Image provided by: Yamhill County Historical Society; McMinnville, OR
About The Yamhill County reporter. (McMinnville, Or.) 1886-1904 | View Entire Issue (June 10, 1898)
Regardless of the differing views as to our ultimate dls]»osition of island territory taken front Spain, It is thought by many that the United States will hold Porto Rico. By doing so we will acquire one of the garden spots of the tropics, for in many re- I i I , 1 | 1 is Inclosed within the walls, through which entrance is only obtained by well-guarded gateways, yet there Is a small town by itself in the Marina, be- tween the fortifications and the wharves. Here is a tine public garden and pleasure palace, with booths and MAP SHOWING PORTO RICO AND NEIGHBORING WATERS. spects Porto Rico is the real gem of tlie Antilles. Men who have lately trnv- eled in tills beautiful Island agree In expressing surprise that so little Is known concerning its many wonders and charms. About 1,000 miles doe southeast from Havana, 500 from Cape Maisi, the east- FORTIFICATION AT SAN JUAN. eru tip of Cuba, opens northward the magnificent harbor of San Juan de Puerto Rico—Saint John of the Rico, or Noble Port, distant from New York about 1,000 miles, and from the Danish island of St Thomas but sixty miles, the last-named lying that much fartlier to the eastward. l’orto Rico was discovered by Colum bus, in 14113, on his second voyage, when on his way from the southern West Indies to ills original landing place on the coast of Iluyti. Fifteen years after the passing of Columbus came another navigator, one Juan I’once de Lion. the governor of a prov ince of Santo Domingo, sixty miles dis tant. The Indians of this section told him wonderful stories of the rich island across the channel, and in the year 1508 he landed at Aguadilla with a force of men and a pack of bloodhounds, bent upon Its conquest. Ponce de Leon llv<-s in history as the noblest and the gen tlest of those galllurd adventurers. And he was—that is, speaking relatively— he was noble and gentle for a Spaniard of that day. But he saw nothing wrong in putting to deatli the Indian chieftain Agueynaba. who first showed him the rivers with sands running gold, nor in setting on the trail of Inoeent women and children Ills famous bloodhound, Be.rezillo, wlio drew tin1 pay of a bow man for his service, and who tore to pieces every Indian lw ran down and overtook. He was the terror of all the Indians, whom lie drove to the hills in troops, but was finally slain with a poi soned arrow sent after him by a Carlb. Ponce de Ixon and his mail-clad sol diers finally settled on the present site of San Juan In 1511, and the most In teresting relic to l»e found there to-day Is the ancient building calk'd the “Casa Blanca,” which was built by the con- restaurants, as well as the public cock 1 pit, where battles royal are frequently waged. The buildings of the inner city are of stone, massive and substantial, like those of Havana and the City of Mexico. As to local conditions, Sttn Juan is not an attractive city, under its [»resent management, owing to its filthy streets and lack of attention to sanitation. It is likely to have a visit every year from Yellow Jack, when, owing to its situa- ' tlon, he might as well as not be kept at a distance. But San J uan Is only one : port of the island, and there are some ' harbors that are as fine. If not os large and land-locked. One other on the north coast is Arre- I cilx>; on the exist are Humacao and Fa jardo, on the west Aguadilla and Maya güez, as beautiful as the heart of man 1 could desire, with tlieir gushing springs and background of pointed mountains, and on the south coast are Arroyo Guayanilla and Ponce. This last Is the largest, the city having a population of about 35.000, with a vast exjiort trade, 1 chiefly in sugar and molasses. A fine post road connects it with San Juan, running diagonally across the island, with a dally diligence between the two. A system of railroads is in course of ance and range of vegetable products, and consequent facilities for subsist ence with the minimum of labor, Porto Rico may well t»e termed an earthly paradise. If that were all; if Its people were Intelligent and compaionable; if its government were as mild and equa ble as Its climate; ami if there were united effort here tending toward the improvement of society and the amelio ration of political burdens, then it , might be so regarded. But. while na- ; ture has done everything for tills isl- i and. while a great portion of its 3.000 square miles can be put under cultiva tion. and there ought to be enough to subsist many more than Its 750,000 in habitants in comfort, the men and the race whom accident of discovery placed in power has done worse than nothing for Its development. Poverty exists everywhere, since the taxes are so oppressive, admlnistereil, ns the gov ernment is, by alien office-holders, as sisted by foreign soldiery. As In Cuta. the people have been for centuries trodden under foot. They have groaned beneath the weight of tlieir burdens, have in vain protested against their numberless