Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1911-07-28
FORMER PULIMANTTE
WRITES OF PORTO RICO
Continued from First Page.)

!
with but little suffering. When peo-
pie can thrive on boiled bananas and
rice with an occasional bean for their
regular diet, and when the climate
is as mild as it is here, they can be a
long way down in the social scale
and still not suffer.
The climate of Porto Rico is all
that is claimed for it. The summer,
| find, is but little, if any, warmer
| than in the Palouse; while it is much
milder than at Lewiston which later
of courseis not so much of BOOST
During the summer months the rains
come almost every day, and after the
rain the air is cool and fresh. The
nights are always cool, and, in fact,
If it were not for the very high
humidity of the atmosphere, it would
never be uncomfortable here (unless
of course man were foolish enough
to be doing some sort of work which
would make him move a lott. The
hot weather only holds sway during
the summer months, June, July,
August and September. The rest of
the year is all that anyone could ask
by way of nice weather. One never
hears of people becoming Frustrated
by the heat here, as is the case so
much in the states. When the land
breeze from thehills comes in in the
evening, and the people all come to
life and get to moving around town,
this looks like a very happy place,
and ! guess it is.
My Spanish is, as yet, SO limited in
quantity and poor in quality that l
have not met many of the Porto Ri
cans, but the few whom | have met
are very nice people. With the cafes
all selling liquor of all kinds, there
is still but very Titled runkenness
here. 1t may be that they have
foundry experience thatthey can not
stand to drink much in this climate,
but whatever the direct cause, the
fact remains that with all kinds of
material at hand to get drunk with,
the people are a remarkably sober
lot here.
Th first of this month, | under
stand that the United States govern
ment took charge of the sanitation
of the whole island. When the place
gets cleaned up little, when of
course, the mosquitoes, etc, will be
pretty well thinned out, man will
have to hunt for something to kick
about.
There are number of Americans
on the island, but Spanish is the
language in which all business is
carried on, as one soon finds out
when trying to talk to the people in
the stores here. Most of the resi-
dent Americans are, | believe, inter
ested in fruit, and inasmuch as the
Mayaguez district does not produce
much fruit, there are not many Am
orleans in thos part of the island
The main fruit district is in the vic
unity of San Juan, wheret here are a
good many Americans. The three
largest towns on the island are San
Juan, Ponce and Mayaguez, of which
Mayaguez is the most distinctly
Spanish in its people and customs.
| sent you paper not long ago
which contained some very interest
| ing data about the trade of Porto
Rico with the United States. 1t
would be surprising to many, no
doubt, to learn that, although Porto
Rico is SO small she has a greater
volume of trade with the States than
the Philippines. If all the world
were as productive as Porto Rico,
there would sure be enough of every
thing for everybody, with a good lot
left over for Thorpe.
| 1t is, however, quite some distance
from here to where a man can look
at good baseball game, which fact,
if brooded over much, would be am
pie cause to become peeved.
AS regards the position l am fill
ing here, the work is to my liking,
the people | am working with are
Icengenial | am getting almost
enough to eat, and am feeling good;
the climate and the country suit me
well, so what more could even a
tramp want?
l have some little reading to do
tonight, so l guess that shall bring
this to full stop and get busy other
wise | must be cautious, you know,
and not say too much at once. Give
my regards to all the fellows.
shall send a bundle of smokes for
the lodge to fune up with soon.
But, great heck, there is no bill
4 lizard table here. With best regards,
II am, Sincerely yours,
c. N. AGEToN.
Alias Prof"