The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1902-08-22

estng data and his camera caught in
teresting views for him. He met in the
island Governor Hunt. formerly OF
Montana, and General Elliot of the in
terior department. From these men,
other officials and natives he gained a
comprehensive idea of Porto Rico re-
construction. Mr.. Gregg had the privil
ege of being with Governor Hunt when
the first Spanish officials to visit the
island since the war were presented
and began arrangements for a Spanish
consular service. The effects OF the
great hurricane Immediately following
the American occupation are still no.
ticeable. An unusual haze was in the
atmosphere and red spots at sunset
touched the zenith as a result of the
eruption of Mont Pelee, 200 miles away.
1t was to Mr.. Gregg an interesting
bit of information that Porto Rican
cities, with the exception of fortified
San Juan, We're built several miles in
land to guard against attacks by
pirates.
Mr.. Gregg has Travelled In Cuba and
Hawaii as well as Porto Rico and is
familiar with present conditions in all
of Uncle Sans possessions. He says:
A CoNTENTED PEOPLE.
The thing that stands out most con-
spicuously in Porto Rico is the content
ment of the people and their uniform
acquiescence in the government of the
Americans. 1t is a long road from
negro and Spanish tropical Incidence
and habits to the American standard
Of enterprise and integrity. The Porto
Ricans are merely taking their first
pf 10
young men to college in the United
States. Between 800 and 400 are now
being educated here. They are selected
on account of intellectual promise. Two
hundred are partially supported by the
island government, assisted through
scholarships in the American colleges
and by American philanthropists.
A second step was to accommodate
themselves to American money. This
caused riots it first, as the change could
not be made without an advance in
prices of both labor and merchandise.
A third step was the building of
roads. Spain, in the four hundred
years. built about $50 miles of road.
The United States has built in three
years 14O miles, expending for this pur-
pose about s2,000,000. The necessity of
roads will be understood when it is
realized that the mountain districts and
all the interior are very thickly popu-
lated.
SCHOOLS ESTABLISHED.
The fourth step was the establish
ment of schools. Spain couldn't build a
school building in four hundred years,
but we have built thirty-eight in three
years and have twenty more rxRder con-
| struction. Before the war, Spain had
$4,000 pupils in 53S schools, for whose
tuition the parents had to pay. After
three years the United States has 5O,-
900 pupils in 939 schools without ex-
pense to the parents.
The fifth step for the Porto Ricans
Is the spending of all their money at
home. No more tribute is sent abroad
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
granted title Of possession by the Unit
ed states government, and how the U. |
5. transport Sheridan may have called |
there on her way to Nagasaki. But all
this, and much more. Is duly set forth |
in the following gracious and authentic |
narrative, by one who may, for us, |
with proper courtesy be called the Col |
umbus of Marcus Island:
Manila, July 21st, 1902.
The Editor Manila Times:
Dear Sir:-l was rather amused while !
reading the leading editorial in your
issue OF today regarding Marcus ISL +
and Your deductions are far astray
when you give the location as the Mar
quesas group.
/ have visited the Marquesas group, |
ana nave also attempted n landing on |
Marcus Island. which is located about |
Of To iyi
uninhabited. There is only one point
on the island where a landing can be |
made. and even there 1t can seldom be ,
accomplished.
The only value that attaches to 1t Is |
the deposit of guano 1t contains. which !
Is apparently limitless.
Captain Rosehill, of the bark "Koko |
Head, discovered the islnad in 1879, |
and attempted to land and take possess |
sion, but failed after three days trial. |
on account of the roughness OF the |
weather. He later retired from the sea !
and secured the position of harbormas- /
ter of Honolulu. where he succeeded in 7
interesting Mr.. Peacock, a prominent
liquor merchant, and others, in his tale
OF the value OF the island, and they fit- /
ted him out with n small schooner I'm |
which he sailed 10 the island and plant
cd the American flag. ana then return
cd 10 the United States, and filed an
ippllcntlon for concession 10 the
phosphate tguano) privileges, and H.
nally secured the passage ~ a bill
through Congress granting his prayer.
TINS was some eight or nine months
ago, and he was fitting out 10 go To the
Island with the intention of erecting
machinery for loading the guano into
ships when l left Honolulu some three
months ago.
The guano II worth 5000 gold per ton
w Honolulu for use on the sugar plan
lhllnns, ana the quantity the island
contains would make mllionaires
~ captain Rosshill ana his hackers. u
n probably this knowledge which has
caused Japan 90 attempt Ca take pos
session ~ the island, which was un-
claimed ana unknown until Captain
iios"hlll planted the American nag on
w. hespeotfully
W M GIFT,
A.