outrages. If Culls has lieen long regarded as Spain's milch cow, so also has Porto Rico, and that the later has not already risen in successful revolt. Is owing, not to the temper of the people, but to the impos sibility for a revolution to succeed. NEED NO WAGONS. Colombo Washerwomen Carry Great Loads of Linen on Their Heads. The Chicago laundress with a good custom is quite apt to have her own cart and horst» to collect the washing she does at home, says the Daily News. In Colombo It is different. There the washerwoman packs the linen Into ono A WASHERWOMAN OP COLOMBO. ABOUT HAY FEVER. Season Is Approaching When Lots of People W ill Suffer. tinge bundle fully as large as herself and. putting it on her head, calmly walks off with It, in no wise incon- venienced by the weight. Usually she takes it to the bank of some stream and rubs the clothes on flat stomps. Modern tubs and patent wringers have no charms for her. LIVING RENT FREE. "The season Is approaching,” said a prominent physician to the writer re cently, “when a great many people will suffer from what is known as hay fever, and as but few who are suscepti ble to the complaint know how to Fort Along the Tro«!ha. avoid, much less to cure. It, a few re The Spanish trocha in Cuba is a form marks about the nature and treatment of fortification running along the coast of the ailment may not t»e uninterest ing. "Ilay fever is a nervous affection usu ally. most prevalent during the spring and early summer, from which the poorer classes and more especially those living in populous towns rarely, if ever, suffer. It is known only to the educated, whose nervous systems are highly develoixxl, and. though not in any sense dangerous, It is at all times very irritating and troublesome. The smell of hay, grass, the pollen of flow ers. the odor of fruit, dust or draught will generate the complaint or excite an attack In persons subject to it. but rain or damp weather Invariably Philailelphla Man Who Went Broke Because He IHd Not Puy. A Philadelphia man has lived ten years in a bouse for which he paid no rent anil no taxes. It belonged to the j gas company, and he liad ¡»aid rent reg ularly until the property of the compa I ny was transferred to tlie city. He says i himself: “I don’t remember how long it is sln<?e I stopped paying rent. It was when the gas ofii»?e was on 7th street. I went there one day with my rent and offered it to Mr. White, who Useful on Batt ettel s. had charge of the gas company’s real This pannier is for use on battlefields. estate, but he refused to take It, an«l told me that it was to be ¡»aid at the When closed it is carried on a mule. city treasurer’s office in tlie future. I took it up there and a young man there said he could not take IL as he «iouldn’t find record of any such a house. He told me that they would notify me wnen they were ready to take my money. I went tack to Mr. White and he advised me to go home and wait un til I heard from them. Well. I waited.” Nobody came to collect money until re cently, when the city discovered its title and sent a man to rollect. The ten ant got a day to consider and promptly skipped. But his experience with a free rent does not seem to l»e satisfac tory,if we may trust to his wife. “Yes’” says she, resentfully, “he thought It was a snap, and look where he is now THE MEDICAL PANNIER. —no money, no business, looking for a Job, and a family to support. He as shown. Open, it affords an operating wouldn’t take my advice and move to table, with th«' medicine chest ami sur where business was good, but he geon's case handy. hugged his snap anil stuck here in that stagnant neighborhood and spent Mammoth Docks. money on repairs for the house and The marine docks at Portsmouth, didn’t make any money."—Philadelphia England, are the vastest In the world, Record. covering more than 300 acres, and em ploying some 10,000 men. Two of the Unired States Legation in Berlin. largest docks are 000 feet long and 85 The United States government has feet broad. All are what Is known as been inquiring through the proper stone graving docks. They are dug channel as to the cost of purchasing or out of a sufficient depth, length and erecting its own buildings for the em- width, to enable vessels of a certain liassles and legations and several of the size to be admitted. They are con large consulates-general In Europe. It struct'd of granite and fitted with may astonish many to learn that Ber heavy gates; the vessel is floated into lin was found the most expensive cap the dock and properly shonxl up on the ital In the world, so far as the cost of keel blocks—th»* gates are closed—the real estate and of buildings was con water then pumped out. Such docks cerned. The only really suitable build are all tielaw the level of tlie dock yard. ing found there for the pur¡»ose would The walls are built with stairs like cost $800,000. Tlie Russian embassy the seats in an amphitheater, so that building in Berlin, which is located workmen may go up and down; and Enter den Linden, and which is, ln- great cranes lifting forty tons are used d«*ed, a veritable palace, so spacious in handling materials. When a vessel and stately Is it, would cost about $4.