PORTO RICO,OUR
The True "Pearl of the Antilles Striking Feat
ures of This Rich Possession.
Home of the interesting thing about
Torto Kico are not generally known.
In size it rank only as the fourth of
the Greater Antilles, but in point of
density of population and general
prosperity it takes the first place. It
is one of the few countries in tropical
America where the whites outnumber
the other races. The best harbor in
the island is Gunnies, the most western
port on the Routh coast. Yellow fever
never scourges Torto Rico as it does
parts of Cnba, and although mostlof
it is low-lying, and may be said toTe
very hilly rather than mountainous,
it is one of the most healthful of tropi
cal islauds.
Though the harbor of Gnanica,
whore onr troops landed, is the best
in the island, it is not visited by much
shipping. The district immediately
around it is low and swampy, and,
unless improvements have been made
within the past two or three years,
the roads are not equal in quality to
the main roads marked on the map.
Onanica is the outlet for the produce
of Han German, Sahana Grade, and to
to some extent of Yauco, which is on
the railroad. Porto llican "rebels"
have been particularly numerous in
the western and southwestern dis
triots, and many thousands of people
there welcomed the day of flenernl
Miles' coming as the greatest in their
lives.
The largest city and the commercial
capital of the island is Ponce, which
lies three miles north of the port of
Ponoe, on a rich plain surrounded by
gardens and plantations. There are
hot springs in the neighborhood,
which are highly appreciated by in
valids. Along the playa or beach in
front of the port are extensive depots,
in which ibe prodnce of the interior,
forwarded through Ponce, the trading
centre, is stored for shipment. At
the last enumeration Ponce had a
population of 37,540, while Han Juan,
the capital on the north coast, had
only 23,414 inhabitants. Ponce has n
number of fine buildings, among which
. .. . ,
A MARKET SCENE OfTSIDE THE WALLS
OF SAN JUAN.
are the Town Hall, the theatre, two
churches, the Charity and the Worn
en's Asylums, the barrackR, the Cuban
House, and the market. The road be
tween the oity und the seaside is a
beautiful promenade.
The main highway of central Porto
Eioo runs from Ponoe to San Jmin in
a northeasterly oourse through Jnana
Diaz, Coamo and Aibouito, where it
goes almost eastward to Cayey, there
to take a winding eourso to the north
as far as Coguas, where it turns west
to Aguas Eueuas, and then goes de
cidedly north to San Juan through
Guaynabo and Kio Piedras, making
in all a distance of eighty-five miles.
The distance from Ponce to San Juan
iu a straight line is only forty-five miles.
The eastern part of the island is less
densely- peopled than the western,
and as the east coast is ou the wind
ward side and offers less protection
for shipping it is not so conveniently
situated for trade. Here all tho
' larger towns of tho east lie inland, or
at least some distance from the ooast.
These towns are in the hilly region
amid rich coffee and extensive graz
ing lauds.
The harbor of San Juan, the capi
, tal, is deep enough to admit large
vessels, but its channel communicat-
CHARACTERISTIC MCENE ON THE MAIN BIOHWAY OF CENTRAL PORTO RICO
WHICH RUNS VROU TONCE TO BAN JUAN.
ina with the- sea is winding and diffi
cult and can be navigated safely only
-with the aid of a pilot.
One of the leading seaports of the
Island is Aguadilla on the west coast,
which has the advantage of a spacious
bay sheltered from the trade winds.
Here are shipped ths sugar and coffee
of ths northwest part of the island.
There are veveu or eight ports of les
. ttr importance.
NEWEST JEWEL
Over 800,1)00 people live in Porto
Rico, and about two-thirds of them
are white. Cnba is thirteen times
larger than Torto Rico, and its popu
lation was not double that of the
smaller island even before Weylcr ex
terminated n third of the native
Cubans. Besides Tonce and San
Juan, the Urgent towns on the island
are Areciho (:10,0()() inhabitants),
Utuado (31,000), Mayagnez (28,000),
San German (20,000), Yauco (25,000),
CORNER OP THE TLAZA DE I.AS DEMOIA9, I If TONCE, TORTO RICO. THE
HEADQUARTERS OF GENERAL MILEH'H ARMY.
