The sun., 1900-01-03
DELAWARE COMPANY WINS
John I. Dickey and David Con.
nell Back From Puerto
Rico.
WILL BUILD THE NEW ROAD
The Island is a Good Place for Amer.
leans to Make Money. is the
Opinion of the Visit.
ing Wilmington
Men.
WILL BUILD THE NEW ROAD

l
] Men.
In compel ition with sixteen other
firms the Delaware Granite and Mining
Company OF Wilmington, was the sue
cessiul bidder for the construction of
road between Arecibo and Ponce, on the
island Of Puerto Rico. John T. Dickey
and David Connell, of this city, visited
San Juan and submitted the Del aware
company's bid in person. Messrs. Dickey
and Connell in company with represen-
tatives OF sixteen other companies we're
present at tie Office OF the Roard of Pub
| lie Works at San Juan on Saturday, De-
cember 81, when the bids we're opened
and the Delaware company was declared
the lowest bidder.
Mr.. Dickey and Mr.. Connell arrived
in Wilmington yesterday afternoon. Mr..
Dickey has gained considerable flesh by
the trip and thinxs that Puerto Rico is
good place Tor Americans in which to
make money. He says that the island
is about 800 years behind the times.
Spanish is the language spoken on the
Island and the majority OF the natives
are black. There is lack of decent
hotel accommodation and San Juan
needs American hotels.
Amoug the poorer classes of the resi-
dents OF San Juan, Mr.. Dickey says that
several families live in the same build
ing. Black people often occupy the
lower floor, while white people occupied
the second story.
The population OF the island is about
1 4 laEt iou a inp
and 81 miles wide. Not as large as Del
aware.
Natives work for 30 cents day, Amer
ican money.
rhey live upon rice, bananas, oranges
and drink the milk of the cocoanut.
The auditor department and the post
Office department are under American
management as is the department OF
, customs.
There is considerable money finding
its way from Puerto Rico to the United
States. Last week $685. 900 passed
through the post office department. 1t
. was sent to this country by the natives
, OF the island.
The native business men OF the city OF
San Juan are not afraid to trust the
Americans and Mr.. Dickey says he
! found them to be honest and trust
! worthy.
, Among the Americans whom Mr..
Dckey met we're Governor General
o Davis, Auditor John Conner, Custom
House Officer Thomas NJ. Cook and
Harrison Dngman, census director.
Everything must be paid for in Puerto
Rico with gold or the equivalent.
Between San Juan and Ponce there is
an so mile military road built by the
. Spanish Government at cost OF $20,-
600 0O0 The road is travelled by hacks
with capacity OF four passengers and it
costs the traveller S35 in gold for one OF
these hacks to make the round trip
: whether it has four passengers or one.
The hack leaves San Juan at o'clock IN
y the morning and gets to Ponce about
: noon the next day. There are seven re-
! lay stations along the route at which the
horses are changed.
/ San Juan is clean city with paved
!. !. streets and has sewers. 1t is much finer
city than Ponce. Freight is delivered
with the aid Of oxen and small carts,
and two cents a pound is charged for
carving sugar. Coffee is usually trans
: ported upon the backs OF small ponies.
Ii is placed in sacks and thrown across
the ponies backs, after which straw
! saddle is thrown on top and the driver
. sts on it guiding the ponies.
= Cattle raising is great industry IN
= Puerto Rico, and the animals are shipped
: to Havana in great nun bers. They are
worth S50per head.
!, The rates at the May Flower Hotel, at
. . which Mr.. Dickey and Mr.. Connell
: stopped, are SO per day. Nothing but
i coffee is served for breakfast. The din.
: ner is about the same as an American
! breakfast, and the supper is similar tc
e an American dinner. Anything besides
J coffee for breakfast costs extra,
Owing to the climate milk has to bt
= boiled in order to preserve it, Ice vii
not prevent it from turning sour.
at is great sight" said Mr.. Dickey
'to see the natives climb the high cocoa
nut trees and knock down the nuts
e The trees are fully as high as the cupol;
Ie OF the county Court House, and the flu
If is found in the topmost branches. Th'
i trees grew just exactly $50 nuts in
d year. One for each day"
e. The trip to Puerto Rico was made OIL
le board the new steamship Ponce, built b,
.e the Harlan d Hollingsworth Compan,
/, few months ago. II was pleasan
q trip and Thomas Nj. Cook, who wa
chief critic OF the boat, entertained tn,
passengers in a. splendid manner. III
arranged a mock trial OF breach 0
promise suit and it was greatly enjoyed
70 The passengers voted Mr.. Cook
e. capital hand at entertaining and frs
i class critic.
10 Although the Delaware Company wa
IS the lowest bidder for the road. work
d has not yet been awarded the contrac
officially.
The amount of the bid submitted b
the Delaware Granite and Mining Com
4 pany for The road work was S24l, $3.50.
i. was considerably the lowest. The othe
40 bids were as follows:
hs Carlos de Ereno, San Juan, s2ss
5l540.
Mark and Denton, San Juan, S277
5G5 so.
Central Contracting Co., New Yorl
n, S243, ,56i.S0.
in Hamilton Il. Gamble, St. Lous, sl26
Ir. 324.40.
lie Puerto Rico Co.. lan Juan, 1870
as2'o0'