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Show "I MM NEW NAVAL STATION. The Old Spanish Arsenal at San Juan, Porto Rico. A Vnlualilc ciiilnl(loti to tho United ,Htnt-K, n'lilcli the gunntnrda Snr. rciulcri-il in Their Kvne- tuitlon. Part of the government propcity handed over to the I'nlted States when Spain evacuated 1'orto ltleo wns the old arsenal, as, the Spatili.rds. called It. vthleh Is to-duj uccuplctl bj the Atneri-cnunt Atneri-cnunt Snn .Mian a a navj .vard. What the future naval Matlon nt this poln will nmotint to has not .vet been an nouueed. When we hnvo absorbed 1'orto KleoV exports and are supply ing the greater part of her Imports: when nitration of tnonev tnrllTs ni'd government have been' determined; when the commercial and political education edu-cation of the people of this Island ii well under wait when the ief tiers curiosity curi-osity of American tidv'eiiturers is Fti-lled Fti-lled and our people nt la'e have been told what 1'orto ltleo amounts to; nnd when the winter tourist tinde Is regularly regu-larly established when nil this ban been done, the value of thUuevv pofscs-slou pofscs-slou as a naval slallnn will have been recognl.ed nnd thrre wl" be established estab-lished here a navy yard sutllcUnt t) meet tho needs nf the loc.-illou. In th," meantime certain nnvy olllcers havo bren sent down here to take ofllekll piMwsslon of what the Spaniards turned over. On the nort'. side of the Island there Is the city of San Juan, and retelling out into the hnrbor Is a large 'tretc'i of low, made land. This area Is given over to foundries, gas works, coil jauls, storehouses aiwl the navy jard. Th H).inish arsenal wns built ninny j ears ago. aid lo-dny, wren th addition addi-tion are cou'ldered. the yard i a con fuing coIIpciIoii of thick willed, one-stori one-stori htiuses. The ground isonly about throt feet above the level of the bay; consequi iiil,v tin- Iioiim?s nre damp and for the iinwt part mitst.v nnd Ill-,mell-Ing; the sun nnd air have little chance to rench the Inner rooms nnd passages, and the place Is opprctsIvc. The shadows shad-ows of heavy lues nnd thick shrubbery around the ecuitnnndaut'si home give pleasing variety to the white walls, nnd the ltoman Catholic chap,.! 011 Jucslde of the small ftpiare in 1 he q)iter of the clump of buildings, and' the curi-otisi curi-otisi belfry nnd clock on the other, nre both plcturesipie nnd novel. The main entrance to the jnrdi-Iaces the i.orth; It Is a large white pohnl In the center of a white wall. ThltSjtortnl holds on high the rojnl arms if-vSjMilu nnd is deeoratrd with theslgnsopthe Zodiac. Above escutcheon nnd devlctribjiits the Amerlcnu ling, brilliant ngaliist'tho In-tense In-tense blue tky behind it. The Spaniards were never know 11 for hygienic or proper living, nnd the condition con-dition of the nrniuil wlu'ii we took powihslon wes proof of thk-' statement. Tho placew.it filth. All drains were choked by the accumulation of years, and htindredt. of cart IikiJf of dirt had to be removed before our men could contemplate living In there quarters'. The Spaniards never had any sanitary cniiviulruceK; water and refuse were allnwid to tluk to the ground, so the i.uth of the entire ,vn! can be le-gimled le-gimled n itollutcil. Thcie has- been iellovv fever here within the las' three jkiis, ami theie Iv no doubt but that the place Is tc-da,v unhealthy. Much can and 1 bilng done to Improve Im-prove its conditions; the entire place-Is place-Is being thoroughly cleaned, nil lloora Hre bring newl cemented, and cracks In wall nre being sciuJ up, to prevent poisoituup emniKitloiiis from the will under the buildings. A dl tilling plant with n dally capacity of .i,0(i gallons Is being ere"fcd; until this Is completed com-pleted the station will gel dUtllled water wa-ter from the collier Ciusstir anchored In the harbor, Sleeping quartern for 40 mm Im n nre J. ild with board llnors, IS inches above the new eeihinf, nn that fnsh nlr enu circulate freely under the boards. The commntidnut's house, which Is In better condition thin nuy other building In theyaid, iiiovvnsvj as nlllce by the Ameilcnn occupants. olllcr's Weekly. |