The sun., 1900-11-25
QUEER PORTO RICAN WAYS.
Al, rUs niAsD rorsr rrRvr ~ THs
AnERICANs Effs
~. nasts sf shs Houses Rss'J :" Vf's ="
Wisdsw Traditions violated N"'.
v.snii.ss and tfspp, ueth" s""e"
4, the wash -- Buiidiss Do~"~""'


thing In the American Gods.
ty.tythlns upon the island 10 the re~ut OF
s.,rureIs against nature and natural methods.
from ths ,nourtAjns whose broken peaks tall
n, ths .ruption which left them high above
IN. sea to the poorest little ra,orback pis.
which for generations has been struggling 70
he A real hog from tho men who were onos
straight bred Indians. negroes or bpsniards.
and ar. now all three. 70 the little. noh-throush
Nom,,ocs which would be ruddy. sueoulent
mutt II they had the least encouragement.
The mountains alone seem to have finished
their struggle. The other elements are stili
In tho throes. Everything on the sland 10
done In the wrong way. In order 20 do any
thing right II must be done wrong what
seem 10 DO the fronts OF the city houses are
really tho backs. The backs Of the houses.
which are the real fronts. are In the front yard
which is at the back. and the fronts OF tho
houses, which are really the backs. face the
alley which 10 called a street.
The front yard in the back usually contains
what Is called garden. This garden Ia paved
with bricks or fat stones and variety Is gained
by making raised concrete circles or squares
In each Of which 1. placed a little hump OF
dirt. and from the hump grows bush or shrub
ss hixurantly as the scant nutriment and the
permit. There Is never spear Of grass or an
inch Of lawn Among the Weather people
asphalt Is coming into favor for the garden.
1t is mainta that asphalt retains the heat
longer than brick. and Is therefore, more de-
sirable for the purposes Of gardening. but
bricks for their sIt aIIer cost. will probably
remain the favored material for some time.
The windows Of the houses In this island
violate all tho traditional reasons Tor the es-
tablishment and existence of openings In tho
walls of DIV wellinss for purposes of usht and
ventilation There are no glazed windows
A few rich men have glass In the front doors
OF their houses. but 1t is merely a decorative
matter and Indicates opuence. The matter
OF llght and air has been the SUBJ ect OF earnest
consideration on the part OF the municipal
authorities Every municipality has its Of
fetal architect who supervises the construction
OF all buildings and issues all building per-
mits iie secs that all the laws are strictly
compiled with and the laws have bean care
fully framed with a view to compelling all the
city buildings to have plenty Of light and air.
The ingenuity with which the laws have been
framed Is equaed only by the ingenuity with
which they have been nullihed.
It is provided by law that the ceiling Of
every house shall not be less than thirteen feet
court yard one quarter the size Of the build
Ing. The airiness thus obtained Is Offset by
the manner In which the building is constructed.
Next 70 the open court s built q long hall. In
the rooms which open from this hall there are
no windows The rooms are without ventila-
ton except what comes through the door.
They are, therefore. most delightful for sleep
Ing; an absolutely close room is esteemed q
great luxury In a land where 90 degrees Fahr-
enheit Is 10y winter weather. The poor peo-
pie who are unable to shut the air completely
out Of their miserable shacks swathe their
heads in blankets when they sleep
Tho window novelty has caused much dir
cussion among the Americans and the argu-
ments caused by tho Porto Ricsn habit Of keep
Ing the front shutters closed when the wind
blows have been heated and frequent. One
prying Americana attempted to secure POSI-
tive Information and put . mild native TO the
torture In this manner:
say Spiggoti. why don't you have windows
In those rooms opening Of the haut'
The law forbids,- replied the native
-Forbids what?"
Having the window
-WhyP"
The native shrugged his shouldsrs>
Why does It forbid having Window. epts-
GotiP- persisted the American.
-Oh, l don't know. It's an old law
But why Is 1t lsw' What v Il to prsvsass'
we might get through the Window on our
nelShbors property
We'll. what II you didi Would you harm
the property'-
I don't know. I suppose tasy might not
like It. shf'
Amt you honest7'
Y think 80; yes
Yes don't think you mean. II you've
GOV such fool law. why didn1 you build the
hall on the dark side''
'Oh. don't know
You don't know. shi 6usss xhas.S no
lsst II you'd put the rooms on this side and
the hall on the other you'd havs got light and
breeze. wouldn't your
Yea suppose go
why didn't you do n then, II wouldn't
have cost any more
'Insvsr saw one buis that way..
I Don't you Ike hshsf'
Not TO slsep In
Don't you like airi'
The night air-you people Of the north
don't know what its. II = % damp and cold,
II gives what you call the pneumonia II u
very bsd-boo-o-e-.' and the native shtvsrsd
% the thought
ih1u yVu uA0 70 ni0eP OoopOo up N t0o0o
dark ksAnels. do your
TAs reons you see. those w hke.'
Tho Law which forbids windows that open
toward or upon the adjoining property u 90
strictly enforced that Q man who owned two lots
and built on one Of them was forbidden to put
Window on the side Of the house which was
next TO his other lot The city architect, who
was backed by that dominant and august
parsonage. the Aoalde. SAID that some day the
lot might b sold and the new owner might
object 10 the Window 1t so happened that
che builder was an American who proceeded
10 make the Window despite the warning
ThsreupoD the Alealde sent dozen little police
men who carried ptstos In one hand and extra
ammunition In the other. The windows were
not made.
In addition TO the necessity OF doing every
thing wrong In order TO have II right II Is essen-
ual to do things backward. to select the longest
way round, 10 find thelmost difficult and labori-
Gus method. All these things are done by the
Porto Hcans with invariabls regularity. The
Porto Hcan boatman rowe with his face 10
the bow, In order that he may the better see
where he Is going. he says The lighters used
Tor unloading ships are propelled stern first
although they have rrows Bricks and mortar
and charcoal are carried In bags and the use