Porto Rico past and present and San Domingo of today

Chapter II

Changes wrought by Americans. Language. Home life. Americans in Porto Rico. Modern improvements. Roads. Scenery.

CHAPTER III SAN JUAN AND ITS ENVIRONS .... 26 San Juan at simrise. A walk through the town. The old and new. Historical spots. Casa Blanca and the Palace. San Juan Gate. The Morro. San Christobal. The market. Modern buildings. The cathedral and De Leon's tomb. The jail.

CHAPTER IV ACROSS THE ISLAND BY THE MILITARY ROAD 43 The outskirts of San Juan. Santurce and Miramar. Rio Piedras. Into the interior. Caguas. Over the mountains. Cayey. Aibonito and the famous pass. Coamo and its springs. Down the mountains to Ponce.

CHAPTER V PONCE AND THE WESTERN COAST ... 56 Ponce. The city and its business. Docks and harbour. From Ponce to Arecibo. Adjuntas and Utuado. Arecibo. Aguadilla and the Columbus spring. From Aguadilla to Aguada. Rincon

V vi CONTENTS

and the ASasco River. On to Mayaguez. Mayaguez and its sights. Southward to San German. The City of the Hills. Sabana Grande, Yauco and the Guanica Central. Guayanilla and back to Ponce.

CHAPTER VI THE EASTERN AND SOUTHERN COASTS . . 69 From San Juan to Carolina. Loiza and the Rio Grande. Fajardo. The eastern coastal plain. Humacao. Along the coast to Guayama. Salinas, Santa Isabel, Yabucoa, and Aguirre. The salt plains and desert vegetation.

CHAPTER VII HERE AND THERE IN THE INTERIOR ... 78 From Caguas to Humacao. Juncos and its odd bridge. From Cayey to Guayama. Catano, Bayamon, and the fruit section. The Comerio road. Rivers and waterfalls. The Comerio dam. Barranquitas the lofty. Aibonito again.

CHAPTER VIII TOWNS AND MUNICIPALITIES 87

CHAPTER IX ' PEOPLE AND CUSTOMS 104

CHAPTER X

GEOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY, AND CLIMATE ... Ill

Mountains and soil. Rivers, streams, and native

vegetation. Rainfall. Temperature. Winds.

Storms and hurricanes.

CHAPTER XI

AGRICULTURE, RESOURCES, AND OPPORTUNI- TIES 119

Sugar cane. The irrigation system. The havoc wrought by our tariff laws. Tobacco. Coffee. Fruits. Cotton and fibre plants. Cocoanuts. Vegetables. Opportunities for agriculture. Poultry and cattle. Fisheries. Mines.

CONTENTS vii

CHAPTER XII

The governing bodies. Parties. Anti-Americanism. The question of citizenship.

CHAPTER XIII

The triumph of scientific sanitation. The plague scare. Isolation of lepers. Numbers and causes of deaths. Deaths by contagious diseases. Cases of transmissible disease. Death by months and ages. The leper colony. Deaths in a year.

CHAPTER XIV

THE INSULAR POLICE SERVICE .... 146 A peaceful people. Reform school. Felonies committed. Arrests and convictions.

CHAPTER XV

MANUFACTURES, EXPORTS, FINANCE, ETC. . 154 Manufactures. Domestic and foreign corporations. Exports. Imports. Cost of bridges and roads. Entry of vessels.

CHAPTER XVI

Auto trucks. Bull-carts. Mules. Horses. Railways. Steamships. Express companies. Postal facilities. Cables and wireless. The American railway; time-table. Itinerary of the auto busses. Faces by auto busses.

CHAPTER XVII

HOTELS, BOARD, AND LIVING EXPENSES . . 171

Hotels at San Juan and suburbs. Hotels of the

interior. Restaurants and cafete. Need of good

hotels. Servants. Water. List of hotels.

viii CONTENTS

CHAPTER XVIII

SCHOOLS A¥D EDUCATION . . . .. . .179

The common schools. Rural schools. Continuation schools. Child labour. Night trade schools. Agricultural instruction. Cooking. Sewing. School bands. Playgreunds and physical culture. Celebrations. High school courses. Receipts and expenses.

