Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-25
,IH0USANDM|LESAWAV
Uncle Sans Island in the
Caribbean Sea.
HOME OF THE CARI3S
FOB YEARS sPAIN's PLACE OF
BANIsHMENT.
Now Porto Rico is Regarded as Hav-
ing Good. Prospect Of
Great Future.

--
Mr.. William Dunkerly OF this city. who Is
employed at the naval station at Porto
Rico, has written a letter to friend IN
Washington giving an interesting descrip-
ton OF that comparatively new island pos
session of the United States.
Puerto Rico the Spanish spcilingl. mean
ing rich port" says he. sis situated in the
Caribbean sea and is about LEGO miles from
the nearest point of the United States, the
coast of Florida, and $50 miles from New
York. The islands of Cuba, Jamaica and
Hayti are westerly from It in the same
waters. The island is 90 miles long and 35
wide. it contains about 5000 square miles
and has a'coast line OF nearly 400 miles.
Porto Rico, as it is called by the Ameri-
cans, when discovered by Columbus in 1893
was the home of the Caribs of the Indian
race, which race gradually decrea sed until
1t entirely disappeared. though slight traces
have been found among the present ma
yves. Since 1i95 the island has been free
from war, with the exception of a revolu
ton in 1890 until 1t was wrested from
Spain by the United States in 1893.
For three centuries the island was used
by Spain as place OF Punishment and
exile for criminals and political offenders,
and not until 1915 did it receive recogni-
ton from the Spanish government. In 1870
the island was made q province of Spain
and in 1878 all slaves were emancipated by
a-decree of the government.
Perpetual Spring.
I'm the northern part, TO the traveller just
arriving, the island has the appearance of
perpetual spring. The picturesque beauty of
its hills and valleys and the charming dress
OF luxuriant vegetation. masses of gorge
Gus colored flowers and the stately trees
nPt
ightful to the eye and senses. Quaint
towns and pleasant restful-looking villages
with novel modes Of life and business. the
homes built to exactly suit the climate. are
scattered throughout the island
San Juan. the capital, on the north shore
gives promise of becoming very excel
lent city, both commercially and as a place
of residence. The United States naval sta
ton, from which the Gaval vessels coal and
get their supply of water, is located there.
Fruit, tobacco and sugar, the principal
products of the island are shipped from
that point. Ships from foreign countries
and the states enter the harbor quite fire.
quently. Ponce, another large city on the
south, has an excellent harbor, and
bids fair to make good under American sys-
tenn. All around the island there are ports
OF more or less Importance, each being a
shipping port for that particular district.
In all there are about eighty towns. There
are seven districts administered on the
same principle as our countries, and all un-
der the governor, who is appointed by the
President. and whose headquarters are in
San Juan.
Islands From East to West.
"A ridge of mountains extends through
the island from east to west, through which
trees and vegetation are abundant. the
beautiful cloud effects gorgeous, and
through which the rain fall is frequent The
meadows are well watered. and the soil
,r;r1
frequent. The trees in the mountains are
ebony. sandaiwood, cedar and PALM and
some others valuable for their wood Fruits
ana flowers. the latter in bloom the year
round, are also abundant all over the island
The birds are of many species and have
beautiful plumage, while poisonous reptiles
and insects are rarely ever found. Porto
RICO has no animals peculiar to ITSELF The
MOWERS are or rare beauty, and in such va
r1eties as to make an enumeration of them
an endless task; 1t must be left to Your
imagination, which in this case is not likely
to exaggerate. There are no large lakes
but small ones and an abundance of water
Is to be found in all parts Of the island
There are hundreds of streams about fifty
OF which could be termed rivers The pre-
yallfng stone in Porto Rico is a limestone
and native rock of coral forma ton which
is very hard and of which the famous milf
tary road extending from San Juan to
Ponce, across the entire width of the
island, and road hard to equal in any part
eral deposits or precious stones so far as
has been ascertafned. Some prospectors
are IN the mountains now, but no discoy-
cries have been reported.
Remarkably Even Temperature.
The climate Is surely all that could be
expected or desired. The temperature is
remarkably even, ranging about Ia degrees.
In September, one Of the hottest months.
the maximum temperature was IS degrees.
In the mountain regions the temperature
gets quite low; therefore IL for any reason
the heat In one place becomes oppressive, it
is possible to secure a change by q few
miles travel. Cool places can be found
The nights are generally cool all over the
island. The abundance of running water,
delightful sea breezes, the healthful loca-
ton of the island out in the Atlantic. the
excellent natural drainage afforded by the
numerous streams and the most excellent
salt water bathing for those who live on
health as compared with other tropical
countries. Porto Rico has an enyiabIe
reputation for healthfulness. The year is
divided into two seasons, the wet and the
dry, the wet beginning in May and lasting
until the middle of December. November
usually experiences the heaviest rains and
February of the dry season is considered
the dryest month Winter with spring.
like atmosphere, begins in November and
lasts through March. Taking the year as
a whole, the rainfall is not much different
from that In the states. Most people have
a mistaken idea that there is much yellow
fever in Porto Rico. There is none. and
as a matter of fact the authorities have a
very strict guard against it. and all ships
entering the harbors are held under the
strictest quarantine laws, the same as they
are In the states. There Is however, a
sort Of malarial fever such as is found In
other countries, and more especially in the
tropics, but to person using reasonable
precaut.on there is no danger. The special
things to be avoided are over-activity
In the middle of the day and the lack of
exercise during the cool damp of the even
ing, when in the open air. Sleep usually
takes care of itself in this climate but a
person must be careful in the matter of
food. The same kind of clothing as Is
worn in the summer time in the states is
the proper thing for Porto Rico, and as
the average temperature Is the same the
year round, the same weight clothing Is
worn from January to December Dark
clothing Is worn almost as much as the
white. The styles are kept up the same
as in the states and 1t has been known
for some of the New York and Partisan
styles to be put on sale in San Juan
equally as soon as in some of the other
American cities in the states.
Large, Rich Garden
sspotto Rico Is like nne larpe rfc,, 90 r5ax