The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-16
PORTO RICO AND ITS PEOPLE.
A SAVANNAHIAN's EXPERIENCES
AND OBSERVATIONS THERE.

The People Not of n High Grade
Morally and intellectually, hut
Given Over to Superstition ana
FiIth-Cock Fighting the National
snort of the Countryside Body of
the Dead soldier in the Cathedral
at san GRANDCHILDREN Go Naked
Bccause of the FIeas-The Island
Very ThfcI1Iy Populated, and Small
Chance fer American LabOr-The
Great Road From san Juan to
Ponce.
Mir. II. B. Lemcke, who recently return
ed from Porto Rico, has some interesting
"reminiscences of his stay in the island
He went to Porto Rico with the United
States postal service, being taken from
the Savannah postofice for this purpose.
His title was that of chief registry clerk,
but his duties were varied. Much of his
time was given to establishing new post
offices, in which capacity he visited nearly
all the principal points on the island, being
for a time postmaster az Aibouite, where
the Spaniards made their last stand on
the island. Mr. Lemcke followed the
United States Army with the postal
corps to San Juan, where he made his
HEADQUARTERS until his health compelled
him to return TO this country.
Mr.. Lemcke says that the American
people are too prone TO rush into the
island without taking into consideration
its geographical dimensions or It's climatic
conditions. The island itself is only 100
miles long by forty miles wide from end
to end across it's breadth it is one eontin-
ual mountain range, and the mountains
run from 500 to 1900 feet high. In some
places the base of one mountain touches
another having no valley Where the val
leys intervene they are taken up by sugar
plantations, that Is, near the main roads
of the island. The main road runs from
San Juan to Ponce from northwesterly
TO a, southeasterly direction, distance
of eighty -four and a quarter American
miles. This Is about eight-tenths the entire
length of the island and the road Is a
beauty. 1t Is the main military road and IS
in acadamized its fun length The scenery
is beautiful. The road winds around the
base of one mountain aud over the top of
the next; far down in the valleys one sees
the sugar cane and tobacco growing and
The cocoanut and banana, while on the
top grows the coffee plant and far up the
mountain side rice That was a strange
sight to a Southern man, who had always
seen it grow in a low, fiat savanna All
fruit grows wild: none is cultivated, and
right here is where the native Porto Riean
shuts out any American laborer, as his
Giving costs him comparatively nothing
With his machete, which every man car
s..t, III Ill nc
his reaper and CLEANER he cuts down some
bamboo poles, sticks them into the ground.
making them fast with a cord he weaves
from the fiber of the inner bark of the CO.
coanut tree, which is as strong as hemp;
takes the large tapping bark from the
banana tree, which Is IS to 20 inches wide,
and makes clap boards which projects the
side of his shack; cuts a grass that grows
wild an the fields like our broom straw,
makes that into sheaves and matches his
roof, and there he has a comfortable
house without the cost of a nail or the ex-
pendiTure of one centaro For food he cuts
bunch of bananas, hangs them up in the
shack and eats them as they ripen.
Oranges he gathers in the woods, and
guavars he gathers In the same manner.
These he loves and eats raw, or makes into
jelly. For coffee he either grows a small
patch or steals what berries he wants,
which he cures and makes into his coffee.
Sugar is cheap and he can get an of that
he wants. He works for 30 centaros per day
or about % cents in our money.
NO American laborer even if he could
stand the climate, could stand their mode
of living said Mr.. Lemcke. ut rains
every day and nearly all day, and the
rain running down the mountain sides
keeps the rice growing. The natives
wear very little clothing, an undershirt
or pair of cotton trousers. no shoes, and
hat they make themselves. The chill
dren or "chickenas" as they are called.
run naked. both sexes, up to the age of s or
. years, consequently there is considerable
mortality amongst them, being constant
by in the wet and dampness. The fact that
the children run naked is not from econ
omy in particular, but to keep the fleas
off. The Americans on the island are
very much annoyed by these pests, es-
pecially little children who are one mass
of welts made by the bite of these little
fends.
The grand military road starting from
Ponce, runs through the following towns
Jain DiaZ. Cormo, Aibonita, Cayey, Con.
guass, Rio Peidras, San Fucie, and into
San Juan the capital. At Coarmo. are Tho
famous hot sulphur baths, which was 8
fashionable watering resort in the Span.
ish days. AT Aibonita is the famous pas.
where the Spaniards made the last stand
and where our troops would have suffered
heavy losses had they tried to storm Il
and IL is doubtful to this day if they could
have driven the Spanish from their posi-
ton. At Cayey is the great center of tn,
tobacco industry. At Rio Peidras is th,
summer palace of the governor general
dlfior
Mr.. Lemcke was asked for informatio,
as TO the natives character; their mod
of living, supersttions, etc.
Their superStitions," he replied. ear
mostly of a religious order, and they ar
in that respect, being densely ignorant
speak of the lower classes now. like chill
dren- They believe all that is told them
especially by those in power For instance
IN the Cathedral at San Juan lies tn
body OF young Spanish soldier, kille
over $50 years ago by command of hi
superior officers on The ground of insub
ordination. The body is in perfect preser
walton and looks like that of man bur
lew days dead. This man they worshi
ana claim IS a saint. The history of IN
case is this: About $50 years ago the troop
ON the island were ordered to eat the man
ma or bread made by the natives. mi