Jnana Diaz (21,000), and there are
about ten other towns with a popula
tion of 15,000 or over.
In the past fifty years about half
the population has gravitated to and
around the towns, particularly those
of the seaboard. They live in com
fortable houses and many of them
have the means to purchase all the
wares of the civilized world. Torto
Rico abounds iu sugar, coffee, tobacco,
honey and wax, which have enriched
the island, and many of the people are
well-to-do. A very large part of the
island's trade has been carried on
with the United States, whose corn,
Hour, salt meat, tlsh and lumber are
imported iu return for sugar, molnsses
and co lie e. The natives have little
tonte for sea faring and most of their
foreign trade is carried iu foreign bot
toms. Porto Rico is rich iu natural bless
ings, and for a tropical region is very
healthful. ' For some inscrutable rea
son Spaiu has given the inhabitants
far better treatment than she has the
natives of Cuba. She has dealt with
the island as though it were a Spanish
province instead of merely a colony to
bo bled by Spanish officials for the en
richment of themselves and the mother
country. In fact, the island has been
politically a province of Spain for over
twenty years. Spain has had little to
do directly with internal improve
ments in the island, but she has so fur
kept her heovy hand off the people
that there was an opportunity for the
spirit of enterprise to dovelop. The
result is that Porto Rico has about 150
miles of railroad, and as much more
under construction; and a system of
wagon roads leading to all the impor
tant trading eentres that surpass any
thing of the sort seen in most parts of
Spain herself. The stretches of rail
road parallel with the coast are long
links in the line that is to make the en
tire circuit of the island, with short
branches to all the seaports and the
inland markets.
The mode of life is very similar to
that of the European countries except
for some slight differences due to the
hot climate. Fashions for men and
women alike are introduced from
Spain, and especially from Paris and
London. Tho well to do in the prin
cipal towns dress just like people in
European countries, men wearing wool
en clothes all the year round. The
young women dress very elaborate
ly, and all wear hats, the Spanish
mantilla being worn only by elderly
women. In the small towns men dress
after the fashion of the oities, but wear
linen fabrics, as woolen clothes are
very unoorafortable, are considered a
luxury, and are worn on taoly days ami
Suudsys only. Laborers and farm
hands do nut wear coats or shoes,
They do not cars to do so, and, if they
did, they conld not afford to, as theta
wages are very small.
Life at San Juan and the other prin
cipal towns is very monotonous, tht
only amusements being retreta or eon
cert by the military bands twice a week
and theatrical performances three or
four evenings a week, matinees being
given very seldom. The theatres are
owned by the cities and rented to Eu
ropean companies travelling through
the island at so much an evening.
San Jnan, built on a small island
connected'with the mainland by tlx
San Antonio bridge, is quite a beauti
ful oity, with straight but narrow
streets and many fine buildings. It
has several public Institutions and col
legos, several churches and seven small
parks, among them the Tlazuela de
Santiago, with a very good ntatne of
Columbus. The city is lighted by gas
supplied by an English company and
by electricity supplied by a local cor
poration. There are eleven newspapers
of all kinds, the principal one being
La Cotrepondencin, a daily political
papery with a circulation of about 7000
copies, which is equal to that of Jthe
other papers combined. There is a
local telephone company, but no water
except that of the cisterns. A reser
voir was projected and the plau was
approved by the Government some
fifty years ago, but owing to the man
ana system it has not been finished
yet.
