The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-09-02
coon ROADS IN PORTO RICO.
Notes Prepared for North Carolina bv Prof
Holmes, OF Chapel Hill


GOOD ROADS Circular No. 4 has lust
been issued from Chapel Hill These
notes are prepared by Prof. J.. A. Holmes
secretary OF the North Carolina Good
f.odds association, and distributed by
the united states Office of Public Road
| Inquiries.
The circular says:
Inc following interesting facts re-
garding the progress of Good Roads in
Porto Rico Will appeal to the sonnd
judgment of the citizens of North ,oro
lima:
by the end of this wear the Amari
cans Will have built as many mi,ae - aooa
roads in Porto Rico as the Snaniaras
constructed the four centuries of their
occupancy. This statement i made !,
William Fl. Elliott, Commissioners IF the
Interior in Porto Rico. who ic now in
THIS country, and it shows what Ameri-
can rule has done for that island. 10 nro-
mote It's interests and add to it's nroc-
pel:ty.
When the Americans gained posses
sion OF Porto Rico there was almost no
coca means OF transportation with the
exception OF the military road from San
juan across TO Ponce, called the central
ROAD, and a few stretches Of good road
running out from some Of the towns.
The total length of the good road was
not much in excess Of 100 miles. and
the only means of interior transportation
was by horseback and pack animals.
with 81, 800, eco OF the 81, 500, 600 from
refunded duties which Congress appro-
pflated to the Improvement of Porto
ltlco, the Americans entered upon a road
building campaign, and today 100 miles
Oh lifSt class macadam road is either
completed or under construction connect
ing the most important towns. Porto
Rico has an abundance Of good stone for
read building purposes and the new roads
are of the same class as are being con
structed in the States.
I'm addition to the roads quilt by the
insular government. q law was passed at
the last session of the Assembly setting
aside % per cent. of the tax levy of mu-
inequalities to be used under the direc-
tlon OF a supervisor, who, in turn, is re-
sponsible to the interior department in
constructing roads from towns to the
main trunk roads. 1t is hoped that later
a poll tax levy may be made for the
same purpose. The peOple enter heartily
into this plan. They tax kindly to the
road building idea and see in their great
~ increased prosperity tangible results
therefrom. Wages are increased, freight
| charges are reduced, transportation and
communication are generally facilitated
and Il revolution has taken place in the
styles of vehicles used. Under the
| Spaniards the price of labor was Is cents
a day, gold; now the government pays
80 cents a day, gold, and private con-
Germs are paying as high as ST a day. 1t
used to cost so cents per 100 TO transport
coffee by bull cart from Utrado to the
coast. and now the charge is 10 cents a
hundred-Weight. From Arecibo to & ship
ping point the charge for carrying sugar
was Is cents a hundred, and now it
ranges from 8 to 5 cents for the same
weight. The old bull cart, Il high
wheeled, SlOW-going affair, is rapidly
| disappearing, and its place is being taken
by wagons and mules, and automobiles
are being introduced.
This is one result of the American
occupation of Porto Rico, and it is a re-
suit which works almost as much for
higher civilization as schools and col
leges. Similar results will in time be
seen in Cuba and the Philippines. Road
building is emblematic of American
| spirit and enterprise