The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-03
BUSINESS IN PUERTO RICO.

Where a man has capital to invest
there are many lines of business upon
which he may embark with q fair as
surance of the return of his money with
interest.
Sugar, coffee, and tobacco raising
rank first, and will open the best ave
nues for investors Of large capital
These three interests will be treated IN
separate articles.
Fruit growing is as yet undevelopeo'
but the island offers many possibilities
and rich field for investors, in that
every kind of tropical fruit may be cul-
tivated to its highest perfection in the
rich, we'll watered soil.
According to William Dinwiddie' tns
special correspondent of Harper
Weekly in Puerto Rico, railroads ana
modern rapid transit facilities are very
much needed in the island. Don loo
Bosch, in 1888, secured a franchise from
the Spanish government to build ana
operate railroad Which was to enclrcie
the island. The corporation was TO DC
known as the Cornpania de las FeTro-
CARRIES de Puerto Rico. The road was
10 be finished in six years, and the gov
eminent guaranteed eight per cent 10
not to exceed 10000, 900. This road was
promptly begun at three points. AT tne
END OF four years, or in 1892, slngs
track narrow gauge road had been la4l
nofthWard and eastward from San Juan
TO Carolina, by way of Rio Piedras, STA
teen miles in all, and the grading nau
peen partially completed to Rio Grande
ten miles farther, while from San Juan
westward 1t was completed for forty,
elght miles to the town of Camuy A.
Asuadilla it ran southwark through
Anasco to Mayaguez, distance OF :.
miles. From Ponce on the southern
coast it was built to Yauco, some
miles westward, making a total mileage
OF one hundred and ten of the two nun
uIed and eighty-three contracted tor'
Inc equipment of these fragments Oh
pauly-lald road would disgrace ios
Slhg or mining region in our northWes.
so mean and primitive are the cars ana
so badly treated are the engines II
is not essential to discuss the defective
methods existing in railroading ~
Puerto Rico-beyond stating that the
service consists of one mixed train o,
Two cars each way in "a hours anu
that the average speed is 10 miles an
hour-as it is rather intended to polp'
out future needs. The corporation pe,
Iore referred to did not complete ithe
foau, and made no attempt to do 50
within the stipulated time, so the
spanish government revoked the fran
chise. 3G#
Ihere are no other railroads on the
Island, except tramway from san
Juan to Rio Pledras, which parallels
tne other road that far; the equipment
Oh this line is bad, but the service Is
comparatively good, as trains are run
each way, on schedule time, an hour
There should be great future in the
island for lighter tramway systems
such as trolley lines with trains OF wv
OF three cars, capable of making ~
mlles an hour. 1t Is not believed py
the writer that in this small area there,
| is' or ever viii be, sufficient commercial
inuucement to warrant the constru!es-
ton OF heavy road BEDS equipped WIN
large engines and standard rolling
STOCK. The distributing points for pom
imports and exports will lie around ING
periphery of the island at the best
water fronts, and the railroad handing
hauls. -