The history of the Spanish adminis
tration in the island is oue of cruelty
and corruption. The Spaniards began
by exterminating the native Indian
A PORTO BICAN DAMSEL.
population, which some historians
place as large as 500,000, in less than
a century. Every branch of the ad
ministration of the island has been
conducted under a system of corrup
tion, the law was constantly violated
by the Spaniards and the natives were
deprived of their rights. At elections
the Spanish or Conservative party al
ways won, notwithstanding the fact
that it was iu a large minority.
The liberty of the press was un
known. Articles printed in tho Mad
rid or other Spanish papers attacking
tue Uovernment could not be repro
duced by any Porto Kican paper with
out the editors being punished, even
if (he article in question had not been
considered ground for prosecution by
the authorities in Spain.
No more than nineteen persons were
allowed to meet in any place on the
island without special permission of
the Government, and a representative
of the Mayor of the town had to at
teud meetings to see that nothing war
done or Baid against "the integrity oi
the nation."
Licenses were required for every
thing, even for a dancing party.
These are some of the things whiol
caused the people at Ponce to cheei
the Americans who took possession ol
the town.
Chief among the staple products ii
ooffee. The average yearly export
from 1892 to 18'JU was 9,229,00
pounds, valued at 810,872,000. Tbi
area of production can be doubled
It grows almost without care.
Next to coffee comes sugar. Mo
lasses, too, has been exported in largt
quantities and the product could b
increased.
Cotton has been almost at a stand
still for the same reasons as in Cubi
beoause of tho heavy taxes itnpd'Bed
.by Spain. Besides, coffee is mor
profitable and demands less care, Tht
tobaoco yield is large. Between 189',
and 18'JU the average yearly exporti
were 8,534,000 pounds, with a value o:
$012,000. Annitto, mace, cocoa
ginger, t.ioe aud oranges are also out
tirated.
Under the Spanish rule the vas,
forests were never turned to proilt.
Hardwood is abundant. Fane) cabi
net woods and beautiful grained woodt
resembling ;uu bla r uruuujj tht
pronnrts almost entirely Torto llico'a
own. Like Cnba, the island has ex
tensive mines and quarries. The
principal deposits are iron, gold, cop
per, einc, ooal and salt. Salt is the
only one worked to any extent.
Again, as in Cuba, there are
scarcely any railways, and the few are
short aud disconnected. The wagon
wrfys are good, outside the cities as
well as in them. Water works are
needed everywhere, and the drainage
in all the cities except Ponce is bad.
In Ponce only are there underground
sewers. These flow into the harbor,
whose outlet should be widened, not
only to allow the escape of tho drain
age, but to afford easier aud less per
ilous access.
CERMANY'S "WOMAN BISMARCK."
ConnlMi WnWernee, an American Olrl,
Has a Kemnrkanle Influence Willi
Kmperor William.
As a little girl Mary Esther Len
played among the flour barrels and
currant boxes of her father's grocery
store on Front street in New York
City. Rut that was many years ago.
Now the little girl is a white haired
and regal lady, with the title of
princess. More than that, she it is
who is the power behind the German
throne, who is known as the "female
Bismarck" and who, it is believed,
brought about the Kaiser's marriage.
Her title is Princess von Noer, and
she is a powerful influence in ths
great palace at Berlin.
Her history is most interesting and
unusual. Her father loft Connecticut
in 1810 and began a small grocery busi
ness in New York City. Though he
was financially successful, when he
died, in 1853, he left but a very small
fortune to his family. Mrs. Lea, un
able to alTord the expensive living iu
New York, bundled up her little fam
ily and went to Stutgart. Here the
9ldest daughter married Baron von
VVsechtcr. He soon became Ambas
lador from Wurtenberg to Paris, and
iu- Sue course of time Mrs. Lea and
aer other daughters found themselves
;n the social set of the great French
tapital. Other important marriages
aiue about. Mary Esther, the
roungeat girl, found a fnst and affec
tionate friend in Princess Louise of
Hchleswig-Holstein. Through her she
'ormed tho acquaintance of the father
)f the princess, an old widower, who
immediately fell desperately in love
vith the beautiful and bright little
American girl. To compensate for
marrying the daughter of a grocer the
Prince gave up his title and accepted
(he simpler designation of Count vou
Noer, which was given to him by the
Austrian Emperor. The groom was
sixty-four years old, the bride, twenty
four. Six months later the venerable
husband died and his rich and youth
ful widow settled down iu Vienna.
