Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-10-20
San Juan, and it has been singular!,
Tree from epidemics Of all kinds.
MANY E1r\I. n OFTEN IS

among the principal Cf which are 9TH
! Inglaterra' ard THE Francia,' the
cuisine and appointment Of both Of
! which will compare favorably with
some of our best hotels in the states.
! There are also here. as els Where. nu-
mcrous boarding houses at which ac-
! cCn:modations can be secured at 4
| reasonable price. An intending Wis ter
| to Puerto Rico who probably expects
10 put w Si,ll Very ordinary accom-
inoe.sitioEs during hi; sojourn here
would be very agrecao!y surprised at
the comfortable and inexpensive man
ner he can live a some of the best ho-
tells Of this place. He wever, there is
one discomfort that the Americans
! have to contend With, ARA That is thu
! ironciad rule that has Deen establish
ed by the hotels of only serving strong
black coffee ana a little fruit as tie
first meal Of the day. and again. Tho.
almost universal custom CT cooking
garlic III the food.
Puerto Rico, with its superb climate
and barring hurricanes such as that OF
last August. which occur about once
in a century. presents an ;lluring field
| for an American hotel.
| I.A Tt.\SSl! NJ; HABIT
While General Davis the military
governor Of Puerto Rico, has establish.
ed many new reforms ana customs:
here, still there is one thing that he
has not nolcslcd, ana which, in my
opinion. and to many other nervous
American residents. is as ubominll,le
as the Dissertation of the Sabbath b.,
the opening Of the theatre ana saloons
here. Or the cock fights on sunday,
which was formerly the custom nare.
and that is The fiendSh. sen>eless, .oi:l-
harass;ng ringing Of The church bells
Of the large cathedral At San Juan.
There are about five or six bells in II"
| tnWe! nt the sold cathedral, varying in
tone from Il shrill tenor down to 1
deep thrUbhn. bass. These bnllS arc
runS all through the week ana sun
day, to-" without ihyinr or reason
ANOTHER l.l'ulSANCE.
| Another nuisance TO which Il stop
should be put is the large amount of
street vending carried on ',y the nn-
livcs here. All kinds If articles. DO, II
for fpot! and Wear. are sold by pcdlul$
who begin their traffic in the early
hours nj the morning by crying i'll
| their loudcst and most discor,lan:
tones the excellence ana cheapncsS us
their goods for sale and only cease.
late at night The old axiom If ''clriy-
| W b'tl, Clt- ttulI tt \tlN wei !t-
verscd in puert" Rico to late to b.. l
ana early to rise, &C." as il is impossi-
bic to slrei, after 6 a. NJ in the mora
ing. ana before l. 81. | o'clock Al night.
On sunday ana Wednesday, evening";
the brass band of san Juan, composed
| entirely of Porto !.icans, assemble in
the principal plaza. ana discourse IA.
! Noritc American and Spanish airs -
| the delight and amusement of the pa
| i'adinE thrOn2 gathered on these cvcn-
inES. Tho Porto IsicanS possess rare
| musical ability. ana their rendition IF
| the most difficult compositions IS Ger
tainly most credtable To their musicui
training. y Puerto Eican father hardly
considers his chld's education as com
| plcte without the addition Of music IL
the list Of his accomplishments. San
Juan. in addition to its splendid ban2
boasts of two excellent clubs "-rh,
Cosmopolitan" and the 'N>'asn>r Isol-
! mol"
AMERICAN AIRS.
The avidity ana quickness with
which the small native boys pick up lhe
American airs ana also. by the way
the choicest Of our English ''cuss' words
is remarkable. 1t seems 70 be the first
thing they will learn in The I.ng!isi
fame language on any ana all occas-
ions Without the least cause or provo
cation, ana which. 10 doubt TO lhai"
mind, they consider the very acme o!
good Americanism ut is not an UNI
common occurrence to see 4 black Luy
about three feet in heighth, walking
proudly down on. of the rrincipa
streets of san Juan. rchcarsng tn
himself. utterly uhIivious of Who may
chance to hear him. some o. the mos;
blood -curdlinG American oatEs which
would rut 70 shame the efforts Of ar
''oid salt in this direction.
/ FRUIT HAl:,lNG INDUSTRY.
The raising of fruit for. the -Ameri>ttn
markets promises to be one Of the great
industries of Puerto Rico. At present
such fruit; as oranges. bananas. ANA
| cocuanuts grow in Il wild state. an,'
little or no attention is paid 10 ,h"u
/ cultivation by the natives here. With
a little careful cultivation. all of these
| fruits could be made To produce aJur.
dainty. This island possesses an un-
usually inviting field for fruit raising.
frost is never known here: labor is
exceedingly cheap. ard 4 person Will
Il small capital Of, say 5000 10 $1,000
To invest in orange lands. provided. ~
| course he has the means To tide hiil
over until his grove begins to b"a.
fruit. would be insured after that Pc
riod 4 comfortable yearly income from
his Investment. The raising Of cocoa-
nuts also presents many Inducements
to The investor. There are mann
Porto Itiaans who are crjoying good in
comes derived from their cn.cnru
groves. 1T requires but little or no Ia
| Dor TO start Il cOCOanut farm. a ttcr ht
seed has been planted, further care 81
cultivation is not necessary. and ut II,
end Of about five years the trees Wit
Ill. ln.l I.Il III.