The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-11-22
PORTO RICO TOURISTS.
Plans 20 Attract Travel This Winter Il
the New American Isiand.

Porto Rican newspapers are keeping
very Close watch on the progress OF yell
low fsver in Cuba. While the sympathy
of the Porto Ricans is with the victims
of the disease, they realizs that Its exist
ence In Cuba's capital may be turned TO
their own profit during the coming win
ter. They expect that some OF the thou
sands of people who yisite1 Cuba last
year In January, February and March
because there was no yellow fever In Ha-
vapa may this winter be diverted TO 9TH
er ISLANDS In the West midas, through
fear OF infection. The San Juan News,
an American newspaper published In
Porto Rico's capital, suggests that special
Inducements should be made to attract
tourists to Porto kico. 1t favors the
holding of a winter carnival OF some
sort In San Juan or an exhibition OF
Porto Rican products that would call
the attention OF travellers to the new
American island.
The British island of Jamaica will
probably make an effort TO divert part Of
this travel TO itself and so Will the Ber-
mudRs. While Porto kico is little
farther way there is no reason why IL
should not get the bulk OF the business II
an organized effort Is made to secure Ii.
Now that 1t is a part OF tho United
States 1t Is natural that a great many
people should want to see 1t, and no one
who goes there will be disappointed. IL
is probably the prsttiest island In the
West Indies. There are few railroads
and these are along the coast. so that
travel Is mostly'in carriages or on horse
lack. There are some magnificent roads
across the island, and the drive from san
Juan to Ponce on the south Goa ct Is well
worth the trip from New York to Porto
Rico. 1t can be made in day, although
Is is ninety miles long,. There are livery
stables which make business OF driv-
ing tourists from the north TO the south
coast and relays OF horses are kept at the
necessary points. 80 that one may tax Q
an early breakfast in San Juan, a lunch
on the way and dinner In Ponce. The
roads leads up through the mountains to
Aibonito, and then down again to the
Caribbear>Sea. The scenery 10 beautiful
beyond description.
One advantage Of Porto Rico is the
non-existence OF yellow fever there.
Strangely enough, although this island
has had the same kind OF sanitary admin
ist ration as Cuba there has been very
little OF the disease In Porto Rico. 40
cording to report recently made by Dr.
q. ii. Lavin0er, chief quarantine officer
for Porto Rico and an attache Of the
United States Marine Hospital service,
the last serious epidemic of yellow fever
in Porto kico occurred in 1895 when 800
deaths were reported. These occurred
mostly among the Spanish troops. In
1875 tere were 10 deaths; 1857, 20; 1898,
80; 1899, none.
."These figures are surprising" writes
Or. Layinder in his report. Thirty
deaths are attributed to yellow fever in
the year 1858. The invasion Of the island
by American troops occurred in July Of
that year and it seems to be q fact, that
since that event there has not
been single case OF this dis
ease In Porto Rico. Seven of
these thirty deaths are reported in San
Juan, which was occupied by non-im-
mune American troops In October. In
der these circumstances, 1T Is not very
easy to reconcile these Statements"
Dr. LAVENDER realizing that an inva.
sion OF Porto Rico by yellow fever cpl
demic would not be a pleasant propost-
tion to consider Is doing all that he can
b. keep the disease from being introduced
from foreign infected norts.