BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1901-07-06
Home Again.
Special Correspondence from MIR
George B. Edwards Of the
Boletin Staff

New YORK, June ~ lJUl.
TO the Editor of the BoLETIN MER
CANTIL.
Sir:
Our voyage frcm San Juan on the trans
port was comparatively uueventful. Tue
sMct lellann is one of the best appointed
Of the smaller transports and the officers OF
the vessel did everything possible for the
comfort of The passengers. Except TOR 0cca'
sional showers the weather was all that
G ud have heen desired. With the eXcep-
son of one or two nights the sea was quite :
smooth and the much dreaded NAL de mer !
was consp cuous by its absence. We made
tour stops at Cuban rts, Santiago, Man
zsnillo, Gibara and Nueytas. We had the
who,e day at Santiago and the passengers,
.pecially the ladies on board, took advan
tage of the opportunity TO visit the city and
the various points of interest in the viclnlty,
including the fort Ei Morron and the
battlefield OF San Juan Hill.
We reached New York safely after
VOYAGE oi y days, and the first news that
erected us was Of two serious disasters, the
psizng of he United States Army Trans
port Ingalls, and the sinking of the ferry
| ,oar G. n Urthfitld,n the latter being accom-
| DaUiPu Dy CuESjuSIdHio Iuoo Va Aho
vreckjng Of the 9 Mortified" caused a
great sensation in New York and has gretly
aroused popular sentiment on the SUBJECT
If the unseaworthireSs OF large number
of the present ferry boats and tue constant
danger TO human life caused by the use o.!
old, worn cut boats and the gross made quacy
of lf. saving appliances. The authorities
will doubtless he stirred up by the storm
Of popular indignation to take immediate
steps to remedy existing conditions, and II
1.-The future safety OF thousands is thus sec
lufed. the accident to the " Mortified" will
not have been in vain.
Americans Deeply Interested
in Porto Rico.
The greatest interest seems to be taken here
and throughout the country generally IN all
matters pertaining to Porto Rico. A person
coming from Porto Rico is overwhelmed
with questions as to the people, the climate,
the soil, the form of government, oppertun-
tiles for investment, ETC., Especially lsthiS
the case in the smaller towns about New
York, many Of which | have visited since
, arriving in the States. In spite OF all that
has been written and published about the
Island, there is still much msinformatlon
and ignorance prevalent regarding Porto
Rico, anl everybody appears eager to knoar
more of conditions ard prospects there.
Many questions were asked IS to the new
civil government Of the Island and how II
worked. There were also numerous lnqar'
les as to the possibilities Of profitable invest.
ments either in commercial or agricultural
direction. r probability Of the early es
tablishnent Of free trade betwe Porto Rico
and the United States has proved great
: stimulus to tie interest of many who have
/ been tor some time thinking mere or less
seriously OF going to Porto Rico and iden
! tifying themselves with the commercial, in
! dustIial or agricultural develop ment Of The
: Island. It is believed, and with reason
that the abolition Of al tariff duties on Por
to Rican products entering the United
S States, must needs prove Of great benefit tc
o the IuSular producer in all lines of industry
{ and from the favorable reports received ol
the delightful climate, the fertility IT the
r soil, and ihs vast possibilities OF future
! growth and Development, there is a growing
feeling ttat profitable employment can be
found for inteligenlly directed eyergy, coup
$ ed pitb sufficient capital. Take sugar fol
? instance. Free trade a0ith the United
States means practically a cash bonus to
Porto Rican producers in competition with
. foreign sugar of the amount of the present
J duty.
, The vast importance Of this is not over
looked here, any more than it is in the Is
lard, ard it will doubtless give great i'm
pet6s to ibe sugar industry The same is
, true to greater or less extent of Other
products, and there can be little doubt that
the near future will witness the investment
in Porto Rican industries of large amounts
of American capital, achich cannot but
prove of lasting benefit to all.
To be concluded in Mondays edition.
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