West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-07-04
PORTO RICO.
A Preston County Soldier Boy Whites
of His Life on the Islands.

Mt. J Slidell Brown. June az ioor
! kinewood, W. Va.
| DEAR SIN wish TO pen a few lines
from this part OF the world tor your
most valuable paper. l receive ThE ARGUS
regular every week. and thank the Editor
| Tor the same. There is not much to write
from. The time has come Tor the wet
season but not much rain yet.
The Spanish bank OF this city was eleven
thousand dollars short in It finance, which
caused one the employees to commit suicide
! and another one to be arrested. IL is
thought more arrests will be made later.
The Porto Rican volunteers have been
mustered out of the volunteer service and
the Government has already commenced to
enlist men for the regular service. Il is
thought about siNty-fvc per cent. of the old
men will re-enlist. The volunteer officers
are being examined Tor the regular service
Major Mansfield, commanding this Post is
at san Juan on the Board OF Examiners.
Company +. OF this post has been sent
away for temporary duty. They will
probably be gone about six weeks.
IL is rumored that four companies of the
Eleventh will be sent home as soon as the
native soldiers have been re.oreanitcd.
|, Some OF the old soldiers that have been
down here since the war think they ought
to be sent back TO the States. A very
frequent remark amongst the soldiers is
that the States are large enough for them
20 live in.
Well. the w. G. 4. L. got over here some
how, and knocked the canteen somewhere.
We never have been able to find il yet. but
we think the next Congress will find il all
right One lonely American saloon keeper
otthis city is looking for Carrie Nation to
come over here and chop up things with her
Ratchet She would have to bring her AK
along as she might not know how to use a
machotc.
san Juan has an electric railway running
through the city and to its suburb towns.
Work has already commenced on one i'm
Ponce. II will run from the dock to and
over the city. a distance OF about three
miles.
The planters have most all gotten the
present crop OF sugar cane worked up and
planting new crop. The people say il is
the largest crop for years.
There has been four ship loads of Porto
Ricans migrated to Hawaii islands and
stiI there seems To bc as many bcggars as
ever
Coffee is said to be doing well and large
crop is expected and will soon be trading
coffee for -four with Uncle Sam. The
natives can never understand who Uncle
Sam is
The Spanish name Tor bread is pan"
and when the Pan american was FIRST being
advertised, the natives thoughts IL was
some new bread the Americans were ad.
vcrtising. One old gentleman from this
city who visited the Pan.American, said
the States were the wonder of the world.
lie said he thought II would take him about
day and night TO 90 from New York to
Buffalo, but said had no more than sat
down IN the tram than the conductor was
calling "all out for Buffalo Another great
wonder was to go up a six.story building
on an elevator; was well pleased with a
nan gallon OF beer for FIVE cents. and to
see how the American dry good clerks
work
The San Juan News Company has offered
one hundred and fifty dollars reward for
the prettiest lady of the Island If she will
visit Buffalo during the Exposition. or a
hundred dollars " she'stay at home II is
left TO the public to vote on The one who
receives the most votes. The News Is very
generous to young ladies.
This is all. | will try and do better for
the editor another time. Good luck to The
ARGUS and its many readers. remain
Very truly,
HUGH WATSON,
Company H. nth Infantry,
Ponce porto Rico