OCR Text |
Show Porto Rico Farmers Hid Money Cleverly About the middle of the Nineteenth century Important business houses made their first appearance in San Juan and other towns of the island of Porto Rico. Then the rich farmers deposited their savings with these houses and nlso obtained from them financing for their sugar mills. Throughout the Nineteenth century a great struggle went on for the establishment estab-lishment of a bank in the island. The idea was successful in tho year 1SS0 when tlie Banco Espanol, now Banco Commercial de Puerto Rico, was established. es-tablished. Money nlso was kept In silk stockings stock-ings nnd handmade hosiery. It was the custom of some persons to hide their pesos and gold pieces in the beams of the roofing. There 13 an old story of tin usurer In Arecibo who used to hide his money In n hollow wooden statue of Saint Bias two feet high. The statue of the saint was placed on a corner stand In his room and it was his custom to keep nn oil lamp burning before It. Not until his death, when Ills heirs took possession of his belongings, wus the hiding plai'e discovered. |