The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-03-21
San Juan, Porto Rico. March 3

San Juan. Porto Rico, March 3.
Editor Messenger:
Yesterday I went out to the city of
Arecibo. some sixty miles. over the
French railway. To do this I had to
get up a little early, as the train leaves
at e:3z o'clock a. m. 1 reached there at
s:as o'clock and left at 2:5S o'clock, get
ting back to San Juan at $40 O'Clock,
giving me five hours and twenty min
utes in which to get dinner and partly
q oyer the town.
The French railway officials kindly
extended me the courtesy of a first
class round-trip ticket n the short
excursion was very much enjoyed, as
the scenery from San Juan to Arecibo
II as picturesque as ii could we'll be.
From the time the train started till
IT reached there we did not pass
through an acre OF woodland, but
through a beautiful level country-al-
most one continuous farm of rich land
lying between pretty hills and noun
tains almost all the way. These farms,
many of them, were abundantly stocked
with fine cattle, horses, ETC., while
others were covered with sugar-cane
and o ther products.
go level is the country through which
this railway passes that I do not re-
member to have seen n cut exceeding
i've feet deep. nor q film more than
the same depth.
This French railway Is owned by
French capitalists, / am told, is a mar
row gauge track in rarely good con-
dition and the first-cldss coaches very
comfortable, though no water is kept
In them for drinking and no gentle
mems nor ladies' toilets. The seats are
continuous and run lengthwise in the
car, so that people sit alongside each
other There are mail and baggage
cars and first. second and third class
coaches. Smoking is allowed on all the
cars and the agent at the station rings
a bell when he wishes the train to pull
cut. The engines are made in France
and are very peculiar looking. Coal is
us'
This road is eighty kilometers in
length to Arecibo, but it extends fur
ther on.
Besides black coffee and bread 1 had
at a restaurant on the way to the depot
for eight cents, 1 had on the way to
AreCibo nice cake twice and some
candy for eleven cents. The above and
many other things in the way of fresh
sweet milk. CocoanutS, fruits, cts, are
to be had so thai one need not get hun
cry while travelling unless he so wishes
or mas no money MANY pOOI pSOplS
were at the stations along the way
holding out their hands. hats, etc, for
help ard to drop one only 4 n cent
piece seemed to give him much salts
faction.
Reaching Arecibo 1 walked from the
station to the Hotel BOrinquen, where
I had a ~seventy-five cent breakfast in
addition to what 1 had eaten on the
way, where 1 bad a nice rest before
nto rtinT nO a tnnr nf the Pifv and
where I found two young lady school
teachers from Massachusetts But for
them I would have had a hard time OF
It I'm getting any information, as there
was 10 one who could speak English
to amount to much except them. about
the hotel. 1 first visited the plaza, and
every Spanish town must have its
plaza, the the market, where people
had p great variety of fruits, etc, all
spread put on the ground and in stores
for sale; then the Catholic cathedral.
etc, and made my way hack TO the
depot and at $50 O'Clock was in San
Juan feeling that my brief excursion
had enabled me to see one of the pref
tiest parts of Porto Rico and for the
privilege of which I feel thankful as
well as under obligations to the court
eous officials of h French railway.
On the way to AreCibo many water
courses were crossed, among which
AAit a. eAAAA~~AA AA
and Rio Grande.
From the first annual Register OF
Porto Rico, issued in 1901. under the di-
rection Of the Hon. william Hunt. then
secretary of Porto Rico. but now act
ing governor, I copy the following 1T
regcrd to Arecibo:
''It is situated on the north coast OF
the island. and has a population of S.
80 inha bitants. 1t has been ascer-
tanned that the municipal corporation
was established in 1881, as per roya
decree of that year; it was made a villa
in IT'S. but the municipal government
did not begin to operate until Deem
Der, 1892. The inauguration OF the first
municipal council. elected by popular
Vote took place en- December %, 1878.
Notwithstanding, the ~unsanitary
sewers which empty on the south side
of the town, the climate hrouThout the
year is very healthful. The loca