There she won tho esteem of " the
Austrian Emperor, and he created her
Princess of Noer iu her own right.
A few years after being made n
princess the ono timo daughter of a
grocer met Count vou Wnluersee. A
marriage betweuu them took place in
1800. These two brilliant and tactful
people went to Borlin, and in a few
mouths the countess was a social
power.
Her particular an:bition was to
marry her grand niece by her first
marriage, Princess Augusta A ictoria
of Schleswig-Holstein, to Prince Will
iam of Prussia, the present Emperor
of Germany. The mother of the
prince raised great objections, but the
Princess von Noer was persistent and
taotful and planning, aud the wodding
was celebrated. Priuce William and
his bride were both devoted to the
one who helped along the rough way
of their courtship, and their gratitude
has beeu unceasing. Wheu Princess
Augusta Victoria became Empress
she was more than ever under the
COUNTESS WALDERHEE.
sway of her American aunt. Princess
vou Noer's present desire is to bring
about the most cordial relationship
between the country of her birth and
her adopted land. Her intluenoe over
tbb Kaiser is as strong as in the days
when she made opportunities for him
to meet his pretty little German
sweetheart. ' ,
Trial of Field Marshals.
The London Naval and Military
Record says that a new rule was re
cently framed for the guiilauce of field
marshals. It was, with other regula
tions, put iuto typo, aud appeared in
proof as follows:
"1972 Field Marshals Field Mar
shals will wear buokHkiu pautaloons,
juck boots uud gilt spurs only, ut
drawing-rooms, aud ou all such licen
tious." It is almost unnecessru-y to ft 'Id Hint
as soon as attention was called to the
fact that i;i such a meagre costume
field uiurshuls would create some sen
satiou at a dra. iutf-ruiiui tho order
was varied.
THE REALA)
e
flarh Between Dresses and Trr titers.
While it is unquestionably true that
trousers are worn by extremely small
boys, the kilted skirt still has a place
and fills ths inevitable gap between
nor'a dress.
dresses and genuine mannish garb.
The suit shown in the illustration is
made of dark blue galatea with collar
and shield of white duck and trimming
of blue braid, but pique, gingham and
linen crash, as well as flaunel and
serge, are equally suitable.
The blouse is fitted with shoulder
and underarm seams only and pouches
well over the belt at both back and
front. The neck is cnt low aud fin
ished with a genuiue sailor collar
which is seamed to the edge. The
sleeves are one-seamed and have the
, tispA.
FANCY BLOUriE WAIST.
fulness at the wrists laid in narrow
pleats which are stitched into place.
The skirt is straight and hemmed at
the lower edge. The fulness is laid iu
box pleats and the upper edge is
seamed to a fitted waist which holds it
seourely into place, a placket being
placed at the centre back. The shield
portion which oompletes the neck is
faced into the fitted waist, so avoiding
all unnecessary complication.
To make this dress for a boy of four
years of age four yards of material
twenty-seven inches wide will be re
quired. Laities' Blouse Waist.
Lilac and white striped taffeta with
shield of tucked aud sailor collar of
plaiu white edged with frill of Liberty
silk combined to make the May Man
ton model shown in the large engrav
ing one of the most effective of the
fancy blouse waists.
The waist is arranged over fitted
liniugs that close in centre front,
which may bo omitted if not desirod.
The fronts are gathered at the shoul
ders aud waist liue aud pouch fashion
ably in centre over the belt.
