Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-11-01
PORTO RlCAN LIFE.
A GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF OUR
NEW INsJLAR POSSESSION.
The EFFECTS OF TIE HURRICANE.
Millions of Dollars Lost--Statue of
Columbus Injured-san Juan, the
Capital City, Clean. Healthy
Place.


October ). 1883.
San Juan de Puerto Rico, to the peri
patetic American tourist, would be quite
an innovation. Unlike Santiago de cuba,
there were no extensive war and awful
shedding OF blood like that attendant upon
the occupation of the Island Of Puerto
Rico by the American army. The excite
ment and novelty Of the changing times
and conditions which prevailed during the
| earlier days OF the American occupation
have all passed. Everything has now set
tied down to peaceful and expectant
| quietude. to the credit. be il said, Of .he
| peace-loying inhabitants OF this little
| island. who though now laboring under
| conditions as bad--if not worse-tnan
those which formerly existed under
| Spanish rule, are patiently awaiting the
solution Of the numerous, and, | may say.
complex, questions continually arising for
the bettsrmentof the island, both from
financial aspect and otherwise. Upon the
| satisfactory settlement OF these questions
thers will no doubt result much good
and benefit TO Puerto Rico The island
| possesses a climate and soil winch loI
fertility and productiyeness is not equalleN
by that OF California. Even unoer the
most unfavorable conditions It VIII pro
duca fruits, vegetables, and the IKE ..
such immensely and exquisite dellcacy q.
taste that they will be the wonder anu
utter establishment OF those who have
been pomologists OF agriculturists the
best portion OF their lives.
EFFECTS or THE HURRICANE.
! The severe hurricane of August str hs'
] l. rafl
progress Of the hitherto fairly prosper
| out island. and has caused an lIn'deh'e
| lot of suffering among the poor lsopie.
| whose means of subsistence nave petl
| thus destroyed. The cohdltlon al ILL.,
| peOple who live I'm the country clstrlc's
| is pitiable in the extreme-more 50 even
| than those living I'm the cities, Whtle
! work Of some kind throughout inc yea,
| can generally be had. me parma anu
| MAINTAIN. upon which these people SUD
| sist principally, and which are prepared
| bv them in a score OF dinsrent WY D
| have been almost totally Wip11 AVA,
| and in consequence the inhabitants nay
! been Obliged 10 accept or the sehei"sltg
| of the people Of the United states, ana
also the United states Government. since
the hurricane. food, medicines. AMI money
have been very generally dhtllDuted 10
the destitute and suffering.
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS LOST.
The damage 10 the coffee crop Of the
a., n
cane. has been very great and II VIII
take a long while for these crops TO ruiy
recuperate from the fearful plow sus-
tanned. The damage wrought by the hur-
ricane has been VarOusly estimated at
from s2OO0OOc0 to N0O9000, and the loss
OF life from 500 to 1000. The greatest
number OF fatalities was at Ponce, the
largest city Of the island, which seems 10
have borne the brunt OF the storm. Here
the loss of life has been estimated at
about GO. Very fortunately. san Juan
escaped the worst Of the storm though
at times the velocity OF the wind was
terrific. The principal damage done here,
outside Of the unrooflng OF IN etheatre
and other buildings in the city, was the
havoc the storm played with the mag
nihcent statue OF Chrstophere ColumDus'
located in tho principal plaza, or the &Sitsy11
Plaza de Cristobal Colon. Inc uplilteu
hand OF this statue was blown entirely
of from the body, "a cle9nly and neatly
rs II II had been accomplished with the
MD Of tools for the purpose me statue
was otherwise badly damaged rms
tatue. made entirely OF fine italian mar
Iio was erected here a few years ago
lv the city of San Juan in honor Of the
great navigator at q cost OF $1,000.
THE CAPITAL CITY.
san Juan, the capital city. IL situated
1n the northern coast Of the island. At
his place are the headquarters OF the
frmy' and from 1t all the affairs Of the
island are managed and directed. IL IS a
small place. about one and halt square
miles in area, and contained in this ter
To a visitor Il IL mystery where ms
large mass OF people are quartered, but
after one has lived here SUFFICIENT
length OF time the mat er becomes as
plain as possible The lower portions OF
the residences here. even OF the best and
most prominent families, all OF when
are built with court-ysrds, called pa
tios," are tenanted by negroes. IT - not
flaaf GrfK ~
cupv perhaps fve or six of the rooms on
the ground floor. The OyercrOwdlng OF
the lower portion OF these houses Is, 10
my mind a matter that should receive |
and the evil practice should be abolished.
will cite a case which came under my
own observation short while ago. IL
presents q striking argument against lne
overcrowding OF these places. a FANNY
az eleven persons consisting OF the father
mother and nine children. occupied one
lower room I'm the house or 4 prominent
family here. short time AFTER their oc-
cupancy OF the room the father developer
signs OF that dread disease,
leprogv Before the matter was dlscOV-
cred by the local Board OF Health tne
disease had been transmitted 10 TWO or
mis- children. At this stage ths matter
was reported 10 the proper authorities
md tbs sick were all promptly isolated
al the LazarettO, established ON inc
sIsla de Caguas." BE II remembered du-
~
mn md about and mingled freely with the
oiber occupants OF the rooms adjoining.
CLEAN. HEALTHY PLACE.
,rbs streets u San Juan are all excep-
q 'nailv well paved with small-szed Bel
IN bioclxs and the thOrOughfares d'e
a. an times model OF (neatness, being
,..'t dailv by AN organized body OF
native street cleaners. In comparison, san
49, Duerto Rico is ds different from
SS---,tfogo de Cuba a. day is from night.
iri,s streets are devoid OF those OverpOW-
ring smells which daily assailed ones
rcstrils in walking through many Of the
observation-disclosures OF that filthy Cuban city.
Tters r. no vellow-fever or other disease
nscuIiar 10 Il tropical climate IN ian
fnon and It has been singulary tree
Srou, epidemics Of all kinds which con
stdering the filthy habits Of the people,
and their mode OF living, IS rather u te
commented upon ana speaks volumes Tor
the healthiness OF tho climate OF Fue''o
Rico.
There are many fine hotels here, among
the principal OF which are the lnSia-
terra and the Francia. The cuisine ana
anDointments OF both Will compare n
vorably with some OF our best hotels IN
the States. There are also mere. as e.te-
wher', numerous OoaIulls -houses
which accommodations can be Secdted
a reasonable prices. An intending Nlsi-
tor 10 Puerto Rico who probably expecis
Ia nut up with very ordinary accommodh-
lions during mis- sOiOurn, would De very
agreeably surprised az the comtortable
and inexpensive manner he can live al
some of the best hotels OF TINS piaet.
However. there is one discomfort ma
the Americans have 10 contend win, dhn
that H. the lrOn-clad rule that mas tccn
Established by the hotels OF only erVli z
strong black coffee and niue lruit 40