The Van Buren press., 1904-05-28
TRAVEL IN PORTO RICO
Under American Management 1t Has
Been Greatly Facilitated by
New Highways.

Transi In Porto Rico conducted under
the Spanish rule on the manana to
morrow plan was a thing to marvel az.
says the New York Tribune.
SPANS only lasting monument on this
island is the magnificent military high
way from San Juan 10 Ponce. and Il was
a. the time OF the American occupation
the only decent driveway Of any coHsid-
erabe length In the island Swing
running time Is a. the rate OF nine
miles an hour, Il takes from "a to is
hours to cover the So miles
The advent OF American rule found
the island practically without transpor-
tation facilities and the hurricane Of
1899. which swept out OF existence entir.
villages, only added to the gravity of ths
situation
Most Of the commerce Of the island
was carried on over heartbreaking
wagon trails scanned with ruts, where
carts and coaches alike begged to the
axle Towns OF ( 1000 and 900 inhabit-
ants depended for Communication With
the seaboard on miserable trails. whers
even pack horses mired in the rainy sea-
son, and It cost the coffee and tobaccs
merchants all their merchandise was
worth to transport It TO market
Five years OF continuous effort. backee
by the expenditure Of nearly s. 900 900.
have wrought wonderful changes ans
smooth. well-built roads Of the Massa-
chusetts highway type modified to meet
climatic conditions now connect most.
II not all, OF the important towns.
The reently completed macadam high
way from the seaport OF Arecibo now
parallels the military road and crosses
the island from north to south. Bare
footed peasant women, erect and grace
ful. swing along the road. perfectly in
different to the heavy burdens balanced
on their heads. Patient oxen with
heavy yokes roped TO their horns, drag
clumsy two-vheeed carts, that lurch
on their limiting axles like drunken
men. The driver walking In front.
leads his team with long pole. and steps
aside as, wonder Of wonders. the CEN
turtles touch hands and an American
automobile rolls past
The Porto RIcan peon Of the interior.
however, Is conservative, II nothing else
What was good enough for his great
grandfather Is good enough for him. and.
strange as II may seem the twentieth
century found oxen, yoked In the man
ner pictured In Egyptian temples. trav-
cling side by side with modern steam
rollers and the jlbaro (countrymanb
from the interior, bending beneath the
load Of bananas strung from the wood
en- yoke across his shoulders stepping
from the road as his brother peon from
the city whisked by on bicycle.
One incident OF travel under old cop-
dltions Is well worth mention
The eight miles Of road from Arecibo
10 Camuy, the end OF the American rail-
way, has always been noted for It's Vile
ness and. short as the distance is, takes
from four to six hours Of positive tor
ture 20 travel over Three miles from
ArecIbo the miserable road gives up it's
~ hhtF lDl 'AlS''H'' hHH FHhH III
ren wastes Of wlndswept sand. The
horses are taken out and replaced by
oxen and the procession starts, the
coach sinking TO the hubs in the drifts
and bringing the horned team to a halt
every few yards
For three miles the melancholy prog
ress continues until, the sand gradual
ly ending In the semhlance Of road. the
oxen are unhItched and the coach jolts
and Jars over ruts and powders, shak-
Ing the traveller about like a pea In q
pint measure and landing him bruised
and dizzy at Camuy
The reyer3e Of the picture presents IL
self In the 32 miles from Camuy ts
Aquadilla, the third seaport Of the
Island, and the scene OF the landing 70
Columbus In 1893.
The smooth macadam road lined WITH
crimson namboyant and Godding palms
and shaded with almond and Indian
laurel trees ls model Of scientific road
building and Is easily covered in an