The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-05-17
FACTS ABOUT PORTO KlC0.
Interesting Details from Surgeon Glennan's
Report.
Richmond Times.
Surgeon 81. Glennan, United
Report.


Surgeon a. 81. Glennan, United
States marine hospital service, has
made a report TO the supervising sur
geon genera. on the sanitary condition
of Sau Juan, Porto Rico. II the
course Of the report he gives some In
teresting information in!regard to the
island.
Porto Rico. the fourth in size of
the islands of the West Indies, is
quadrilateral IN shape, s little over 100
miles in length, and 81 miles in width,
{ s972smiles: TO- Key W est, ], ,175 miles to
Port Tampa, and . little over ], 300
statutes miles to Hampton Roads, s
says surgeon Glennan. It is sepa-
rated from Haytis son the west BY a
strait 20 miles in width. OFF the
eastern end there are number Of
small islands, the largest Of which are
the Isia C1lebra Snake Island } and
ssIsla de Vieques (Crab Island.9
ssThe Indian name for Porto Rioo
was Borinquen, which seems prettier
and more approp opriate than that Of the.
Golden Gate Porto Rico. Theisland
appears to be Of volcanic origin, and
lis straversed from east to west by
ranges off mountains Of an average
height Of 800 feet, dividing it into.
two great watersheds, the larger upon.
the northern side. One peak Of these
mountains, Yunque, reaches q height
soff s, 1918 feet. There are over ], 300
rivers and streams, 80 to 40.ef which
are .nayiigable for some distances.
2 Politically, the island is divided
into provinces OF; districts -Arecibo.
and sBayamon upon the north, Ponce,
upon the south, Guayama and Huma-
oayao upon the east and Aguadilla and.
SMayaguez to the west.
The principal seaports are San,
Juan and 4krecibo upon the north:
coast, Ponce and Gnanica upon the:
ssonth, and Aguadilla and Mayaguez
snpon the west. With the exception
off San Juan most of these are: open
adsteads, and vessels are obliged to
put to sea In storms.
uanics where Gen. ! Miles first
landed, otected, bat has. little
Shipping Interests. Special reports.
will be 9made upon these harbors N:
due course, after personal nspection.93
The population Of the island is q little
over 8OO, 900, being more ;densely sset-
tied In The western end. Roughly,60.
$ per cent are white, go per cent are,
negroes. No reliable census Of the
country, cli1 cities and townsis obtainable,,
and if the island lis included lin the
coming census Of: the United States
special information should be sought
upon vital statistics ,sthe sanitaTy his:
tory in past years, prevalence ofscon=
tagiious disease etc. and I ecommend
that the bureau.invite the attention
off the commissioner Of census to this
latter. So
The population Of some cities is
eSw ronghlys estimated as follows:
Ponce a, 100; San Juan, .32, ,OOO;!
sArecibo, 1900; Utuado, 10000;
sMayaguez, Is, 900; San German. l8,-
1000; Yanco, $4,000, and Juana Diaz,
1900, with number Of other towns
{of over 10000 inhabitants. The pop.
nlation given probably include the
settled districts surrounding the towns.
arrow, gauge ra...roads run for
comparatively short distances in sew
No. si4t
geral detached places. One from San
Juan to Arecibo is Sc kilometers long,
and continues ID kilometers farther to
Camuy. Another from San Juan to
Carolina, =22 kilometers; Aguadilla to
Mayaguez, ~ kilometers, and con-
3tinne III kilometers to R0migueros.
Between Yauco and Ponce the road is
35 kilometers in length.
"a telegraph system connects vari-
aous portions Of the island; was poorly
managed, and, UNDERSTANDINGS owned
By the Government. It is now opera.
ted by the signal corps, United States
army. Porto Rico is connected with
the ide,world by cable lines, which
run to Cuba, Mexico and Panama;
also to st. Thomas, Jamaica. This
line is owned by an English company.
ssIn normal times the average en-
frances Of f.vessels is said to have been
1919 per year, Of :sa7 ,s4l tons, Of
which bH of56l, ,9SS6 tons we're English.
The larger number Of other vessels
we're Spanish, German and american.
It is also stated that the total annual
imports were about 81, 100000, and