The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-04

A Business Mans Favorable Impressions Of
the Island and Its People.

"A JUAN. Puerto Iaco, Feb lH-From
whatever point Of view the city Is seen 1t Is like
an elaborate stage picture, The houses as well
as the fertilization. Government buildings, &c,
rise in tiers one behind another and the embrn-
sures for The guns, the parapets, and tho Moorish
towers here and there add TO the effect AL the
buildings ore Of brightly painted stons or brick.
With marble died floors and stairs with iron rail
ings The interior partitions aud roofs are also
Of masonry, 10 that tho town practically Is In
combusdbls and needs no fire department This
apl,i.s 10 the poores, quarters Of the city as well
as to the hest, and the only exceptions are a few
detached wooden houses and the negroes hutS
at the south end Looking out from the city
in any dir cuon the same suggestion OF stage
scenery strikes one. The blue waters OF tho
ocean on the one side and the bay on the other,
with the wooded plains and the hills and noun
tains rising in the distance and the clear atnos-
phere bringing everything apparently into such
range leighton the theatrical appearance, 4 he
View in every direction are D-auuIuL Making
through The city UIe Is struck with the smooth
clean brick paved narrow streets with theI over
hanging pIal as, the arCned entrances 10 tho
buildings and the we'll stocked busy and bust
ne like stUltS.
nothing OF tue sort IL apparent mere. The peo-
pie uf all sorts ana conditions look we'll, are dressed
clearly ana brightly ald there are no dirty hill
drpn or ragged negroes in al! quarter suCn as
we see in our own southern CItivs IN a week >
walking through all parts nave no, seen a
begEar or any one who looked AZ II lie did
moi have enough TO eat Neither have | seen
on intoxicated person though ,afes and Amen
can bars nge plentiful and native rIIl IS cheap.
The American soldiers here hre Olluwcd 10
have almost every liberty and are 10 be- met with
every where and ale IN appearance, manner,
and action a credit to their Coundy and 10 their
officers. They have very little to 10, a. the entire
population is ieecAhls and friendly and satisfied
10 be AmeriCanos," This feeling il especially
strong among the young men, and tho rising
generation Of both sexes from Appearances will
BE- rs enthusiastic Yankees Ms our boys and girls
In the States. The fact that there are less than
two thousand United States troops on the entire
island, with close to a hnlliun population. shows
the iriendliness Of The Puerto RiCans.
As regards cUmfprt in living, II course. II IS
warm. but there Is a refreshing braazo from ,hc
ocean " the mountains almost always. and with
proper clothing one ran be comfortable. We
ice factories and q Attn Is being built. Nearly
every thing IN the way Of food supplies tha, can
be obtained in New York Is obninabls here, and
many fruits, &c, in addition. The New Yorker
feels the need Of American cookery. Though
there are son,H American hotels herr, so called,
grease and onions are still too conspicuous. The
beef and milk CsItl, sre u the best, fat aud sleek
, nywhFrs, but American ways Of killing and
GresiIng tue beef would be a big improvement.
Fish are excel mt and plenty, There IL no game
worth speaking oi, but neither are there poison.
uus snakes OF Insects, ~ W. won ! srumble at
tlAt. OF Course W. have summer vegetables,
hHus. tomatoes. lettuce, Sc, all the time, winter
GIt summer.
Win tree trafs and the general po.ition OF
equality with the States that Puerto Rico Is en-.
ttul - a. american territory there VII Re an
influx o' American capital and enterprise that
wal, before many years make this one " our States
t. br proud ~, Labor Is cheap industrious and
abundant. Cap hi and direction nre what il
u,rd"d. Sugar. coffee, tobacco and oranges
A. the crop to raise and ths rol Aud tie workers
g." arrn. Money and intelligence are needed
part .atly IN he dryelopEiant Of the tobacco
and iUut industry. There H. a great future Tor
18th n these crops here, Tobacco u good now,
but win improved handling and curipg will equal
h!nurt any Havana. oranges and ptneappi-s
OF the b"St vAriCt flourish in Ill parts Of the,island.
and before Ions ta-ir produ, ton IN large quanti-
ties Tor the States Will b. among the American
enterprise here. Sugar and coffee have first
plGc" with the Puerto Rlcan agriculturists and
VIII probably always be their staple crops.