Wallowa chieftain. [volume] (Joseph, Union County, Or.) 1884-1909, 1902-04-03

to be looked for in a people of a clim-
ate so greatly at variance with any
part of the United States.
There is the usual plaza of Spanish
towns, here, a small park-like enclos
ure with walks running through it at
right angles, filled with beautiful
Towering plants, shrubs and trees en-
closed by low hedge of some tropical
plant, and around this plaza the town
is built, or at least was begun and on
the four streets Straggles far out, most
OF the better houses nearest to town
or the plaza, and the ends of the rows
consisting for the greater part of
wretchedly poor cabins, thatched with
coarse grass, and unspeakably dirty
AT the east end of the plaza separated
from 1t by the street, and at its sides
and rear, well kept flower garden, is
the only church in the city, Catholic
OF course. 1t looks as il it might have
been built long time ago. Its large
size, the square towers at either corre
OF the front, and the mellow
creamy color of its solid, cemented
brick walls giving it dignifed and
venerable appearance.
There are but two, two story houses
In town, one of the home of the AL
calde, anything but palatial in appear
ance, and a large, fine looking cement
ed brick, property of the leading
merchant who has his store and ware
house below, or on the ground floor,
and his dwelling in the second story.
1t Is by far the finest dwelling in the
in the city, though there are several
quite pretentious, though smaller and
OF only one story. All the houses
used only for dwelling houses and of
the better class are raised from four
to six feet off the grouud, upon brick
or stone pillars or square timbers,
open beneath for the free circulation
OF air, and in the country fol the cir
cuation of pigs, dogs, goats and other
animals. The houses of the Porto
Ricans every where, extend right up
to the street, never yard, lawn, or
other enclosure but with the ubiouit-
Gus veranda extending Il part of the
way, or all the way around it. In
front only, boarded or bricked down
to the ground, short flight of stairs,
often a handsome staircase at the
corner leading up to the verandu.
Concealed by high, brick walls, or
tight board fences, are the enclosures
between the back of the houses CON
tanning flower gardens, fruit trees,
and sometimes vegetable gardens.
One curious feature noticed at once,
by the foreigner, is the absence OF
glass windows, not a pane of glass in
this town, and scarcely on the island.
Only three houses in Ponce, the larg-
est town on the island, with a popula-
tlon OF twenty six thousand, having
glass windows. Windows there are
and doors, plenty of them. but no
sash nor glass. Every window and
door has heavy wooden shutters OPEN
ing i'll the middle and swinging out
ward, with ponderous hooks and bolts
for fastenings at night or in case Of
storm. Almost as soon as the sun
sets all doors and windows are closed
and the Porto Rican sleeps within, in
perfect darkness apd vltiated air, but
in real fancied security from thieves
or malaria, or whatever it is that he
fears. Often family OF seven or
eight sleep in a mere cabin Of Il dwell
ing. Some OF the better class have
very well furnished houses but the
poor, who are the very great ma
JoTlly, 90 WIN cot bed or two. a
hammock made CT gunny sacks sewed
together and suspended by ropes. A
few cooking utensils and bench, no
tables or chairs. They have no cook
ing stoves known to Americans. The
things which the natives use as such
are very primitive affair, something
the shape of an old fashioned dinner
pot, or big iron kettle to boil meat
and vegetables in. There is a
crate and draught. They make in
/ 1T fire OF charcoal and cook their
meals upon it, one dish at time. un-
less so opulent as to own two or more,
but their simple meals do not require
ranges, such as the epicurean Ameri-
can needs for his gormandizing pro-
pensities. Their bread is made by
fha ha lyar IalxnJ -