CHAPTER XIX

AUTOMOBILE LAWS AND REGULATIONS . . 213

Part II The Dominican Republic! Chapter I

HISTORY OF THE REPUBLIC 223

Discovery of Santo Domingo. Earliest settlements. Revolutions.

CHAPTER II

GEOGRAPHY, CLIMATE, AND RESOURCES . . 226 Size and area. Population. Contrast between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Character of surface. Rivers. Mountains. Forests. Minerals. Lakes.

Chapter III

THE PEOPLE AND THEIR WAYS . . . .233 Races. Proportion of colored and white races. Character of people. Customs. Money. Duties. Hotels and Boarding places. Food and beverages. Clubs. Horses. Living expenses. Factories and industries. Recreations. Schools.

Chapter IV

Plants. Cabinet and dye woods. Vegetable prod-

CONTENTS ix

nets. Fruits. Cacao. Tobacco. Coffee. Birds. Game. Fish. Insects. Reptiles. Mammals.

CHAPTER V ROADS AND TRANSPORTATION .... 251 Lack of good roads. Character of so-called roads. Fords and bridges. Trails. Railways. The Samana-La Vega Railroad. The Central Dominican Railway. Telephones and telegraph lines. River and coastal boats. Steamship lines.

CHAPTER VI HERE AND THERE IN THE REPUBLIC . . .259 The island from the sea. Monte Christi and the north coast. Isabella, the first settlement in the New World. Puerta Plata, Santiago, and Moca. The Bay of Samana. The buccaneers' stronghold. Samana. Sanchez. The railway to La Vega. Scenery along the railroad. The Vega Real, or Royal Plain. La Vega and the Camu River. La Vega la Vieja. From La Vega to Moca. Roads of the interior. Undeveloped forests. Mineral wealth of the interior. Across Samana Bay to San Lorenzo. Cafia Honda. Buried treasure. El Valle and the Swiss chocolate. Sanchez to Macoris. Sugar production. Royal palms. Santo Domingo City. Ruins and historical spots. House of Columbus. The Columbus tree. The city wall. The plaza.

CHAPTER Vn

Within the cathedral. Remains of Columbus. History of the cathedral. The chapels, relics and paintings. San Nicolas, the oldest church. Church of San Miguel. Santa Barbara. San Anton. La Merced, Santa Clara and La Regina churches. The Church of Santo Domingo and the first college in America.

CHAPTER VIII OTHER TOWNS AND PLACES OF INTEREST . 292

Santiago de Los Caballeros. San Jos6 de las Latas. Santo Tomas and the first fort. Moca,

Contents

a "white town." Santo Cerro, or the "Holy Hill." San Francisco de Mecoris. Cotui, or Las Minas. Bonao the golden. Boja and the cacique Enriquillo. Santa Cruz, the ancient. Salvaleon de Higuey and Ponce de Leon. La Komana. Villa Duarte, or Pajarito. Where Coumbus was imprisoned. The caves of Tres Ojos. Azua and the old conquerors. Maniel and its climate of perpetual spring. San Juan de la Maguana and its prehistoric ruins. Barahona and Neyba. The great interior lakes. The Princess Anacaona. The Mountain of Salt. Bani, the birthplace of Maximo Gomez. San Christobal and other towns.

Part III Haiti, The Black Republic Chapter IX

Characteristics of Haiti. Its backwardness and \ retrogression. Haiti's history. Discovery of

\ Haiti. The wreck of the Santa Maria. The

\ fort of Navidad. Settlement of Haiti. Exter-

\ mination of the natives. Importation of slaves.

Pirates and freebooters. French colonists in Haiti. Cession of Haiti to France. Haitiens in the American Revolution. The Paris of America. The outbreak of the slaves. Toussaint I'Overture. Napoleon's perfidy. A war of extermination. The massacre of the whites. Haitien independence. The first Haitien king.

