The Colfax chronicle., 1900-06-30
FEATURES OF PORTO RICO.
The Masonic Temple Of Yaues and
the Families Of InDer-
tance.

tance. -
The Masonic temple at Yauco, Porto
Rico, which stands alongside the road
between the town and the railroad sta
tion, is the only structure ever built
by the order in all Spanish Amrieca.
Yauco is in the heart of the coffee belt,
20 miles from Ponce. The temple was
begun in 1890 and finished in 1895. The
ground plan is nearly square. It is
built of brick and masonry in Porto
Rico style, and has little to give it
distinction save the masonic embIems
to be seen over the main entrance. 1t
was never occupied as masonic meet
ing place prior to American occupa-
ton, however, because of the intense
prejudice against free masonry ON the
part of the authorities. Indeed, in
Porto Rico. as elsewhere in the Span
fish West Indies. the masonic order had
Haspretty hard time to gel, along at all
before 1898. It was not only forbidden
the masons to build, but their meet
ings were virtually prescribed. In con-
sequence hardly q lodge, ether in Por-
to Rico or Cuba, had a regular meeting
place or was able to meet at regular
intervals. In Havana lodge meetings
were held in obscure, often deserted,
buildings, but rarely twice consecu-
lively in the same place, and this was
the procedure also in some of the other
cities. In many cases, however, it was
found necessary to hold the sessions
outside the towns; not infrequently
the masons were obliged to find gath.
ering places in the woods, and even
then they were sometimes broken up
SO thoroughly anti-masonic were the
sentiments of those in power, says the
Washington Star. S tsSff =
The building of the Yauco temple
created much excitement in Porto
Rico, and there isn't the slightest
doubt that it would have been de
stroyed, either by order of the gov.
ernment or at least with it's knowl-
edge and acquiescence, had it not been
for the efforts to preserve it put forth
by the French and German consuls
stationed at Ponce. They repeatedly
made representations to the effect
that the masons were in high favor
with their home governments, and
that, while official liberation of the
order would not be a. ked in the cir
cumstances, they felt that they must
protest against destruction of the
building. Several of the coffee plant.
ers of foreign birth joined in the pro-
test and thus the building was pre-.
served. Notwithstanding the diff.
culties with which masonry was con.
fronted under the Spanish regime, a
pretty fair organization. including
grand lodge, was kept up IN both Por.
to Rica and Cuba. The order is now
reported to be in very fiourishing con-
dition in both islands.
An interesting feature Of life in Por.
TO Rico is furnished by the civil guard.
1t was organized Immediately after
the American occupation, and most OF
its members were drawn from the
ranks of those who had formerly been
in the service of Spain, in the volun-
teer force, in the insular police and in
the army itself. Some of them were
of nearly pure negro blood, others were
of mixed descent, but some were pure
Spaniards and of peninsular nativity.
For long time after the transfer they
wore the same uniforms they had worn
In the Spanish service, but United States
army hats were supplied to them at
the very first. They were organized
by Gen. Henry at the beginning of his
Porto Rican service, with headquar-
ters at San Juan, under a general
chief, and subheadquarters at other
cities, each under captain. Though
they were thoroughly loyal to Spain
while in the employ of its government,
they have been loyal to the United
States since the occupation, and have
done excellent service in the main.
The richest young man in all Porto |
Rico is Senior Para, Of Ponce. He is |
under 30s slender and unusually tall
for Porto Rican.. Curiously enough
In personal appearance he resembles
John Jacob Astor not a little. Senior |
Para, with his father, who is still liv.
ing, is interested in many business en-.
terprises in Ponce and elsewhere. The
bulk Of the family investments, like
those. of the Astors, i in city real es-
tate; in fact, they arespnderstood to |
be the most extensive landlords In |
Ponce. Naturally the Para family |
which includes several daughters, ie
prominent in Ponce society, and the