New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1917-05-30
CROSSING PORTO RICO BY AUTO
Scenes Strange to Northern Eyes.
Landscapes that Resemble Moving
Pictures. improvements Under
American Rule. /

american Rule.
No.
Before leaving Porto Rico take a
trip around the island. You may 20
around with the boat stopping at
romeo and Mayaguez, or you may cross
by auto. The former is the easier and
the later. the more delightful. The
auto carries you through bewildering
mountain scenery, around palm bordered
curves which open up new scenes and
landscapes like moving pictures. To
northern eyes this trip is especially in
terestlng. Not tree, shrub, plant or
flower but what is different from those
back home. Even the soil and rock
formation is different. Were one sudden
" transported to the moon his surround
lngs could be no more foreign than that
OF the tropics, which are reached in four
days from New York. The principal
charm of visit to these parts is the
novelty OF finding yourself in a new
environment. People rave over tropical
scenery, its beauty, etc. Tropical
scenery is riotous, colorful, extravagant
IN detail but it is no more beautiful than
our own. But the charm of the whole
thing lies in the startling contrasts. The
Royal PLAN is beautiful tree, so is our
own feather buster elm. But we are
used to the noble elm and unused to the
stately Royal palm. Hence the inter
est. The same is true of everything we
see In the tropics. Some of us remember
the old fashioned spice can our mothers
kept on the top pantry shelf. Its
colors linger in our memory
yet. The ultra. blue sea, the intensely
black natives with the strange loads on
their heads, the startling use of the
primary colors, linger still in our memo
RES, and if we go to the tropics we will
find; that the Autograph was not so far
wrong.
These and similar mental compar-
lsons come to mind as we ride over the
magnificent roads of Porto Rico or sail
along its shores by boat.
The City of Ponce
The principal city on the southern
side OF the island and ranking Sec
ond in size is the city of Ponce. 1t is
beautifully laid out with two plazas in
the center. Ponce excels San Juan in
its public markets. Tourists should
never miss visiting the market. 1t is
an exhibition of native production and
native customs. The market place of
Ponce is clean, we'll kept, and we'll
stocked. City meets country here
every morning and exchanges COM
modities. - a
Ponce may we'll be proud of it's public
buildings and especially it's schools.
There are few cities in the United States
OF the same size which can boast of
school buildings which will compare
with those of Ponce. They also have
fine country club, as we'll as several !
social clubs. The cathedral which d.
vldes the two plazas is a splendid old
of Spanish architecture.
Mayaguez on the west end of the
island is very interesting city to visit.
Here again we find a splendid Catholic
church. After struggling with Spanish
names so long imagine our surprise on
visiting this church to find among the
clergy names like Father Murphy and
Father Lynch, the latter from Saratoga,
n. We made an effort to locate !
our time. was limited. We
however, to break into one
one OF the Catholic schools and through
the kindness of Sister Perboyre, formerly
OF Skaneateles, N. Y, we we're permitted
to learn something of the splendid work |
these parochial schools are doing.
Good Work of the Church
The Catholic church in Porto Rico,
under Bishop Jones, formerly of Albany,
n. 7. Diocese is one of the potent factors
IN the upbuilding of the character of the
new Porto Rican. Already their schools
are turning out useful and accomplished |
men and women in all walks of life, and
their students are among the most loyal I
and patriotic subjects of the United
States. The work the church is doing
IN fighting, poverty and disease and in
educating the children would make a
volume in itself and is none the less i'm
portant because of the transformations
manner in which it is conducted.
At Mayaguez we find a splendid
agricultural college, fine plaza, beau
Jltul play grounds for the children. and
many tlne residences. There is also
penitentiary located there.
Auto Tours
Inere are number of automobile
ours Which every tourist should take.
It IS Interesting to visit the cane mills
ma learn something of the sugar in
1ustry. A trip through the cane coun-
ny Where acres and acres of cane fields
border the roadway something like the
illinois corn fields, will convince the
traveller that the American has not pre-
,mpted the whole island. He has
:reated part of the wealth. He has
made two stalks of cane grow where but
me grew before. Likewise in the grape
ruit section. Before the American
came this land was in many cases jungle.
He has cleared, plowed and planted and
therefore increased the value of the land.
Because this increment reverts to him
and makes him rich is but the workings
If natural law. Before he came the
Jungle was valueless. Now it is profit
and offers labor to those who
will.
Those who enjoy grape fruit on the
breakfast table have but faint idea
If the elaborate journey that grape fruit I
travels from the tree to the table tt is