CHAPTER X

Port au Prince, the capital. Buildings, streets, etc. La Coupe and its residences. Miragoane and Petit Goave. The Island of Gonaives. The Tiburon peninsula and Jeremie, the birthplace of Dumas. Aux Cayes and Jacmel. St. Marc and the valley of the Artibonite River. Gonaives. The Mole San Nicolas. The island of Tortuga. Port de Paix and the Vale of Paradise. Cape Haitien. Sans Souci and the Black King's Castle.

f

CONTENTS xi

CHAPTER XI THE INTERIOR OF HAITI AND ITS RESOURCES 337 The character of the country. Rivers. Fertility. Forests. Mineral wealth. Fauna. Flora. Health and climate. Diseases. Lack of roads and transportation. Ruined estates.

CHAPTER XII PEOPLE, CUSTOMS, GOVERNMENT, EDUCATION 345 Population. Proportion of whites and colored races. Attempts at colonization. Character of the people. Language. The " Creole " or " Patois." Educational institutions. The Government. Laws and legal procedure. Superstition. Obeah and Voodooism. Sacrifices. Distinguished Haitiens.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Street in Santurce Frontispiece "^

FACING PAGE

Map of Porto Rico 1 ^

Statue of Ponce de Leon ^ ^

Statue of Columbus, San Juan 6 »/

Governor's Palace and Corner of the To\yn . . . 10 /'^

Morro from the Sea 10 «^

Royal Bank of Canada, San Juan IQ </

Cruz Street, San Juan 16 ^

Map of San Juan 20 v

Lateen Boats, San Juan Harbor 24 \/[

Casa Blanca and San Juan Gate 24 \/].

Fort San Sebastian 28 /,.

Haunted Sentry Box 28 v^.

San Jose Church, San Juan 30 '•^''

Plaza Principal and Intendencia Building . . . 30 i^

Cathedral, San Juan 32 '^'

Interior of Cathedral, San Juan 32 *"

Plaza of the Lions, San Juan 36 »" ,

Beach at Borinquen Park 36 «-

A " Pushing Business " 38 ^'.

The Passing of the Old and New 38 '^

Road Scene Near Guayama 40 ^\:-

View of Aibonito 44 *'

Street in Aibonito 44 v%

Street in Ponce 46 ^''^

Air Plants on Wires, Ponce 46 y;

New Dock, Ponce 48 *

Fire Department Building, Ponce 48 v..

Plaza and Cathedral, Ponce 50 »%

Ponce Market 50^

Scene on Arecibo Road 52

Arecibo Plaza 52*^

Columbus Spring, Aguadilla ^^ »/f

San German Church ^^ y

Caguas Plaza 58

xiii xiv ILLUSTRATIONS

PAcmo

PAGE

Street in Carolina 58 »

Tobacco Under Shade, Cayey 62''^

Comerio Falls 62 v'

Scene on the South Shore 68 1

Salt Plains and Cacti, Southern Coast . . . . 685

A Mountain River near Comerio 74 /

Lowland River near Juncos 74 /

Comerio Dam 80 -

Old Spanish Bridge on Military Road . . . . 80 -

Country Residence of a Peon 88

City Residence of a Merchant . . . . . , 88

On the San Juan-Ponce Railroad 150

Salinas School, Salinas 182

McKinley School, Ponce 182

Map of the West Indies 220

Plaza Colon and Statue of Columbus, San Domingo

City 224%

Entrance to a Dominican Garden 228 *'

Interior of a Dominican House 238 *

Charcoal Vendor on Riding Bull, Puerta Plata . . 246 i''

Calle Commercio, San Domingo City .... 262 "^

Docks at Macoris 274 .'

Tomb of Columbus, San Domingo 282 •

West Front of Cathedral, San Domingo City . . .286 '

Tomb of Columbus, San Domingo City .... 290

Cathedral and Plaza, Santiago de los Caballeros . . 294

A Street in Santiago de los Caballeros .... 298 >

Congressional Buildings, San Domingo City . . . 302 '

Along the Water Front, Haiti 328 ^

In the " Black Republic " . . , 340^

" River Sprites," Haiti 348

INTRODUCTION

Although Porto Rico, or more properly Puerto Rico, has been an American colony for the past sixteen years, yet the American public as a whole has but a vague idea of the island's resources, condition, people, or climate. To many the island seems a far distant and foreign land, a mere speck in the vast expanse of ocean, and simply one of the numberless other specks which on maps are collectively labelled the " West Indies." It is indeed a surprise to find these little dots spreading out into vast mountain chains and leaguebroad valleys, with a shore line that stretches from horizon to horizon, and the visitor who for the first time views the West Indies is invariably impressed at the unexpected extent of the islands. It is hard to realise that Porto Rico is scarcely farther from New York than Des Moines, and that one may visit the island, tour its roads, see its numerous points of historical interest, and return to New York all within the space of a fortnight. While Porto Rico is the smallest of the so-called

XV xvi INTRODUCTION

Greater Antilles, yet it is by no means small, and as far as appearances go one might as well be on the mainland as on an island, when in the interior of Porto Rico.

