The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-12-07
TAKING THE CENSUS IN PORTO RICO.
NEW STEAMERS TO PLY BETWEEN
SAN JUAN AND NEW YORK.
sOmeting More About Ponce de Leon


The following is q continuation ard
the concluding section OF the very
interesting communication by Mr..
Garrison, commenced in our last
issue:
SO much is being written in the
dsily press of the United States re
spectiug the political, social, INDUS
trial and commercial conditions and
prospects Of Porto Rico, that any
thing your correspondent might say
on that line would be but second
hand and without interest TO the
readers of The Free Lance.
The raising of oranges is favorste
scheme of investment with Americans
coming 10 Porto Rico, since its eli
mqte ls sn ideal one for that purpose,
never subject to the frosts which
sometimes blight and destroy the
crop in Florids. Some have already
purchased land for orange growing,
and Others are prospecting on the
same line
During the past few months mum
cipal elections have been held IN
SO yeral of the towns of the Island,
under authority of the Governor
General, with varying results as TO
success of the Republicans and
Liberals. Tue recent Republican
success in Mayaguez was celebrated
here, in San Juan, with music, speak
ing and fireworks. These elections
have not been devoid of charges Of
illegal voting, fraudulent ballots and
contested cases showing that in the
very inception Of educating the Port
Ricsns in the elective franchise, the
usual evils spring up, which prevail
in communities where elections have
been common for more than CEN
tury.
The taking Of the census of Porto
Rico is progressing Systematically
under the able management of Mr..
Harrison Dipgmsn, the assistant di-
rector of census for Porto Rico, a
we'll known citizen Of the District Of
Columbia. Mr.. Dingman's genial
and social qualities are making him
AS popular in San Juan ss he deserv
edly is in Washington city.
The New York and Porto Rico
Steamship Company will soon have
two or more new steamers of the most
approved type added to their line
running between New York and San
Juan in fact, the new steamer
Ponce" has already made her first
trip, having been delayed on her
voyage here by the mishap of losing
her propeller, occssioning the neces
sity Of her being towed into the port
of Savannah, Ca, where q new
propeller was ordered and adjusted.
She arrived here twenty one days
after her departure from New
York. She is fne ship, and
her conveniences in the matter of
saloons, DINING room, smoking
room, state rooms and the like, are
such as will please the taste of the
most fastidious. The acquisition of
these new steamers will materially
add to the travel coming to Porto
Rico from the States, and also bring
to the people more frequent mails.
10 an article for The Free Lsnce
written several months ago, your
correspondent referred to the fact, as
stated here, that the remains ol
Ponce de Leon are buried in the old
church Of San Jose in the city of San
Juan, at the head of Ssnto CristC
street, overlooking the entrance tC
the hsrbor, which was rent by ono oi
Sampson's shells at the time Of the
bonn bardment, but is now repaired
In conversation with American
friends here, some of them have beer
disposed to doubt the truth OF the
statement as to the burial place o.
Ponce de Leon, reminding your cor
respondent of the lessons in oul
school-boy biographies and histories
which taught US that Ponce de Leor
died in Florida or near to the banks o.
the Mississippi in pursuing his fruit
les search for "the fountain Of eter
youth"
For the real facts concerning thu
death and burial of Ponce de Leon,
am indebted to the kindness and cour
tesy of the Honorable Cayetano Coll J
Toste, the learned and accomplished
Civil Secretary to the Governor Gen
eral and formerly the Secretary O
Finance of Porto Rico. DR.. Coll !
Toste is we'll versed and thoroughly
informed In all matters pertaining t.
Porto Rico and its history. In ad
dition to his knowledge and exper
ience in public affairs of the island
he is also distinguished physician
and the author of a treatise on yel
low fever, which ranks high as
standard authority with the medica
profession.
The facts are as follows: Don Jual
Ponce de Leon, in an engagement
with the Seminole Indians in Florida
received an arrow wound which dis
! abled him; he went to Havana, Cuba