Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1899-05-04
PORTO RICO is A
PROSPEROUS ISLAND.
Soon WIN Have First Glass Postal Ser'
vice, Good Roads and Many
Other improvements.

San Juan. May Il Porto Rico will
soon be enjoying first class postal ser
vice. First Assistant Postmaster Cen
sral Perry Heath. who arrived here q
fortnight ago. and who ON April "a.
left for the United States by the Cara
cas-. has visited every nook and corner
Of the island. accompanied by Captain
w. II. Elliott. director general Of posts
in Porto Rico and Inspector Moore,
TO get an intelligent notion Of the
needs Of the island in this respect I'm
der the new system. domestic and inter
national money orders will soon be- Is
sued at oil the offices San Juan. Ponce
and Mayaguez. will have free delivery
the mails will be transported across the
island by new and up-to-date equipment
and the entire management Of the pos
tai service will BE- conferred in the di'
rector generals Office here. The new
system will be miniature Of that In
vogue In tho United States Captain
Elliott will have the exclusive control
Of more than 20 minor oiices, will
employ his own men. make the mail
contracts and audit the accounts Of the
various branches. There will also be q
dead letter Office In San Juan.
II is expected thai the postal service
will be self sustaining. A considerable
sum has. Of necessity. been spent from
the present proceeds in converting the
unsightly and unhealthy ''correos' Of
the Spanish administration into the at
tractiye and sanitary postofices with
which all Americans are familiar Nor
has this been a small undertaking.
The new postoffices Of the director
I general are the delight Of Americans
J travelling in Porto Rico. over the door
will always b. found the flag Of the re-
, public. while within and without new
!, paint and attention OF cleanliness have
made a most inviting stopping place for
Z the traveller. Il is the hops 81 the direo
t, tor general 10 restore the confidence Of
J the Porto Ricans in the postal service
which, under the Spanish regime could
1 not be trusted with valuables. 50 re-
liable has the money order service
proved that this branch has increased
wonderfully among the native popula.
J ton.
4 Mr. Heath speaks in the highest term.
! OF the Porto Ricans and is enthusiastic
4 over the futureof the island He favor.
4 it, rapid characterization and the intro.
J duciion Of American laws and methods
advocating the employment Of intelb
} gent Porto Ricans Ia the various pogt
K Offices under the direction u experienced
4 American officials he has entire con
Z fdence In Captain Elliotts ability
, Like every American who travel
D through the interior Of the island. Mr.
Heath has been emphatic in expressing
1 his admiration at the great improve
( ment in the roads since General Guy V
y Henry. military governor. establishe
} the policy Of employing Porto Rical
4 laborcrs for road making. This franc
Z OF the work of the miitlr
administration has been in charge q
Major Hills. assisted by Seniors Do
! Enreh aud Rodriguez. capable natiy
< engineers Where there were impass.
bic roads last year. the traveller ma
y now speed his coach and the poon driS
his OK cart. heavily laden with the pr
ducts Of the field. % the ports and iowf
'h Learby.
y The possibility 81 distress has bee
IN avoided by the employment q nati'
~ lalorers who might have suffered q
account q the bad conditions ot Il
M plantations after the war AZ no tin
has there bsen any actual distress =
" the contrary Porto Rieans need new
o suffer Tor want Of food. Is nature su
: plies IL b0un;lfully.
The Porto Rican Is an industrior
man. quite unlike many q his neig
j. bors in adjacent islands The poems Al
~orkmen employed upon the roads I
ceive 10 cents DAY. Porto Rican none
which i about equivalent 70 70 cen
NJ. American money and with this dai
wage they are content Indeed :
roadmaking working has proved one
on the wise acts q the statesmansh
CD and will soon demonstrate 10 bcreice
a effect in helping 10 solve the problem
- government and trade betserment
pnrto Rlra