The V opeuing ends just below the
bust between the edges of which the
shield is disclosed, the standing col
lar and shield being tucked before be
ing shaped as shown by the cut. The
shield is sewed to the right lining
front and closes with the standing col
lar over the loft shoulder and under
edge of sailor collar. The full back is
gathered add arranged to a square
yoke, which presents a flat adjustment
under the sailor collar, gathers at the
waist line collecting the fulness in cen
tre. The large sailor collar with pointed
ends is a stylish feature of this waist.
Under its edges ends of liluo satin rib
bon are tacked and tied in a smart
sailor knot at the front.
The two-seamed sleeves are mounted
on fitted liniugs, the fulness at the top
being gathered to puff out stylishly
and the wrists are completed with frills
of Liberty silk. Belt of lilao satiu
with gold buckle.
To make this waist for a lady of
medium size will require two and one
quarter yards of materiul forty-four
inches wide.
Concessions to Women Doctors.
Concessions have been made to
womon doctors in ltussia. It has been
ofiloiully announced that they shall be
equally entitled with men to all State
privileges oonneoted with their pro
fession. This includes both politioul
and social rights; it will opeu to them
nil official posts and will entitle them
to pensions, which will not be taken
y by marriage! and may denceud to
It EC
OF FASHION. 5
their children. With women's progress
in political and social freedom and in
education, the young Empress has
great symyathy, and she is said to'
have had a good deal to do with ths
concessions just granted to women
doctors.
Frills For the Ilresses.
Many of the pretty silk, crepe de
chine and veiling dresses are finished
with three tiny frills of ribbon, lap
ping each other, and gathered mod
erately full. These frills, though not
novelties, are newer than those made
of the dress goods, and they are given
a novel effect by the deft manner iu
which they are adjusted, and by the
beauty of the various two-toned or
double-faced ribbons Used. If the
frills are made a bit too wide the effect
is spoiled. They must not measure,
all told, more than three inches; there
fore, ribbons a trifle over an inch wide
are the proper selection.
Pas.lns; of a Famous Millinery.
Owing to the growth of Pari',
France, the once famous milliner's
shop, "A la Belle Angtaise," in the
Place du Bottle, will shortly disappear.
It wos founded in 1705. Elizabeth
Foster, the Duchess of Devonshire.
Mine. ItecBinier, Pauline Bonaparte
and Marie Antoinette patronized the
place, and Chnteanbriaud bought his
cravats there. It is a picturesque lit
tle house, one story high.
The Fashlnnahle Lorgnon.
The newest lorgnon or fan chain Is
made of small pieces of red coral un
evenly cnt. It reminds the average
womau of her childhood days when
she wore a white frock with a red sash
and a long chain of these little coral
beads wound round and round her
neck. Any woman who had the fore
sight to save her coral beads has on
hand a fashionable chain, for there is
next to no change in them.
A Handsome Sailor Gown,
A handsome model for an autumn
tailor gown is made of pale heliotrope
cloth in a bourette weave, figured with
tufts of white camel's-hair. The jacket
of heliotrope oloth turns back with re
vere of olive-green velvet, showing a
blouse vest of white cloth braided in
green and gold, with narrow belt to
match. The skirt is open np eaah side
to the waist, revealing panels of white
cloth with cloth straps orossing them
piped with velvet and almost covered
with the green and gold braidwork.
A French Organdy Design.
French organdy, showing a bluet
design, with green leaves on a white
ground, is here tastefully decorated
with blue baby ribbon and white
laoe. The full waist has the front and
back shaped in one portion with a
perfectly straight upper edge. This
is gathered in five evenly spaced rows,
which are distributed over the neck
of the glove-fitted lining which sup
ports the fulness. Smooth underarm
gores separate the full fronts and
back, and the lining closes in centre
WOMAN S BLOUSE WAIST.
front. Tho full waist may olose at the
left shoulder and un lerarm seam, or
the morepraotical oentre-frout closing
is quite possible aud can be readily
made invisible, if so preferred.
To make this waist for a woman of
medium size two and one-half yards
of material forty-four iuches wide
will be required.