From the tourist's viewpoint Porto Rico is most interesting, and in no other West Indian island can one obtain such an insight into tropical life, industries, and vegetation with so little trouble and inconvenience.

It is true that Porto Rico has many natural characteristics peculiar to itself and that it is wrong to judge it by other tropical lands or the other islands by the Porto Rico standard. It is the only one of the Greater Antilles which is practically denuded of forests and the only one which is densely inhabited. For these reasons the wild, luxuriant, and riotous vegetation and heavily wooded mountains of other islands are lacking, and it does not possess the majestic, primitive grandeur of San Domingo, portions of Cuba or Jamaica, nor of many of the smaller Antilles. On the other hand, its wonderful roads, its modem methods of transportation, its health and cleanliness, its freedom from loathsome, diseased beggars, its delightful climate, and last, and to many

INTRODUCTION xvii

the most important of all, the fact that over it waves our own flag, more than compensate for the sparsity of natural beauties and quaint customs.

Very little of general interest has been written about Porto Rico. Histories, government reports, steamship folders, and similar works are legion, but these are far from satisfactory or complete from the tourist's point of view or are too technical, too full of data, or too evidently advertising matter to be of great value or interest to the prospective visitor to our West Indian colony.

The present book has been written with the aim of presenting all the important facts and figures in regard to Porto Rico without bias, prejudice, or exaggeration. In its preparation nothing has been taken for granted and nothing included in the work which is pure hearsay. The author has personally visited the island, has lived in its various cities and villages, has toured the roads from end to end and from coast to coast, and has mingled and talked with all classes and conditions of people, both native and American, from the Governor to the lowliest peon.

xviii INTRODUCTION

In every case unquestionable facts have been adhered to, and no statement or information has been included which has not been personally investigated.

The political situation is a much involved and delicate question, and the author has refrained from discussing it or suggesting remedies for existing evils, although one cannot forbear some criticism of conditions which are palpably wrong and unjust.

In the following pages Porto Rico is described as found by the author and as seen through his eyes, and no doubt others might see many things in a different light. What is admirable to one may not appear so to another, and what is attractive to one observer may appear uninteresting and unworthy to the next; but blase, unnatural, and prejudiced indeed must be the visitor to Porto Rico who cannot find an abundance of interest, pleasure, and admiration in viewing the myriad charms, the magnificent scenery, and the interesting life of Porto Rico.

In the preparation of this book the author has been greatly aided and encouraged by many Porto Rican and American residents of Porto

INTRODUCTION xix

Rico, as well as by numerous government officials and others.

To His Excellency the Hon. Arthur Yaeger, to Judge E. B. Wilcox, Col. B. W. Bates, Mr. Sanchez Morales, and to the officers and officials of the New York and Porto Rico S. S. Co., and many others the author wishes to express his deep gratitude for innumerable favours, invaluable help, and universal courtesy, without which the preparation of this volume would have been a most difficult task.

The island of Santo Domingo is so closely associated with the early history of the West Indies and the Spanish Main, and is so intimately connected with the conquest and settlement of Porto Rico, that it seems quite fitting to include something about the island in a book on our little West Indian colony.

It was from Santo Domingo that Ponce de Leon sailed across the narrow Mona passage and established the settlement which later became San Juan. From Santo Domingo came many a bold and adventurous knight to settle in the new land of promise, — Puerto Rico, — ^and all through those

XX INTRODUCTION

early years of Spanish dominion in the Antilles the two islands had much in common, and the great men of the times were familiar figures in both " Puerto Rico " and Hispaniola.

