very compactly built and
covers but a small extent of territory.
The population exceeds 10 000 The
buildings are solid and well built,
those used for residential purposes
having very high ceilings and huge
windows, without glass, with adjust
able blinds, and opening like great
doors. The halls, dining rooms and
reception rooms are usually hoored
with stone tiling, which gives them a
cooling, inviting appearance. 10 the
Hotel May6ower, where your CORE
spondent is domiciled, his bedroom
has a stone tiled floor with ceiling
about as high as that of an ordinary
church. The partitions between the
rooms are about II feet high, so that
above there is free circulation Of
the air throughout the entire build
ing. This is very comfortable
respects the circulation Of the air
but when your next door neighbor is
a champion snorer while in slumber,
(as mine isl, the free circulation Of
sound is not quite so agreeable.
The Maydower is regarded as an
American hotel, and the best here,
being patronized mainly by people
from the United States. 1t is kept,
however, by Spanish speaking people,
who rigidly adhere to Spanish Gus
toms. The early breakfast, served
from 7 to s A. NJ, is merely bread
and coffee, nothing less and nothing
more. Regular breakfast is served
from II to l o'clock, at which hour
the stores and even large banks close
their doors In Order tnat Ill nauus
may go to breakfast. The dinner
hour is from to s P. M. These hours
for meals at first goes hard with one
from the States, where the breakfast
from 7 to 9 A. NJ. is one of the sub
stantial meals of the day. But one
soon adjusts himself to conditions,
and when he cannot change them,
grows content Herewith. 1t is said
that the very light breakfast from
7 to 8 A. NJ. is better for one in this
climate, which am inclined to think
is the case, as the mornings are
usually sultry and the hottest portion
of the day. About IL A. M. q hne
breeze usually springs up and con
tinues through the remainder OF the
day. AS rule the nights are plea
SAINT, and would be enjoyable but for
the mosquitoes which are numerous
and very pronounced in their mode
of making the acquaintance of a
newly arrived guest. Fless also