BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1901-11-09
SANJUAN, NOVEMBER 9
Editorial Comment.

Acres of unimproved choicely situated
city realty without any owner or the faint.
est color Of title vested in any living being,
aseholders subject to summary ejectment
at moments notice, poverty striken squat
tiers Who streuuously and Indignantly main.
tain ownership by reason of long undistu-b.
ed occupation, and City, Iusular and
National government in dispute over the
legal technicalities in q dozen different
ChSlns of title, are some of the main mater
lal reasons why the City of San Juan hey
ond the Plaza Colon is as bare OF improve
ment as Yellowstone Park Of Pixies Peak,
why modern twentieth century commun
ity is compelled to live in the abodes and
loathsome holes of sixteenth century archit.
ecture AID construction, Why landlords are
permitted to earn greater incomes on shacks
ard barns than that earned by the owners OF
modern up.to date apartments in the City OF
New York, and Why the San Juan Naval
Station is still a newspaper project and a
dream for the future.
The very first idea that occurs TO the
skilled American investor when he lands in
this City is to improve all that portion OF
the town which on one side would make the
b g. wharfage in the harbor, ard on the o ofhtI
he finest residential neighborhood facing on
lie ocean. But when an investigation OF
owners and titles begins, the mystic maze
becomes a straight boulevard in comparison,
and the would be improver takes tie next
boat home or else buys oranges just because
he don't know anything about them, loses
his money, leaves the Island, and puts a
large black mark against Porto Rico in his
diary. Likely to be removed from any pro.
perty he might purchase without moments
notice, subject to arrest for tresrass, possibly
fined and mulcsed by the municipality, drag
ged into Court by the Insular authorities,
and with the chances of being taken into
custody by a United States Marshal, the
erstwhile improver would indeed present a
sorry spectacle of business acumen ard fore
sight.
This is no newspaper exaggeration, journ-
palistic fireworks or editorial hulabu'lo, but
an unvarnished statement of the exact sit
uation which recently confronted respec-
ted citizen who attempted to open shop
in the much owned9 little ownedi unowr edi
ground.
Certain that the property he wanted to
use was owned by the Insular authorities,
our shopkeeper obtained permission from
one Of the departments, opened mis- place and
started work. Everything went along
nicely for about two weeks, when the fist
cloud appeared on tie title. A courteous
Lote was received from the municipality
requesting that call be made at the City
Hall. '"What do you mean by occupying
city property toithout the permission Vi the
city conncilW ''Well thought it was In.
sular property" .sYou did, did yo1p "Well
you jnst pay rent or get our The matter
soas settled on the payment of a monthly
rental and our friend the shopkeeper went
back to his place happy in the belief that
his troubles were over. About two weeks
latef.the Military authorities put in an sp.
pearance ard informed him that the land
was Federal property, that he didn't have
to pay one cent OF lent to the municipality
or any one else, and that he night remain or
the land subject to military orders. EVertyh-
Ing serene and peaceful our progressive
merchant keeps at his work, until one day
In steps the Navy department, "Here
we've got no objection to Jour staying,
but reuember you're on groucd belonging
10 the Navy Bewildered and confused
he sits down to think it over and from
out Of the chaos of titles unable to find
. real owner he comes to the conclusion
that neither Of them owns it, and suddenly
discovers that full title and property rights
are vested in himself, and prepares to resist
all attempts on the part of any of them to
disturb him in the possession OF what is his,
simply because it is the property Of no one
else.
Ever since its formation the Superior
Il of Ioc
confronted by the problem of the overcrowd.
ed city tenement. Twenty people living
in rooms that should be occupied by one
fifth that number, Railways and alleyways
reeking in filti, dangerous cesspools under
the glare Of the midday sun, and congested
humanity breathing into each other lungs;
living, existing and dying in room hardly
large enough to furnish space for the career
Of decent sized dog are the things that
have put premium on disease in this City,
and have worst given an open invitation to
plague of the kind.
Suggestions have been --made, reforms
adopted, hygenic laws enforced rigIdly and
sternly, and every effort made to remedy
the matter, but all to no avail, the one great
obstacle in the way Of proper solution still
remaining. Where shall ps opie thsse be pu
Can they be thrown into the streetsl Can
you make them live in Oatsh5 when they
want to be in San JuaDi The answer il
apparent, and the efforts Of the Board are
checked and stopped when any attempt isl
made 10 60 beyond ordinances for temporary
relief.
The United States Navy intends having
q Naval Station somewhere in Porto Rico
At the n,xt session Of Congress large
appropriation for this purpose win be asked
n, a Commission be- 1elsctsd the city Of