- is completed, all that is necessary to 000,000 to build to-day, ground and all. launch her Is to open the gates, till the But it Is, too, roomy and elegant enough dock, and she floats out without risk or to have served repeatedly for traveling trouble. The advantage of a number quarters for Russian Czars passing of docks at a station is tlie readiness through Berlin. What a miserable con with which a small vessel may be put trast forms the excuse for an offi«?e into a small dock and a large vessel in which the United States embassy occu- to a Large one nt once, this being done ples in Berlin, in Kronen strasse, n with so much economy of time an»l la street of small shops. In the basement bor.—Providence Journal. of the building is a barber shop, on the ground floor a wine and schnapps shop, Tbe Hand. and above the embassy offices reside a Montaigne gives a curious and Inter score of private persons. esting nccount of the intellectual uses SPANISn USE OF BARBED WIBE. for fifty mill's, with a jungle on either side, in which barbed wire is used ex tensively. The picture shows one of the forts along tlie trocha. Ugly Weapon Used by Spanish. The navajo Is carried by almost every Spaniard not of the upper classes. It opens with a ratchet and spring and SCENE IN SAN JUAN HARBOR. construction that will soon connect all th»1 chief coast towns and open up por-| tlons of th»> interior. Tlie island is about 95 miles in length 1 by 35 or 40 In breadth, and ns nearly rectangular as mi ture will allow lu its coast line. Tin.' Interior is one vast group of mountains. The soil every where Is very fertile and cultivable, even to tlie mountain crests, the hill ¡»natures of l’orto Rico t»eiiig celebrati'd for their succulent grasses, upon which feed cattle mid horses, w hlch are favor ites throughout tli»' Islands south. These ore shipped in large numbers, brlngs relief. At one time ft was gener-j ally supposed tliat the odor of hay when being mown or carried could alone Induce th»* affection, which is closely analogous to asthma, but rerent ol»serva.tlon shows that its prevalence is entirely Independent of the existence of hay fields ami is really a nervous <1»>- rangemenL “A visit to the »»‘aside, a trtp to sea or residence in a ¡»opulous town will, howi'Ver, remove the asthmatic ten dency, but one of tlie best remedies is tobacco smoke, retai noil in the mouth as long as possible and then ejected through the nostrils. The inhalation of th<> st»xLm of ten drops of creosote In a pint of hot water is also good, or twenty drops of spirits of camphor to the same quantity of water makes a very effective inhalation. But the affec tion being a nervous one. tonics and nourishing diet are more essential tlian any of these palliatives, which merely afford temporary relief.”—Washington Star. has a blade long an»l ugly. The weapon is used with the blade up and the rip ping wound It Inflicts is frequently fatal. Hight Wry to Cut n Cable. HARBOR AND FORTIFIC NATIONS OF SAN JUAN. qulstador and occupied by him while and constitute the chief wealth of a governor of th«' island Equally ancient great many peopl«* engaged in tlie busi with th»' Casa Blanca are th«* fortifica ness. tions surrounding the city of San Juan, Among tlie hills als»» are thousands of for their foundations were laid during cafetales, or 00171*0 estates, for liere the the reign of I’once d«' Leon. Th»' capi coffe»1 finds congenial soil and climate tal city, with a ¡population of some 25.- for its perfect development, an.l is a Ood. occupies an Island. connect'd source of profit to many planters who with the main by a t»rldg»' anil a cause way, and is completely luclosed within massive walls of stone aud hardeni'il mortar, with n height in places of from 50 to 100 f»>et. Like Havana. It has its morro, or citadel [literally a round or Moorish tower), anil the fortifications are on a comprehensive scale. with bastions and drawbridges. ornate sen try boxes banging over the sea. and grim, gray wails towering threatening ly. One may find their counterpart, on a smaller scale, in the old fort at St. Augustine: an«l they are similar to those of Havana before her walls were torn down. The peninsular upon which the morro and the lighthouse stand is thrust out into tli»' sen, on one side breasting the thundering surges of tlie Caribb»>an, ami on the other guarding STREET SCKXK IN SAN JUAN. the placid waters of n beautiful and al most land-locke»! harbor. This harbor ¡»refer a life of comparative leisure to Is one of the tln»*st in tlie West ¡mill's, the bustle of the town and city. In the large, sheltered, and capable of accom valleys grow the sugar cane, cacao, modating any numlet of the largi'st bananas, plantains, and. In fact, all ships, giving anchorage in from three sorts of tropical fruits. to six fathoms. With Its beautiful scenery. Its almost Though the main portion of San Juan | ' perfect climate, Its bound!»'»