The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1908-05-20
ADDRESSED WOMAN'S CLUB.
Hon. Josiah |. Kerr Talks Interestingly on
Porto Rico.

Porto Rico.
Hon, Joeiah L. Kerr delivered an ad-
dress before the Woman's Club. of Cam
bridge, Tuesday afternoon on Porto Rico,
which he visited recently. The lecture
was highly interesting in every detail and
the ladies were charmed with his descrip.
lion Of the voyage and of the island.
They voted the meeting second to none in
interest and value to any they had ever
held.
Mr.. Kerr gave humorous description
Of the voyage, which is, at best, very
rough one, and productive of seasickness.
He said the line could afford to carry
passengers 1t very low rates Is the attend
ance ct meals is slim. The voyage is
very lonely one, being too far south for
transatlantic vessels and too far East for
those engaged in the coast trade. The
skies at night are peculiarly brilliant and
the sight Of the Southern Cross and the
stars a. they appear In those climes is
very interesting to the eye Of the voyageur.
The wireless telegraph, keeping in touch
with far distant ports, also served to
break the monotony of the voyage, as did
the schools of beautiful flying fish.
The island fully meets ones ideas Of q
tropical country, but the surface is not
entirely fiat, as many would suppose, but
Il dotted with mountains which vary
from the height of the hills on the Western
shore to four thousand feet.
The natives greet visitors eagerly and
efusively. but Mr.. Kerr found the hospi-
tality Of the hotel too much for him, as
ell food was decidedly greasy. He was
rescued In time TO save his digestion,
however, taking his meals at the American
Cooking Club. The animals on the island
are very small with the exception of the
lizards and reaches, both of which grow
to an enormous size, and at the former of
which he was somewhat alarmed.
The people are small. The "dressy
men follow fashions Get in the states.
The women dress father gaudily. Their
complexions vary very much, having
wide range of color and tint. The palace
and other public buildings are solidly
built to Withstand earthquake tremors.
One of the sights of San Juan is the
prison, in the dungeons Of which, during
the halcyon days Of Spanish rule. thous.
ands Of prisoners lost their lives. Resi-.
dents Of Porto Rico point to hundreds of
red crosses painted on the outer walls of
the prisons to mark the places where ma
lives, often for no greater crime than be.
ing too old to work, were manacle1 and
shot.
A grewsome custom which still prevails
Is that Of renting graves for the burial of
the dead, and, IL rent is defaulted of ex-
huming the bones and throwing them in q
bonehouse. While on the island Mr. Kerr
witnessed the funeral of q Spanish actress
which was attended by ten thousand men
women do not attend funerals The cof-l
I'm was borne on the shoulders of four
young men; when they grew tired four
others took their places. Invitations are
sent out to attend funerals, written or
printed on large sheets Of paper, and the
receipt of such Invitation carries moral
obligation to come.
One of the most interesting things on
the Island is the military road from San
Juan to Ponce. built Of stone, about
eighty four miles in length, and in the
construction of which 100, 600 natives are
said to have lost their lives. The road is
pointed out a. one Of the greatest feats of
Spanish engineers. So excellent is the
grading that five minutes after copious
rain the road Is perfectly dry.
Under American rule the schools have
made wonderful progress. Ten years ago
there were from seven to ten thousand
children attending the so-called public
schools. Today there are some $50
schools, with about $1,000 pupils. The
teachers arc excellent, the children apt.
and their progress in English and other
branches remarkable.