New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-21
PORTO RICO WINTER RESORT
HERBERT ". WILSON LECTURES ON lis
REALITIES of SCENERY AND CLIMATE.


According TO Herbert NJ Wilson, topographer OF
tho United states Geological Survey. Porto Rico Is
among the most beautiful OF the West Indian ISL
ands and IS destined in time 10 become "lh''
resort 10 which many thousands OF Americans VIII
annually go Mr. Wilson lectured entertamihsy
and lnstructvely on the physical features OF Porto
Rico last night AT Chickering Han berore '"'
American Geographical Society
Mr. Wilson said that the Island OF Porto hico
was the summit OF n mighty mountain OF volcanic
origin whose base lay 1900 feet below the sea
level to the north OF Porto Rico. making one oi the
most profound deeps known. To the north the
mountains slid abruptly into tho sea- win sc''ce'S
any coast plain To tho south the descent 10 IN"
sea WIS less prociptate. San Juan, Ponce ana
Mayagucz with populations or So"' z-'V" anu
1900 respectively. were the principal cities
II was n popular impression, Mr. wilson SAID
.,o, tho island was heavily forestcd but as mat
tor ~ fact the mountains had been almost entr'ly
doforestcd and trees. carefully seIecten h"" "'V"
planted in place 81 the original growth. Ihere was
scarcely a foot OF the island but was un''r 'u'''-
walton. -,
A. Wilson grew eloauent over the climate OF
porto Rico The climate OF the northern part o.
tbe island was humid he said Tho average ram
fail was a inches annually. and In one year 10
inches OF rain fell Although he was IN san Juan
In the dry" season he could not recall udy 'c'0
when II did not rain two or three times 10 the
,outh the climate was scmi-humid ono place had
a record OF no rainfall IN three years, but long
ariiity was not the rule. What pleased MI. Niisoh
especially about the climate was me Tempe, a. ~ 20
II never got below e. degrees Fahrenheit In tne
winter. and IT. highest record IN summer was ~
degrees although It dl not often exceed I" &c
grees. but in even the warmest weather coonh8
breeze blew over the island at nlght. mo 70
quency 81 rain was due TO circumstance M NJ
gave rise to peculiar phenomenon nanely, tai ,
from "A clear sky. The moisture-aden trace "l s
blowing I'm from the struck against the IoltS
mountains. the first obstacle they met on thelI
westward way. and the moisture was conueiiseu
into rain too rapidly for the formation or clouIs.
Transportation I'm the island, Mr. wilson 'oh1ln-
ued was In q very crude state Inc fblrodu4 VIZ
short rrow-gauge. rough anairS re WIS toI. -
that there were more than two hundred miles OF
hrw.,,!r but what there was was of tho finest
M ga do m notably tho eighty mile road from san
Juan 10 Ponce, which the pony dllgences coNereu
in twenty-one hours. Cart roads ana pony taIis
were the other means Of connection between Nai'-
OF the agricultural capacity OF tho island Mr.;
Wilson had much TO say NOT ohly dld a sIea, u -
OF fine sugar-cane grow in the districts near me
coasts. most Of 1t being as big as man wills
and ten or twelve feet tall. but there were grown
quality and hid a bouquet similar to that FOR winch
Pinar del Rio Is famous Moreover much coIeo
of AN excellent grade raised. The biggest crop
last year was raised by man who was \ seaman
in the United States Navy IN the CivH Var ~,
received S0OO0 for the crop Most kinds OF tropical
fruits and vegetables grow In abundance, Mr. WIZ
son said The fora was exceedingly pTo.use anu
beautiful. The many trees or VarIeRd'ed iV'i'bo
made the hills most brilliant spectacles -,
OF the fauna Mr wilson couId no. say in.Td' 81
a complimentary nature. Excepting an occasiona -.
the island TO be found IN plenty were rats o. o.
which there was no end. There were plehy Oh
small birds OF brant RlHmage Sat no ar ,Se-
a delightful scarcity OF reptiles and none or a
poisonous nature were TO be found Despite me
TACT that there $4,000 blacks on the Island
the West Indian negro was not among them. the
natives OF Porto Rico lacking the woody hair ana
African features of the West Indian negro