On December 10, 1898, as a result of the Spanish-American War and the Treaty of Paris, Puerto Rico was ceded to the United States by Spain. On May 30, 1899, a census was conducted under the direction of Brigadier General George W. Davis. then Military Governor of Puerto Rico. It revealed that fewer than 20% of the population could read or write. Out of approximately 300,000 school-age children in Puerto Rico only about 20,000 or fewer than 10%, attended school. The average life expectancy for the population of 953,000 was estimated at 33 years. The actual writers of the reports were Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Prentiss Sanger, Inspector-General, Director; Henry Gannett and Walter Francis Willcox, statistical experts for the United States War Department, who were given the task of conduct the first U.S. Census of Puerto Rico. The enumerators who went house to house to enter and record the data were native born Puerto Ricans or Spaniards who remained on the island after the U.S. takeover ( Insert picture and names of Quebradillas emumerators here.) Originally, this 1899 census reported the names and surnames of each of household. Unfortunately, this information was destroyed or otherwise lost and for the most part only statistical data has survived.

            The following is a summary report based upon pieces of that Census, that specifically relate Quebradillas, Puerto Rico, only. The text below is how it appears on the actual report, for example: a) Quebradillas population for 1900, b) Mortality rate from 1890-1900, c) Cemetery established in the town, d) Acreage of cultivated and uncultivated land for fiscal year from 1900-1901, e) Literacy and education from 1900, f) Schools, g) Population, h) Agricultures, i) Post Office, j) Street Railway, k) Electric lights and l) Name of person elected to local government for 1899.

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a) Quebradillas Population For 1900:

Census of Porto Rico

taken under

The Direction of the War Department, U.S.A.

Bulletin # 1

Total Population by Department, Municipal District Cities and Wards

Washington

Government Print Office

1900

(Quebradillas’ Population for 1900 - Page # 11)

b) Mortality Rate From 1890-1900:

(Quebradillas’ mortality from principal 1890-1900 - Page # 35)

c) Cemetery Established In The Town:

(Commission of Cemeteries, Puerto Rico - 1901 - Page # 29)

Cemeteries, old and new - Quebradillas

            # of old cemetery                                                                    # of new cemetery 

                                                                                                            established under

                                                                                                            General Order # 69

                        1                                                                                              1 

d) Acreage of Cultivated and Uncultivated Land for Fiscal Year from 1900-1901:

(Quebradillas’ acreage of cultivated and uncultivated land for fiscal year 1900-1901 - Page # 39)

e) Literacy and Education From 1900:

Census of Porto Rico

The direction of the War Department, U.S.A.

Bulletin # III

Citizen, Literacy and Education

Washington

Government Print Office

1900

(Quebradillas’ Literacy and Education - 1900 - Page # 8)

(Quebradillas’ Literacy and Education - 1900 - Page # 9)

f) Schools:

(Quebradillas’ schools - Page # 49)

            Captain Mansfield reports that Quebradillas’ school system consist of the follow: two (2) schools in town and one (1) school in each of the fifteen (15) barrios.

g) Population:

Census of Porto Rico

Division of Custom and Insular Affairs

1899

(District of Arecibo - Page # 9)

Population, known or estimate (Page # 43)

Estimated population of Arecibo, Hatillo, Camuy, Quebradillas and Isabella.

(Quebradillas - Population (*))

                                    Jurisdiction                                         Town

                                       14,000                                               2,200

District of Aguadillas

(*) Captain Mansfield reports: The district of Aguadilla contains the two of Quebradillas with population of 800.

h) Agricultures:

       Captain Mansfield reports: That Quebradillas is on a hill about one (1) mile east of the Guajacata River and on the main route from Aquadilla to Arceibo. It is a small place. There is much tobacco, some sugar, some coffe and many peanuts, and theirs also yams and sweet potatoes.

i) Post Office:

(Quebradillas’ Post Office - Page # 66)

       Captain Macomb reports: U.S. Post Office at Arecibo, Bareleneta, Hatillo, Camuy and Quebradillas, Isabella. As of May 30, 1899, there is no building for this purpose. Rooms are rented for Postal purpose.

j) Street Railway:

       Captain Macomb reports: There are no street railways on electric cars in the section route of.

k) Electric Light:

       Captain Mansfield reports: That on May 30, 1899, no electric lights in the district of Aquadilla (which includes Quebradillas).

l) Local Elected Government Officials For 1899

Census of Port Rico

Translation Laws Relating To The Civil Administration and

Government of the Island of Porto Rico

Washington, Government Print Office, 1899

Section - Municipal Governments

Names of persons elected in 1899 and 1900 and in Office April 30^th 1900.

(Quebradillas’ Local Elected Government Officials - Page # 60)

Mayor:                        Manuel Reyes Ruíz

Councilmen:               Honorio Hernández

                                    Santiago Mestre

                                    Emiliano de Jesus

                                    Emiliano Rodríquez

                                    Ventura Ocasio

                                    Manuel Saavedra Soler

                                    Luis Hernández

                                    Camilo Padín

                                    Francisco Ramon Saavedra

Local Board of Public Instruction:

                                    Ramon Saavedra Espinola

                                    Juan Antonio Lloveras

                                    Felix Lamela

                                    Vincente Rovre

                                    Agustín Marín Alvarez

Local Board of Public Instruction:

                                    Ramon Saavedra Espinola

                                    Juan Antonio Lloveras

                                    Felix Lamela

                                    Vincente Rovre

                                    Agustín Marín Alvarez

Municipal Judge:

                                    Arturo Umpierre

Judge Suplente:

                                    Joaquin Avila Molinary

Source : List # 4: Report on the Census of Porto Rico, 1899, United States, War Dept., Puerto Rico Census Office, Lt. Col. Joseph Prentiss Sanger Inspector-General, Director. Henry Gannett, Walter F. Willcox, Statistical Experts, Washington Gov’t., Print Office, 1900, under the section - Translation Laws Relating to the Civil Administration and Government of the Island of Porto Rico, “Quebradillas”, under call # HPR p.v.2 orSC317.295.U. The New York Public Library, Genealogy Section, 455 Fifth Avenue, 3^rd Floor, Room # 315, New York, New York 10018.

U.S. State Department. Despatches From United States Consular Representatives in Puerto Rico, 1821-1899. (Record Group 59; M 76.) 31 reels. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration; distributed by Scholarly Resources, 1944.
LOCATION: S1.1 C758 M76 film (Gov Pubs Micro/US)