While Porto Rico was primarily and principally an agricultural colony, San Domingo was famed for its wealth of precious stones and metals, and when the output of the mines decreased many of the Spaniards from the latter island moved bag and baggage to Porto Rico, across the strait, and settled down to wrest greater if slower fortunes from Porto Rican soils than they had won in San Domingo's golden sands.

Even aside from its connection with Porto Rico, the island of San Domingo is worthy of being known and visited by Americans, for on this island there is more that savours of early American history than on any other spot in the Western Hemisphere. Here was the first settlement of Europeans in the New World ; here was shed the first blood of Europeans in conflict with the Indians ; here the Spaniards found their first gold in America, and here repose the mortal remains of Christopher Columbus.

Santo Domingo is a wonderful land, a land of

INTRODUCTION xxi

romance, history, and untold resources, a land of vast opportunity, of immense mineral wealth, of inexhaustible fertility and sublime scenery. It was baptised in blood, civilised by the ruthless slaughter of countless thousands of human beings, and for centuries has been torn with massacres, revolutions, and warfare. Its past has been one of violence, greed, and despotism. Let us hope that its future may be one of progress, peace, and prosperity.

PART I to la < PALOMINC

:iEROS IS,

'PUiflCA r. J^g- CABRAS 1, - - uebrada Honda

'^>-S Mt. Hram

' Pt.de la Vaca>~^ (Cow Pt.l<ii^'

Green. E f^Q '''.^^'''-o Same scale an cslso' _^^tfe ^''i'o large map

&. (.OMPANY

Chapter I Porto Eico Of The Past

It was on his second voyage to the new world that Columbus, while sailing cautiously among the uncharted reefs and unknown isles of the Antilles, sighted a large and luxuriant island, which the natives called " Borinquen."

Coasting around the southern shores of this new land, the discoverer put into a large, calm bay on the northwestern coast where a beautiful spring gushed from the hills and flowed in a good-sized stream to the bay. In commemoration of this event the admiral christened the place " Aguadilla," and named the new island San Juan Bautista. To-day the visitor to this beautiful spot may see the self-same spring forming a fountain at the western end of the pretty town and falling in cascades into a stone basin, from which the water flows through the streets to the shore. Here also a monumental cross of native marble marks the first landing place of Columbus on Porto Rican soil.

Continuing on his voyage to Santo Domingo, Columbus left Porto Rico astern and never again revisited it. On board his ship, however, was a romantic and adventurous " Conquistador " called Juan Ponce de Leon, and filled with admiration at the wonderful luxuriance and fertility of the new island, he set sail from Santo Domingo in 1508 and landed at the bay of Aguada. From this spot he travelled eastward and discovered an almost land-locked bay, which he named " Puerto Rico."' He was received hospitably by the natives and especially by Agueynaba, the cacique, and greatly pleased at the richness of the island, he returned to Santo Domingo and related the story of his explorations to Governor Ovando. The latter thereupon furnished additional supplies and men, and in 1509 De Leon again landed at Puerto Rico Bay, and at a spot known as Caparra built a settlement, which was later abandoned in favour of the more desirable island of San Juan, the present capital. From here Ponce de Leon set forth on his famous voyage in search of the Fountain of Youth, which resulted in the discovery of Florida. Here in San Juan he built a large and luxurious house or

PORTO RICO OF THE PAST S

castle, known as the " Casa Blanca," or White House, which, embowered in palms and surrounded by gardens, still looks forth across the blue sea towards distant Florida, and stands aloof, — dignified and proud, — above the bustle and noise of the town, like some old Spanish grandee among a crowd of gamins. In 1512 the searcher for the fabulous fountain once more sailed forth from San Juan Harbour only to return silent in death, the victim of an Indian arrow, from which he succumbed in Havana.