* ex uber- A CurtiiuH Hog Pen. When the Havana cable was “cut” W. T. Harmon, living on the Days th»? men who performed the task did Mill turnpike near Tilton, has in use a no sever the parts completely, but left very curious but convenient hog pen. The pen is rotting more than a huge sycamore tree, which is hollow, and furnishes sleeping quarters for nt least twenty larges ixc»l porkers. The tree lias l»een used for Its present purpos»? for over ten years, and during that time STRAXDS INCOMPLETELY SEVERED. over 1.000 hogs have been raised in it.— connecting stramls. as Indicated In the Flemingsburg (Ky.) Gazette. accompanying sketch. So with the Manila cable. There is an art in doing Misinformation in Australia. The following account of the proper everything—a right way anil a wrong. way of reaching the Klondike is taken Queer Kinds of Fnel. from an Australian newspaper: “The In Southern California. In the peach real starting ¡x>lt>t for th«' Klondike is Spokane. There th»' traveler tnkes.a districts, [Mxu'h stem's are not uncom canoe, by which he voyages to Van monly used as fuel. They are sol»l at couver. B. C. At the latter point he the canneries by the wagon load. tak»'s a sailing vesael direct to Iktwson Peach stones burn freely nnd make a very good fire. On th«> homeward voy City.” age of vessels In the cocoanut trade coi'oanuts are used for fuel, as they The Left Side of the Face. Photographer*, In their constant or«» also while the vessel is lying at her study of th»' face, find that the left side wluirf discharging, not sound nuts, but make« tlie more pleasant picture, and such as ar»' decayed and not salable. that tli«' profile as seen from the left Th«» nuts are broken before they are gives a more corrt'ct likeness than put into the stove. Cocoanuts burn freely and make a g»xxl hot Are. when viewed from the right. Queer Hooka. The amount reserved for schools. In dians, military and naval purpose^, railroad grants, parks, forest reserva tions, etc., including all territory re served from side for any purpose what soever, amounts to 132.441.744 acres, so that, taking the reserve land and the vacant land together, only about one- half of the area of the United States has actually passed out of control of the government, and if Alaska is in cluded, the unoccupied area is larger by 300.000,000 acres than that which is occupied.—San Francisco Argonaut. to which the hand is put. He says: No Hearse or Grave in Siam. When a p»x»r man dies in Slam he is "With the hand we demand, we prom not taken to the grave in a plumed ise, we call, dismiss, threaten, entreat, i hearse, with friends following behlrul supplicate, deny, refuse, interrogate, admire, reckon, confess, repent; express fear, express shame, express doubt: we instruct, command, write, encourage, swear, testify, accuse, condemn, acquit, insult, despise, defy, disdain, flatter, applaud, bless, abuse, ridicule, recon cile, re»'omnv»nd. exalt, regale, gladden, complain. affllcL dlsromfort. discour- nge, astonish, exclaim, indicate silence, and whnt not, with a variety and mul- tlplication that keep ¡»ace with the tongue." Howto livti^'t Chicory. Coffee which is susixx'teil of contain In the British Muaeum there are books written on bricks, oyster shells, ing chicory may be sprinkled on the bones and flat stem's, and manuscripts surfa«v of a glass of clear water. Cof »*i bark. Ivory, leather, iron, copper and fee floats, while tlie chicory, being heavy, sinks, leaving a brown trail i WOOtl. through the water. Chicory la soft to A man who lias a diamond wonders the touch ami will crumble between the every tlm«' he look* at it why he ¡»aid fingers, unlike the bard, gritty particle* i of coffee. so much for It. Ananias Onulone. Two ghastly shapes came stealing from A deep and ancient grave; in ninety-seven carriages at $»’■ to $8 They heard the never-silent htnn That marks the human wave. apiece. He is bundled into a box and carried by a couple of men to the plaiv where the buzzards waJt for him, and They heard the newsboys’ strident shout. And one did stop and buy; that Is the last of him. And throvgh the sheet thns hawked about He scanned with eager eye. CARRIED TO WHERE BUZZARDS WATT. Vacant Land in the United States. The report of the Secretary of tne In terior shows that only a little more than one-half of the public domain of the United 8tates is either reservtxl or appropriated. The area still remaining vacant amounts to 591.343.1*53 nun's, without Including Alaska which 1« sup[x>a<xl to embrace n«>arly 400.000.000 acres more. The entire area of the United States Is placed at lJW»,0l7,ffl»2 acres. Of this. 741.702.3<W acres Is now owned by Individuals or by <rorp°ra- tlon* or by states, or has paas«xl out of th* control of the general government. And as he read the headlines o’er. His face grew peaked and pale. And wlwn he’d redfl a little more. He grasped the nearest rail. i “Snpphlra, dear," he faintly cried, "This war news, bold and brash. Convinces me we never lied— Oar record's gone to smash!" —Cleveland Plain Dealer. It may be a g»»xl l»le* to belong to a kxlgc; you are sure then that someone will sit up with your remain* when you are dead.