Gloucester County Democrat., 1899-07-06
cosmo sprInqs.
CoAMo. June II. 1889.

Ja ID CARPENTER OhAh OH - MS ia
the first opportunity to write have had
since | landed on the Island of Porto
Rico 'Tis the first mail / could get to
New York. l came over here on the
steamer Caracas, which sailed on June 3rd
from Brooklyn. The passage was fine
one, all l could ask for. The third and
fourth days out was somewhat rolly, but
no wise severe. No one sea sick that
know of, not even your correspondent. Our
party of four was Jolly one, and so were
the whole OF the frst-class the
seeond-class | saw but little Of Captain
VIM. B. Woodrck is jolly Dntchman and
took the best of care OF, and looked after
his passengers comfort.
We left Brooklyn at So o'clock ., m,
June 3rd, and landed at Plya, the seaport,
at 8 80 a. m. on June the 8th. Passed our
baggage through the Custom House, and
was in Ponce one and one half hours later
From Plya to Ponce is about q fifteen
minute drive Oh good Telford road, called
the MiIitsry road. From Plya to Ponce
the land is very low, and subject to floods,
though there are large fields of sugar cane
raised on this land, and only one quarter
cultivated, and a quantity of tropical
fruits Ponce has some large buildings,
principally one story, but great number
of rooms It would surprise our people to
see how they get so much room from the
looks of the houses They are very sub
stantially built OF stone or brick, and rough
cast, Principally. The mortar is of cement
and native lime Why the houses are but
one story is simply this; The Spanish
taxed them so much for one story, and still
more for the second, so the builder had to
be very rich man or woman to afford the
second story. The ceilings are very high,
no windows but large doors instead. They
are very comfortable. The poor class have
small shanties, something after our poor
class in North Woodbury., say at the North
Woodbury. crossing; and still poorer class a
little shanty with thatched roof. Ponce
backs ~ at the foot of the mountains. To
look around you, you would think there is
nothing but mountains as high as three
hundred feet To look ahead from the
steamer, you would see nothing but starva
tion staring you in the face, but it is worth
a trial The land is of the best quality as
far as | have been able to examine, and
very fertile. | see crops growing that ! am
acquainted with, such as corn, looks fae,
littelattended | saw the people tere lin
one instance) digging sweet potatoes on the
level ground with the old war weapon
matchet Iu the market at Ponce, | saw
several of our kind of vegetables, such as
egg plant, beans, cabbage, cueumbers, pep
pers, pumpkins, and citron. The citron
are large enough, but smooth, and yellow
tomatoes. II / saw any white potatoes
dill not recognize them.
All the vegetables and fruit | have seen
are far from the quality that we produce
Sweet potatoes look like artichokes more
than anything else. maybe because they
have no ridge; they are grown on the fat
ground. They say the watermelon grows
here, have not seen them yet do know
the orange will grow. for 1 have tested
them, the best favor have ever tasted l
except none, and they are fine and large,
too. The banana grow fine, l see them in
the market in size from three inches in
length to twelve inches long, and about
one and half inches to two inches in
diamater. The long ones they fry. which
makes very good dish. The small ones
they eat from the hand. Cocoanuts are
plenty and very fine The trees grow forty
to fifty feet high with bunch of leaYes on
top, and maybe bushel or two of matured
nuts, and more coming on. 1t is supposed
oDe cocoanut tree, if it bears a good crop
will have cocoanut for each day in the
year.
The trip from Ponce to Coamo Springs
Hotel, was not bad considering the rough
ness of the country, and the bends around
the foot of the mountains flor they are
very plenty herel, but as good a Telford
road as you have ever seen. If our little
town of Woodbury. had such road they
would think they had the best in the
world. This is no joke. The Military
road from Ponce by Coamo Springs Hotel
to SangJ uan. (Sanvaun, they call it,, is the
best road / ever saw. All the streets in
Ponce are Telford, side walks are cement
ed Everything is cement and stone.
l will say the streets. for they are all
paved. Coamo Springs Hotel is a large
house, two stories, large and commodious
rooms. fne bed rooms, and well furnished I;
everything nice and neat. Mr.. Haines is
very particular. He wants everything in
order
/ cannot describe the passage from hotel
to the Springs 1t is a long irregular hall
way, hundred yards long. The Springs
are on a small mountain, TWO of them
One of them merely bubbles through
creyice in the rock, the other is a boiling
spring take the lid off and the stream will
rise like taking the lid off the dinner pot
The water is conveyed to the hotel
through about four inch pipes this is 80
hot you have to run in much cold water
so you can bear it. There is nothing to
heat this water that man can see, nature
alone knows what heats it. | know it is
hot, for took bath in it yesterday, (Sun-
day.
Speaking about labor, would not
advise laboring man to come here to seek
his fortune. Labor is cheap, and work bard
to get. have seen one lady of color that
is going home on the next steamer on ac
count of not finding work for her son.
| have not done stroke since | left
Woodbury. on the third inst, but been
looking around to see how the land lays
The manager of the Puerto Rico Co.'S toll
me to make haste slowly take week OF
two to get my thoughts together so as to
strike the right place when | do begin.
think if they will let me loose l can
make the best move very soon.
So far | have found some one to talk the
English language, there are more who can
speak English han Que would expect.
As for the climate, | can see nothing
wrong Win IL one mas 10 uEess tnlDi as
you do in the States in the warm season !;
Ills very pleasant in the shade. There has
not been much rain yet, has been several
sh overs the last few days, but very light
ones. The rainy season has not fairly
set in
will try and tell you more as the season
progresses.
Very respectfully yours,
}. s. c.