Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-02-15

Assistant United States Engineer
caarge w. p. Miller who has lust re-
,,'-,ed from Porto Rico, where he made
.,,r,evs for the United States govern
Ut % took some observations of the bus-
~. and characteristics Of the island and
= people. on which subject he talked
srtertainingly 10 reporter of Every
Evening yesterday afternoon
The Island is about 100 miles long and
,bont 40 miles wide, "A trife larger than
H. state of Delaware, but it is much
more thickly populated. The total popu-
is,ion of Porto Rico is given as 95S 900
- against about POO 600 in the State of
delaware Mr.. Miller was informed that
ofthe total population OF the island about
ssnOOO are without permanent visible
means of support The island is in
,ronical zone and the weather is continu-
o,slv warm. as result of which many
~ ne natives live either out of doors or
y small thatched huts. Some have
small patches Of land which they till
.ble there are many who do not engage
n any work on their own account They
vork for farmers. merchants and other
business people, and as their living is not
svnensive. steady work is not necessary
ior their maintenance. Oranges, cocoa
ruts and bananas arc plentiful and grow
Wild and furnish large proportion Of the
food eaten by large percentage OF the
natives
since the occupation by the United
States Americans have begun TO take
more interest in the business enterprises
there and while the bulk of the business
il done by Spaniards, Germans and French
men. Americans are largely accountable
for the recent development.
The chief articles for export are fruit,
sugar and coffee. A great deal of the
fruit comes to the United States. but
most Of the coffee and sugar 90 TO Euro
mean countries. Tobacco is raised in
larpe quantities. but it is said that the
greater part Of the product is consumed
On the island. making the importation Of
that commodity rather small in com
psrison with the general commerce of the
island. The American Tobacco Co., Il
/. said. owns or controls nearly all OF thS
tobacco plantations on the island and thS
tobacco is raised systematically and give
the very best result. On account of the
heat there, the plantations are covered
with cheesecloth to protect the growing
crops from the heat of the sun. Mr.
Miller. in riding over the mountains, saw
miles and miles of cheesecloth in tn
valleys below, the cloth being set up ol
posts just high enough to let the tobacc'
grow and give an opportunity for tn
men 10 work il while 1t Is growing
The principal cities, Ponce, San Juan
Mayaguez and some other places are con
nected by narrow gauge railroads. As
matter Of fact, there is only one railroad
system. which is intended to be bel
line. At present it does not extend al
the way around the island, but in al
probability it will eventually. The hin
now starts at Ponce and runs 10 Maya
glez thence IL goes to another place j
the direction of San Juan. but there Is
break of 20 miles in the stretch OF roa
between Mayaguez and San Juan, th
break being covered by an automobn
service over an excellent road. Pont
and San Juan are the largest cities. Fac
has q population of about 10000, whi
Mayaguez. the next city in size and ~
portance, has a population Of about -
O00. Trolley ears are operated IN Pon'
and San Juan, but in Mayaguez and son
Of the other smaller places horse cars al
in use. The cars are very small, son
carrying only three people at a time.
While many Of the buildings, especial
the larger ones, are very old, some beir
400 years old, there are many modei
structures, and some of the old ones ha'
been modernized, so that the princip
cities are not unlike so-ie of the mode
American cities, so Car as their gener
appearance is concerned, although in q
main the architecture is different. Son
have wide streets and are well lighted.
The government has provided an e
cellent system of roads on the islam
some Of the roads being on par with &
drive through Brandywine Park. Mu
Of this work was done under the directs
Of United States Engineer Flagler OF q
city. while he was in charge of COVER
meni work on the island There is o
stretch Of road leading out Of San Ju
which was built by the Americans aft
the war with Spain, and it is said to
ihe best road on the island.
Mr. Miller says the people appear to
taking more interest than formerly