From the very first Ponce de Leon realised the natural advantages which San Juan possessed for fortifications, and every energy and resource was devoted to erecting a complicated and extensive series of walls, forts, castles, and moats about the city. At the entrance to the harbour, upon a precipitous bluiF, was built the massive Morro, which was not completed until 1584? and which still stands, grim and forbidding, and is the first sight to greet the visitor arriving in Porto Rico from the North. Scarred with the wounds of a hundred conflicts, moss-grown, hoary with age, and frowning upon the narrow harbour entrance, its lofty lighthouse casts its brilliant beams far across the waves, a welcome message of peace and salvation instead of death and destruction, which in former days belched forth from its antiquated cannon. Within this mighty fortress were chapels, living-rooms, water-tanks, warehouses, quarters, bakeries, barracks, and dungeons, — a veritable little city in itself. From the Morro, walls extended about the city and surrounded the entire town with a line of bastions, moats, fortified gates, crenelated battlements, and quaint sentry boxes, which have endured the stress of storm and warfare for four centuries and have withstood the shot and shell of buccaneers, pirates, and the navies of the world, and have even held their own against the rain of steel poured upon them by our battleships in 1898.

For a long time after the Spaniards settled on the island, the Indians were peaceful and hospitable, and while often oppressed, were restrained from acts of violence by their belief in the immortality of the Europeans. Finally the truth of this theory was tested by an experiment on an unfortunate man named Salcedo, whom the natives held beneath the waters of a river until he apparently drowned. To make sure that Hfe was ex-

PORTO RICO OF THE PAST 5

tinct the Indians kept a careful watch over the body for several days, until the warmth of the climate afforded ample proof of the mortal character of the Spaniards. Convinced that their oppressors were mere men, a general rebellion and massacre was planned, and the town of Aguada was burned, sacked, and the inhabitants murdered. One of the inhabitants escaped the slaughter and, reaching Caparra, related his story to Ponce de Leon, who, with a strong body of troops, at once commenced an active warfare on the savages, so many of whom were slain or seized for slaves that there was no further danger of an uprising.

The Indians were, however, the least of Porto Rico's troubles, and from 1516 until 1798 the island was constantly attacked and harassed by invaders, and the people were kept busy defending their island from capture and devastation.

In 1535 and 1543 French privateers sacked and burned several of the smaller towns, and in 1565 Sir John Hawkins swept down upon the island, to be followed in 1572 by Sir Francis Drake, but the powerful forts and stubborn defence of the inhabitants were too much for the buccaneers, who sullenly sailed away, to return in 1595, when they learned that a galleon with vast treasure was in San Juan Harbour. Better had it been for the dreaded freebooters to have left Porto Rico alone, for Hawkins died when off the eastern end of the island, and Drake, beaten and nearly annihilated by the heavy fire of the forts, sailed off towards South America, and died ere he reached Porto Bello. It was a heart-breaking defeat for the doughty Englishman, for the Spaniards removed over four million dollars from the ships in the harbour and secreted it ashore, so that Drake, who had helped destroy the Armada a few years before, was obliged to leave unmolested more gold than he had taken from the famous fleet. Once more in 1597 the English returned to Porto Rico, this time with a fleet of 20 ships, under Lord Cumberland. Landing at Santurce, the British defeated the Spaniards at San Antonio bridge and marched into San Juan. The English were on the verge of victory, and Morro had capitulated, when disease broke out among the invaders and they were compelled to abandon the island.

In 1625 Morro was again under fire, for a fleet of Dutch war vessels invaded the city and trained

PORTO RICO OF THE PAST 7

their guns on the fortress. The bombardment was ineffectual however, and after burning a large portion of the town, the Dutch sailed away, leaving one of their ships behind. From this time until 1702 French, Dutch, and English buccaneers, privateers and men-of-war were a constant menace to the Porto Ricans, but one and all were defeated and driven off. Then for nearly one hundred years the island was left in peace until in 1797, when Sir Ralph Abercromby landed a large force at Santurce, threw up trenches, and placed batteries on Miramar Hill and prepared for a long and tedious siege. After two weeks of cannonading and ferocious hand-to-hand fighting, the British were obliged to abandon the attack, and retreated with a loss of nearly two hundred and fifty men and many prisoners, guns, ammunition, and supplies.

One hundred years later the grim fighting ships of Admiral Sampson trained their guns upon the citadel that rose impregnable above the town, and while the steel-clad shells and smokeless powder of the modern weapons tore gaping holes here and there in the ancient masonry, yet the vast weight of metal hurled at the town did comparatively little damage, and the residents were left in peace, until the American army, marching overland from the south, were halted in their victorious progress by the signing of the peace protocol, and in August, 1898, the Stars and Stripes were hoisted above the ancient forts and buildings, and a new territory was added to the United States.

