The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-12-14
WAYS Of
PORTO RICO
Topsy-TurW So Say
Americans.
HOUSE BACKS IN FRONT
All Window Traditions Vic atec
Clothes SoiIed in Wash, Build
ing Downward.

ARROYO, Porto Rico, Nov. 1O-POrto
Rico Is most remarkable for what it Is
not but might be. IL is an island of ne
cation. It's people should be marked
with minus signs. It's laws, customs
and manners are the opposite of every
thing Ia the American code
EVerythiug upon tlhe island is the re-
suit OF "a struggle against nature and
natural methods, from the mountains
whose broken peaks tell OF the eruption
which left them high above the sea TO
the poorest little razorback pig, which
foI generations has been struggling ~
oe a real hog; from the men who were
once straight bred Indians, negroes ul'
spaniards, and are now all three, to the
little, inCh-through tomatoes which
would be ruddy, suCculent fruit If Trey
had the least encouragement.
The mountains alone seem to have
finished their struggle. The other eie-
ments are stll in the throes. Every
hing on the island is done in the wrong
way. In order to do anything right 1t
must be done wrong. What seem to he
the fronts of the city houses are really
the backs The backs of the houses,
: front yard which is at the back, and
the fronts of the houses, which are
Ifeally the backs, face the alley which
is called a street.
The front yard in the back uslls ~
contains what is called a garden. This
garden is paved with bricks or nat
stones and variety is gained by making
raised concrete circles or squares in
each Of which is placed a little hump ii
dirt and from the hump grows a oush
or shrub as luxuriantly as the scant
nutriment and the reflected heat FROM
the brick pavement Will permit. There
is never a spear of grass or an inch Of
lawn. Among the weather. people as
phalt is coming into favor for the gar
den. 1t is maintained THAI asphalt re-
tains the heat longer than brick. and
is therefore, more desirable for the
purposes of gardening, but bricks, for
their smaller cost, will probaNg re-
main the favored material for some
time.
The windows of the houses in this ISL
and violate all the traditional reasons
for the establishment and existence of
openings in the walls of dwellings for
purposes of light and ventilation. There
are no glazed windows. few rich
men have glass in the front doors of
their houses, but it is merely decora-
tive matter and indicates opulence. The
matter of light and air has been the
subject of earnest consideration on the
part of the municipal authorities. Ev-
to"t who supervises the construction of
all buildings and issues all building
permits. He sees that all the laws are
strictly complied with, and the laws
have been carefully framed with view
to compelling all the city buildings to
have plenty of light and air. The inge-
nuity with which the laws have been
framed is equalled only by the ingenu-
ty with which they have been nullified.
1t is provided by law that the ceiling
of every house shall not be less than
thirteen feet high and that each house
shall have an open court yard one quar-
ter the size of the building. The airi
ness thus obtained is offset by the man
ner in which the building is construct
ed Next to the open court is built
long hall. In the rooms which open
from this hall there are no windows.
The rooms are without ventilation eX-
C2pt what comes through the door.
sleeping; an absolutely close room is
esteemed a great luxury in land
where Sc degrees Fahrenheit is icy win
ter weather. The poor people who are
unable to shut the air completely out of
their miserable shacks swathe their
heads in blankets when they sleep.
The window novelty has caused much .
discussion among the Americans, and
the arguments caused by the Porto Ri
can habit of keeping the front shutters
closed and when the wind blows, have
been heated and frequent One prying
attempted to secure positive
information and put a mild native to
the torture in this manner:
Say, Spiggot, why don't you have
in those rooms opening off the
hall?"
The law forbids," replied the native.
"Forbids what?"
Having the window"
"Why?"
The native shrugged his shoulders.
why does it forbid having windows,
SpGgoti?" persisted the American.
"Oh, | don't know. It's an old law"
But why is it law? What is it to
We might get through the windows
pn our neighbor's property"
Well what II you did2 Would you
harm the property?"
II don't know. l suppose they might /,
not like it, eh?"
"Ain't you honestP"
II think so; yes"
Yes; | don't think you mean. If |
you've got such n fool law why diin' T,
you build the hall on the dark side ."
"Oh, | don't know"
You don't know, eh? I guess that's
no jest. II you'd put the rooms on this
side and the hall on the other you'd
have got light and breeze, wouldn't
you?" 4,
IVES, I suppose So
why didn't you do It then? It
wouldn't have cost any more"
II never saw pne built that way"
Don't you like light?'
mot to sleep in"
Don't you like airf"
The night air-you people of .he 4
'crth don't know what 1t is. 1t is 50 ,
lamp and cold, II gives what you call
he pneumonia. II is very bad--hoo-o'
md the native shivered at the thought
Then you like to sleep cooped up in
hose dark kennels. do you?" ]
THE rooms you see. those We Ike" {
The law which forbids windows that Il
mon toward or mnnn tho nHiOinipg g