Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-09-23

Il n believed that automobile carriages
can BE- moved over IT,
Al present @ costs from to 20 ~ TO
10 BY cnrriaro from san Juan To Ponce.
There are villages ana sInall t'Whs ~
along the route and carriages Of this
kind would have many paascnrcrH
with the increased tourist travel from
the United statea branch lines could
probably be satuhIshHl running 90 Coz
mo and the Hot springs and also 70
Guyana, further east on me south
coant. Indeed % De- not Impossible that
me whole island viii some day be
opened ~ by automobile carriages.
MONEY ~ HOTELS.
The tourist travel to Porto Rico
promises 10 be % great factor IN the
enrichment Of che island. We have
here perhaps the finest winter climate
u the world The mountain are as
beautiful us Switzerland and the island
WI some day b. o. great winter t,aptt
FOR the rich OF the United stat.H. 10 iH
fumorod here that FllgIor. The million.
nlrc Standard OH man. who has butt
the big hotel ln Florida, D. nrr1nElng 70
establish a line of Cine houses in Porto
Rico.
Whether this 81 true I 10 not know.
but there " no doubt that American
hotel men are studying the Island with
q view 90 lnyoHimrut Mr. Hanna, the
American consul here, tolls me that he
has received letters within the past
few weeks from sovonty-hvc different
American hotel men and h0tol COM
pnnlca inquiring "a 90 the possibilities
of such Investments in Porto Rico.
There ~ no doubt that % good hotel
would pay No San Juan. II should. how
ever, be frat class IN nll reFpocb,
should be fully equipped with baths and
modern convenience, and should
30 a a "a HNnM INHHH "a
many fne locations for such a hotel
LlEht on the orean outside ~ San Juan.
nnd the probability a. That 10 could be
kept fun tho year round.
some of the finest of bot springs are
10 be found here IN Porto Rico. There
are large ones ne Coamo, right In tho
mountains, surrounded ny beautiful
scenery. These have hotel connected
with Thorn which was Tor n long time
gambling place. but which has now
been bought by 1u American party. II
Will probably DO we'll
THE QUESTION or TRADE.
doubt whether American merchants
can make much In Porto Rico. The
natives are good traders They und,g.
stand the markets, and know how 10
handle their customers. AZ present
there are many unpleasant business
regulations which form clogs on the
wheels OF nuCcHHfful WerchandlaluEs
These nre gradually being removed. but
all sorts OF unpleasant taxes are stlll
lowed by the cities. The man who
drives "a bullock cart nays n license.
The poddlcr who cries chickens through
the street a. assessed q certain amount.
ard Il ~ % with every trade and proc
fcHslon. Every merchant has 20 pay
90 much 20 so into business. varying
IN amount with the character and ex-
t0nt % the business done. All NOR
chants. importers aud bankers are rcg-
iutercd. and are divided Into classes and
pay pruportionateiy.
In the past the taxes have been much
heavier than now. under tho Spaniards
every municipality had not only IL
tnrin taxes 60 pay, but also conaump-
ton taxes. Consumption taxes were
raid when the goods were sold either
by the seller or the purchaser. n you
you would have TO pay the regular
sumption tax. This was 20 with all
things. but Il Il now, believe, con-
fined 20 liquors,
Al prcEsnt there are many annoy
nncca IN the custom house 90 20 the i'm
portation u goods. The Old ryHtnma
are, 20 nome extent. In vogue. ana u
will ho some time before trade can be
managed after our American mothoda.
BANKING IN PORTO RICO.
There should be money here IN bank
ing. In the past the Spanish Bank u
San Juan did most Of the business. IL