Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-28
ARRIVAL OF GOV. ALLEN
PORTO RICANS SURPRISED AT THE
NEWCOMERS SIMPLICITY.
Details of the Reception Accorded the
Director of the Islands
Civil Destinies.

The United States steamship Dolphin
bearing Mr.. Charles Herbert Allen, the
newly appointed civil governor Of Porto
Rico, dropped anchor off San Juan at 10
o'clock yesterday morning, as did also the
United States armored cruiser New York,
the United States battle ship Texas and the
United States gunboat Machias. The New
York remained outside the haroor, the
others entering.
Gen. Davis, military governor. visited Mr..
Allen on board the Dolphin at IL: 80 o'clock.
A detachment of seventy-five insular police
and four companies of the Porto Rico Regi-
ment, with a band were drawn up on the
wharf. The Dolphin's launch, carrying Mr.
Alien and his family, with Gen. Davis and
Lieut.. Parker, the latter's aid, left the
Dolphin promptly at noon, the Texas and
Dolphin firing salute of seventeen guns
Meanwhile, the band played "Borinquen,"
the Porto Rico national air, and the steam
ers lying in the harbor kept up q continuous
whistling until the launch reached the land
ing.
the families of Gen. Davis and the new civil
governor were introduced to each other. A
crowd of 5000 looked on, but was kept at a
distance. The police and troops marched
past at port arms Mr.. Allen doffing his hat
He then entered the carriage that was in
waiting and drove to the executive man.
sion, preceded by troops and followed by
squads of police. He constantly raised his
hat to the throng that lined the sidewalks.
An Innovation That Surprised.
Mr.. Allen took breakfast with Gen. Davis,
ard, with his family, will remain as the
guest Of Gen. Davis Indefinitely. He landed
in an ordinary costume, straw hat, blue
coat and duck trousers, and a wave of ex-
carnations followed the carriage. That
can't be Mr. Allen" said one THAT'S not
the new governor" said another. Not that
man in the straw hat, surely not" The
simplicity of the costume and of the general
details OF the reception took the Porto
Rcans by surprise, and they could scarcely
realize that they looked upon the new gov
crnor. Mr.. Allen is the first governor of
Porto Rico to arrive In anything less con-
spicuous than a gorgeous uniform covered
with gold lace and similar trappings.
Few representative citizens were present
at the landing, the throng being composed
largely of middle-class people. Nor was there
any attempt to decorate the buildings. and
generally the reception was not notably en-
thusiastic. One Porto Rican explained the
lack of popular demonstrativeness by say
Ing that the people were dissatisfied to find
that the civil government would not actual
ly be in full force on May /, as they had
hoped.
Allen told the correspondent Of the Asso-
ciated Press that II was too early for him
to talk of government affairs, but that he
had formed no outline Of policy. He CONTRA
dicted the report that he would return to
the United States after a conference with
Gen. Davis. He desires to settle thedetails
Of the new regime as soon as possible, and
will remain at San Juan comforting with
Gen. Davis pending the arrival Of the new
He had a pleasant voyage. and expressed
himself as pleased by his brief experience
Of Porto Rico.