Spanish American War
GROWTH OF THE POPULATION
DEMOLITION OF THE WALLS
After
the English attack of 1797, the city of San Juan lived in relative peace for the
next century, apart from sporadic attacks by pirates on the coastal towns.
Although the walls were kept in good condition, the city did not enjoy the same
good fortune. The accelerated and unforeseen growth of the population filled up
all of the limited space within the walled city. By 1876, San Juan had 24,000
inhabitants in an area of 62 acres containing 926 buildings, the majority of
which were single story. The lack of available space for constructing more
homes, buildings, or even properties for the expansion of manufacturing and
commerce, made this over-population intolerable!!
Little by little, the residents began to hold the army responsible for the situation, because it was through the military that the Governor exercised his authority. The walls which had once symbolized peace and security now represented the imprisonment of a society. Finally, in 1897, and curiously only one year before the Spanish-American War, the Governor authorized the expansion of the city. The people of San Juan looked on as the Spanish authorities demolished the Santiago Gate, which opened the area to the east of the city. Full of delight, the crowds of people flooded out into what were previously military areas. Eventually, all the south eastern section of the walls, including the ravelin and the bastion of Santiago, were demolished. Even so, the Castle of San Cristóbal still remains the largest fortification in the Americas.
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Last Update: March, 2000