NORTH SHORE BREEZE 
TRIP ACROSS THE MILITARY HIGH- 
WAY FROM SAN JUAN TO PONCE. 
By DANIEL J. SHEEHAN. 
{Mr. Sheehan has been in Porto Rico for the past twenty months, engaged on a large 
sugar plantation, and returned to Manchester two weeks ago for the summer.—ED.] 
San Juan, the capital and first city 
of importance on the island of Porto 
Rico, is situated near the east end of 
the north coast, and distant from New 
York about 1,400 nautical miles. It 
was founded in 1511 by Ponce de 
Leon. The city is guarded on the sea 
side by the Morro, and on the land 
side by Fort San Cristobal, as 
ancient and imposing as its sister. 
Despite its antiquity and the fact that 
it has never been provided with the 
best guns, E] Morro’s natural position 
is so advantageous that it is practically 
impregnable from the sea. It with- 
stood the attacks of the fleets of Sir 
Francis Drake; it also has been as- 
saulted many times by pirates ; but it 
has never been taken. 
The newest scars on the sea-washed 
walls were made by shells from Amer- 
ican guns, when Morro was bombarded 
by Admiral Sampson, May 12, ’98. 
The lighthouse on the fort was des- 
troyed during the early part of the 
bombardment, and is now replaced by 
a new structure. 
Entrance tothe harbor is practically 
impossible for a hostile fleet. It is so 
narrow that a hulk or two will block 
the way, and great care has to be 
taken even when the buoys that mark 
the channel are in place. 
The ‘‘Casa Blanca,” or governor’s 
place, of which Ponce de Leon was 
the first occupant, still stands as an 
enduring Spanish landmark. It is one 
of the finest buildings to be seen from 
the harbor after the Morro has been 
passed. 
The city itself presents a scene of 
color which is common in the tropics, 
but which strikes the visitor from the 
North. ‘he streets are narrow, but 
very clean. Glass windows are never 
seen, privacy being secured by use of 
heavy shutters. The horses are small, 
and are driven ata fast rate of speed, 
in marked contrast to the gait of the 
bullocks, which are yoked by the 
horns instead of the neck. 
The city is laid out with great regu- 
larity. There is no difficulty in find- 
ing one’s way, as the plaza, which is 
always the heart of the city, is the 
centre of attraction. The Plaza San 
Alfonso XII., in San Juan, is an in- 
teresting point. The cathedral is near 
at hand, the church of San Domingo 
is not far away, and the municipal 
buildings, picturesque and well built, 
stand on either hand. 
Overlooking the harbor at one end 
is Santa Catalina, one of the finest 
buildings on the island. The city 
slopes gently, but continually upward 
from the water’s edge, spreading to 
the right and left, the market place 
marking the highest point in the 
centre, with the Morro and San Cris- 
toba] at either end. The guns of fort 
Cristobal command the harbor as well 
as the main land, with which San Juan 
is connected by the well-built bridge 
of San Antonia. 
Military Highway. 
The military highway from San 
Juan to Ponce is a grand piece of 
work. Winding across hills and 
mountains, it makes bold ascending 
and descending curves to avoid con- 
stant tunnelling; the journey is made 
all the way by coach, horses being 
changed four or five times. 
After leaving San Juan the first 
stop on the highway is Santurcé, an 
interesting and beautiful suburb of 
San Juan. Here the wealthy people 
have their homes, surrounded by 
beautiful gardens, wherein is to be 
seen tropical plants of all descriptions. 
After horses have been changed we 
proceed on to Rio Piedras. The ride 
from Santureé to Rio Piedras is very 
beautiful, as the drive is shaded far 
along the way on both sides by cocoa- 
nut trees. Caguas is our next stop, 
where we again change horses and 
proceed on to Cayay. 
Cayey is the chief inland town of 
the island and is noted forits tobacco. 
It is also a military post, as four com- 
panies of the Porto Rican regiment 
are stationed here. The army hospital 
is also located here. The city has a 
fine plaza and a beautiful cathedral. 
After horses have again been changed 
we proceed on to Guayama. 
The first part of the journy from 
Cayey to Guayama is an ascending 
curve up the side of the mountain. 
After the top is reached a beautiful 
view is to be had by looking back 
upon the fertile valley of Cayey. The 
highest point in the mountains is 
reached between Cayey and Guayama; 
from this point a beautiful view is to 
be had of the city of Guayama and 
Arroya, the sea and the vast cane 
fields of Aguirre; from this point on 
to Guayama the highway isa descend- 
ing curve right down the side of the 
mountains. Guayama is a_ beau- 
tiful city of about 15,000, situated 
at the foot of the mountains; from 
here is exported a large amount of 
rum and bay rum to the States. 
23 
The country from Guayama to 
Ponce now becomes very level, and is 
all used for the planting of cane, ex- 
cept here and there where a small 
portion is left for pasture. One crop 
of cane is harvested each year; the 
grinding season extends from Decem- 
ber till June. 
Ponce. 
Ponce is greater in area than San 
Juan, and ranks ahead of San Juan as 
a port of entry. The great hurricane 
of 1899 swept ships from the harbor 
and landed them high and dry on the 
shore. The wrecks are still there to 
mark the point the water reached. 
From the Plaza to the city is more 
than a mile long, which is connected 
by an electric road. The city has not 
so many large buildings as San Juan; 
its plaza is very attractive, and the 
cathedral is among the best on the 
island. The Ponce market divides 
honors with the plaza as a point of 
interest. It is a low, quadrangular 
building, with open grounds on either 
side. 
Between Mayaguey and Ponce is 
the port of Guanica ; it was here that 
Gen. Miles landed in July, 1898. The 
climate of Porto Rico is the most salu- 
brious of the Antilles, the tempera- 
ture varying less than ten degrees the 
whole year. 
Bicycle sundries at Woodbury’s, 
Morse Block, Manchester. * 
Chisholm’s 
JEWELRY STORE 
Established for 31 YEARS at 
161 Main Street, GLOUCESTER. 
Particular Attention Paid to Repairing. 
ALL THE WAY BY WATER | 
THROUGH 
LONG ISLAND 
SOUND 
BY DAYLIGHT 
Folders and Information on Request. 
B.D. PITTS, Agt..808 Congress St., Boston 
Phone Main 6460. 
