The Red Cloud chief., 1901-02-15
PORTO RICAN WAYS
ALL THE ISLAND ToPSY.ruRvY ~
TIE AMERICAN EYES.
The tecks " the Houses Really In Front
- All Ind Traditions Violated -
Natives Pcouiiess end Happy - Dogs
was Tails Up aud Down.

NATIVES feouuese en0 WHppy - Dogs
wss Tale Up aud Down.
Porto Rico il most remarkable for
what II Is moi. but might he. II In an
island of negatioo. Its people should
be- marked with minus signs. Its laws.
customs and auner are the opposite
Of everything In the American code.
Everything upon the islands. writes
the Arroyo correspondent Of the New
York sun. IN the result OF a struggle
against nature and natural methods,
from the mountains whose broken
peaks tell of the eruption which left
them high above the sea to the poor.
est little razorback pig, which for geo.
erations has been struggling to be- a
real hog. from the men who were
once straight bred Indians. Africans
or Spaniards, and are 10Y all three,
to the little, inch.through Tomatoes
which would he rudy, succulent fruit
IL they had the least encouragement.
The mountains alone seem to have
fiuislied their struggle. The other eie-
ments are still In the throes. livery
thing on the island is done in the
wrong way. Ia order to TO anything
right II must be done wrong. What
seem 10 IN the fronts of the city
houses are really the backs. The
backs OF the houses, which are the
real fronts. are in the front yard
which lis at the back. and the fronts
of the houses. which are really the
backs. face the alley which IL called a
street.
The front yard In the back usually
contains what IL called q garden. This
garden Is paved with bricks or iat
stones. and variety Is gained by max
ing raised concrete circles or squares.
in each OF which Is placed a little
hump Of dirt. and from the hump
grows a bush or shrub as luxurtantly
ms the ri nutriment and the re-.
fiected heat from the brick pavement
will permit. There II never a spear of
grass or an inch of lawn.
The windows OF the houses In this
island violate all the traditional reas.
ons for the establishment and exist
ence of openings in the walls of dwell.
ings for purposes of light and ventila-
alton. There are no glazed windows.
A few rich men have glass in the front
doors of their houses. but II il merely
n decorative matter and indicates Opu-
lence. The matter of light and air
has been the subject of earnest consid-
Grafton on the part Of the municipal
authorities. Every municipality has its
official architect who supervises the
construction OF all buildings and Is
Il all building permits. He sees
that all the laws are strictly complied
with, and the laws have been rare.
4, fully framed with a view to compel
ling all the city buildings to have
plenty Of light and air. The ingenuity
with which the laws have been framed
is equalled only by the ingenuity with
: which they have been nullified.
! 1t is provided by law that the cell
ing Of every house shall no be less
than thirteen feet high, and that each
house shall have an open court yard
one quarter of the size Of the building
. The airiness thus obtained il Offset by
the manner In which the building IL
I. constructed. Next TO the open court
= IL built q long hall. In the rooms
which open from this hall there are
no windows. The rooms are without
ventilation except what comes through
the doors. They are, therefore, most
delightful for sleeping; IN absolutely
close room is esteemed a great luxury
, in a land where slxty.six degrees Fab
reuheit Is icy winter weather. The
poor people who are unable to shut
!. the air completely out of their miser
able shacks swathe their heads Ia
, blankets when they sleep.
, The window novelty has causet
much discussion among the American,
and the arguments caused by the
Porto Ricau habit of keeping til,
q front shutters closed when the wine
! blows have been heated and frequent
2 One prying Americana attempted I,
secure positive Information, and put
q mild native to the torture in this man
neT:
{ Say, Splggoti, why don't you bav,
( windows in those rooms opening OF
p the hallT"
"rhe law forbids,'' replied the native
"FOrbids whatt''
Having the window" ~
"Whyy"
, The native shrugged his shoulders.
: why does 1t forbid having win
dows, SpiggotiI' persisted the Ameri
can.
"Oh. | don't know. It's an old law.
But why Is it law What il to pro
: vent
"We might get through The window
q On our neighbours property"
), We'll, what II you did, Would 20,
h harm the propertyy"
II don't know. I oppose the.
might not like II, ehf'
> "Ain't You h0nestT'
n II think 80; yes"
a YES, l don't think you mean. I
you've got such a fool law, why didn'
a you build the hall on the dark sldel"
"Oh. l don't know"
o "YOu don't know, ehY I guess that