A military government was at once established by General Brooke, who was succeeded in December, 1898, by General Henry. A postal system was organised, the Government lottery abolished, freedom of speech and the press restored, the use of stamped paper and certificates of residence discontinued, a police force, consisting of Porto Ricans under command of American officials, was organised, and strict sanitary measures adopted. Free public schools were opened, provision made for writ of habeas corpus and jury trials, the courts were reorganised, and imprisonment for political off^ences, chains, solitary confinement, and other similar methods of punishment were abolished. Pending the restoration of normal conditions, the foreclosure of" mortgages was temporarily suspended. The Spanish currency in use was retired and replaced by American money.

PORTO RICO OF THE PAST 9

Mayors and other local officials were elected, and in 1899 a census taken, which showed a population of 958,243.

Unsettled conditions immediately resulting from the war seriously affected local industries and commerce, and a material decrease in exports, with many hardships, followed as a natural sequence. The abnormal conditions were augmented by the results of a severe hurricane on August 8, 1899, which destroyed many coffee plantations and cattle. Many of the inhabitants of the interior suffered from lack of food. Aid speedily came from the United States, and the free distribution of food and building material in great quantities afforded temporary relief.

On April 12, 1900, the United States Congress passed what is known as the Organic Act, establishing a civil government in Porto Rico and providing temporary revenue for its maintenance until such time as elections could be held and a local system of revenue established. In accordance with this act the military government, under General George W. Davis, who had succeeded General Henry, came to an end, and the civil gover^ment was established, with Hon. Charles

H. Allen as Governor, May 1, 1900. On June 28, the Executive Council, the Upper House of the Legislature, consisting of six Americans, who were also heads of Government departments, and five residents of Porto Rico, all appointed by the President of the United States, met and organised. A general election was held on November 6 of the same year, at which 35 Porto Ricans were chosen as members of the House of Delegates, the other branch of the Legislature. These elective delegates met with the Executive Council in the first session of the Legislative Assembly on December 3, 1900, and continued in session until January 31, 1901, having passed 36 laws necessary for the complete establishment of civil government, and providing for a system of taxation and internal revenue.

On June 22, 1901, the Governor called an extraordinary session of the Legislature, to meet on July 4f; and on that date a joint resolution was passed advising the President of the United States that a system of local taxation had been provided and placed in operation, and requesting that a presidential proclamation be issued announcing the existence of civil government in

'm-m

I governor's palace and corner of town morro from the sea

PORTO RICO OF THE PAST 11

Porto Rico. This fact was duly proclaimed by President McKinley on July 25, 1901, the third anniversary of the first landing of American troops. In accordance with the provisions of the Organic Act, free trade with the United States followed the publication of this proclamation, and American merchandise entered Porto Rico and products of the island were admitted into the United States without payment of customs duties.

Governor Allen's administration was followed on September 15, 1901, by that of Governor William H. Hunt, who held the office until July 4, 1904, when he was succeeded by Hon. Beekman Winthrop. Governor Winthrop was followed by Governor Regis H. Post, who assumed the office on April 18, 1907. On November 6, 1909, Governor George R. Colton was inaugurated, and in November, 1913, the present Governor, Mr. Arthur Yaeger, took over the office of chief executive of the island.

Chapter II

When the Americans took possession of the island, Porto Rico was, like all true Spanish- American countries, quaint, quiet, picturesque, and with an indefinable charm or " atmosphere " impossible to picture or describe. For 400 years the people had lived in more or less the same manner, their homes were of Spanish or Moorish style, their lives were simple, their wants few, business worries, financial reverses or competition troubled them not. No one gave a thought of to-morrow, and bull-fights, cock-fights, dances, and the lottery were the amusements of the populace. Withal sanitation was conspicuous by its absence, dirt and disease were considered necessary evils, candles or oil lamps furnished sufficient illumination, bulls, oxen, and horses provided means of transportation, and the island seemed a bit of old Spain set mid tropical surroundings. When one stepped ashore in Porto Rico of the past, one