The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1910-04-20
Winter Spent in the Tropics
y An Exceptionally Well Written and an Intensely
- Interesting Letter Letter About Porto Rice
By q FRIEND OF THE REVIEW. IN WASHINGTON

;VIEW, IN WASHINCTO ON.
confess never tasted any equal to
them for delicacy Of flavor and
juiciness. Then came Goldfish cakes,
bacon and delicious hot rolls. It
seems strange to get Goldfish cakes
land perfectly made) in the tropics.
But ! found that the Islanders were
very fond Of Goldfish. One dealer told
me he sold over two thousand pounds
Of it year; the natives call It
Bscalowa'' or at least that is the
way it sounds to unfamiliar ears.
After break fast we had . long talk,
held and hugged the baby for awhile.
then my son took me to his Office and
introduced me to his associates and
employees. A tour about the grounds
next commanded our attention, every
corner. triangle. square or spot Of
ground was q riotous mass Of beauti-
full tropical trees. plants and flowers.
Among the trees were cocoanut, royal
palm. travellers palm. bread-fruit.
papias, mango, banana. coffee. date.
sowersop, avocate and innumerable
others, all and strange to me. told
them that hereafter the decorations
in churches at home. for weddingp,
would seem very sparse and meager.
The buildings were white or light
buff 30 the contract with the abund-
ant green foliage was very pleasing.
The buildings are mostly very old but
being Of stone or cement and with
walls Of immense thickness are in
perfect condition. The house has
f1ours Of concrete or marble, ceilings
fifteen feet high, raftsrs (of hewn
mahogany showing and not a window
with glass in it, simply blinds. There
are probably not half q dozen windows
with glass IN, the while island, except
the stained glass windows in the
churches.
The island is densely populated.
nearly million inhabitants with
many attractive towns Of from ten to
fifty thousand, each one has its plaza
where the people congregate evenings
to listen to the band play and enjoy
various amusements.
The city Of San Juan is unusually
pleasing. think it ls the cleanest
city l have ever seen. the ground rises
decidedly from the waters edge. the
streets are paved with vitrifed brick
] which the frequent rains wash per-
/ fectly clean. The natives are q most
gentle people and it is perfectly safe
for men. women and children to GO
anywhere about the island unprotect.
ed. as lawlessness ard violence are
entirely unknown.
Even in the penitentiary they let
the inmates sit in the garden facing
the street guarded BY only . slight
fence; and il those sentenced to life
Imprisonment are very good they
are allowed to 60 out, once in q
while. to spend the day with their
friends. One Of the occupations Of
the men prisoners is crocheting, in
which they make marvellous tides.
bags. stockings and lace. They also
make fine furniture. clothes, baskets
etc., etc.
San Juan was formerly walled
city and one Of the city gates ID
still standing near the eastern end
of the city. The Notifications are
extensive aud massive. Ell More.
which stands &C the entrance Of the
harbor is an immense, stately pile.
It has four tiers Of batteries, the
lowest Of which was built in fifteer
hundred and nine: 40 years went on
the work progressed and tier after
tier Of batteries were added until the
result is one Of the most picturesque
and imposing structures l have ever
seen. The mellow yellow walls, viii
vines. ferns and MOSES growing in
every crevice and Granny are exceed
ingly attractive. Beyond is For,
Christebal, the two being connected
by earth works and water batteries al
we'll as secret underground passages,
The Spanish seem to have been very
fond Of the leland for something less
than two hundred years ago they spent.
at one time. over three millions Of
dollars on Notifications.
FL More was built to resist not only
the forces Of the enemy but the raw.
ages Of time 40 we'll. It ID every.
where solid and substantial. Captain
Field (the officer commanding) TOLD
me he thought it best TO drain cor.
tain clstern which he imagined was 1
breeding place for mosquitoes; 20 CON
Icludedi to drill through . parapet t.
afford an outlet: expecting to find ,
4 fAv foat NJ naans,rv IN nskhop aid