The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-03-12
Vacation Notes.

through the mail not paid in advance.
Vacation Notes.
San Juan, Porto Rico. Feb. 39.--'we
got in here about midnight Friday
night but remained on tue steamer uI-
til morning. The sea was so smooth
and the wind 30 favorable that We
gained time a little and got in here
several hours earlier than the captain
expected when | wrote the preceding
letter. The weather and sea contin-
ued fine to the end and everybody on
board enjoyed the trip.
We were a little disappointed that
the steamer came in In the night so
that we did not have chance 10 sec
the famed beauties of San .iuan from
the sea and we had had such a pleas
ant trip that most of us would haze
been glad to have had the voyage con-
tinued along down to South America
The ship San Juan Of the New York
and Porto Rico line will he well adver-
tised by its loving friends Of this trip
anyway.
The first thing that struck us was
the heat and that hit hard. We had
been gradually reducing the weight Of
our clothes from day 10 day hut no
change i'm clothes can overcome
change in the temperature from 20 be.
low zero as it was in Bennington Feb.
5 and IS in the shade as II Is here and
right along all day while at night II
only gets down to abou. - to Is. II
you ever come to Porto Rico or any
other of the West India islands don't
let anybody talk you into bringing an
overcoat or any more heavy clothes
than you need to get safely past New
York
On the steamer you can stay inside
until you begin to reach wsrm weather
and 1t is an awful burden to be lug
ging around winter clothes that you
cannot possibly need and only make
you laughing stock If you are seen
with them. DR.. Pratt tried to give
away his derby hat to a ragged color
ed man who runs baggage cart but
the colored brother gently but firmly
declined the present. In the words Of
one of the we'll known members of the
Bennington club he scorned It."
San Juan is a city OF about 10000
people and is situated on an island,
joined to the mainland by bridges,
near the northeast corner OF Porto
Rico. 1t is the capital Of the island
and here are located all the principal
institutions of the island. Here is
where the territorial Legislature sits;
here is the residence Of the governor,
the principal station of United States
troops, the penitentiary, the naval sta
ton, the principal schools and hospit.
ais, cathedral and college and other
appurtenances of a capitol city.
The city is located on high ground
cutting off the ocean from San Juan
harbor which can be reached only
through a narrow channel and Is
therefore safe in all weather. Over
looking the mouth of the harbor Is an
old Spanish fertilization called MORO
castle. The work of building 1t was
begun in 1889 but, according to the
usual Spanish methods it was not fin
ished until 1915. On the sea side 1t
bears q few scars where Admiral
Sampson tried few shots at 1t ten
years ago come summer.
One Of his shells knocked over the
lighthouse on top of the castle but that
has been rebuilt. It's light was the
first thing we saw of Porto Rico when
we we're about 20 miles out at sea Fri
day evening. 1t is stated that when
SIMPSONS ships appeared OF San
Juan and opened fire in 1898 the Span
ish people here were 80 scared that as
high as $500 each was offered for the
use Of carriages to get out of town
with. I do not know how accurate
this history am writing is, as have
no books of reference. 1t Is merely
hearsay told me in casual converse
ton.
We are located at Hotel Colonial.
II is one of the two best hotels In
town and is considered very good.--for
Porto Rico. In Vermont 1t would be
a dollar a day house and shut up for
lack of business. 1t is kept by an
American woman who tries hard IL
keep good house but the building is
not fitted for hotel purposes, the plumb
ing and sanitary arrangements are
notable from their absence. the rent Is
exhorbitant, native help is incompet.
ent and lazy and imagine that mo-