Juan José Potous

Juan José Potous y de la Lastra[2] (ca. 1845 – ca. 1920) was Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico, from 12 July 1895 to 10 May 1896.[3][4][5]

Juan José Potous
97th Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico
In office 12 July 1895 – 10 May 1896
Preceded by	Félix Saurí y Vivas
Succeeded by	Luis Alvarado
Personal details
Born	ca. 1845 Ponce, Puerto Rico
Died	ca. 1920 Ponce, Puerto Rico
Nationality	Puerto Rican
Profession	Public servant[1]

Mayoral term

Upon the death of mayor Eduardo Armstrong, the governor of Puerto Rico named Juan José Potous, without waiting for the triplet recommendation from the Municipal Council. His main focus as mayor was to maintain a clean and neat look to the city. To that effect, he published guidelines for issues as mundane as the painting of the exterior of homes and the construction and installation of yard fences. He also addressed matters related to public health and hygiene. On 20 January 1896, he instituted detailed procedures for the celebration of wakes in people's homes. His oversaw a municipal government that ran smoothly thanks to his thorough knowledge of public administration.[6]

Potous is best remembered for his relentless interest in completing the construction of Hospital Civil de Ponce (Ponce Civil Hospital), an annex/enlargement to Hospital Tricoche, that had been started in 1885. Many city streets were finished into macadam surfaces under his administration.[7] Ermelindo Salazar, Bartolo Mayol, and Francisco Maria Franceschi were the lead contributors to the new hospital wing.[8] He also engaged in the beautification of the city as well as in advancing the cause of public education.[9]

Resignation

On 23 March 1896, Potous imposed a fine on the director of "La Libertad" newspaper for printing false claims regarding the war that Spain was waging in Cuba. Then the next day the paper printed an editorial attacking Potous. The paper subsequently also printed another editorial titled "El Hombre Lúgubre" (The depressed man) and, knowing it referred to him, Potous had the paper's director jailed and required bail payment of $4000 Spanish pesetas. Given this state of affairs and with a preference of not having to deal with what he considered were unjust attacks on a public servant, Potous took advantage of an offer made to him to become director of the Mayagüez-Lares railroad, presented his resignation to the governor and left Ponce for his new job in western Puerto Rico.[10]

References

1. Félix Pubill. La Administración Municipal de Ponce: Memoria de las gestiones practicadas en la Administración Municipal de Ponce, por los Alcaldes y Ayuntamientos que ha tenido desde el año 1882 al 1900. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Tipografía José Picó Matos. 1900. p. 72. LCCN 85-207338
2. Mariano Vidal Armstrong. Ponce: Notas para su Historia. San Juan, PR: Oficina de Conservación Histórica de Puerto Rico. 1986. Segunda Edición. p. 79.
3. Socorro Girón. Ponce, el teatro La Perla y La Campana de la Almudaina. Gobierno Municipal de Ponce. 1992. Page 317.
4. Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Alcades. Archived 2013-09-29 at the Wayback Machine
5. Ponce. Puerto Rico Encyclopedia. Archived 2012-07-07 at the Wayback Machine
6. Félix Pubill. La Administración Municipal de Ponce: Memoria de las gestiones practicadas en la Administración Municipal de Ponce, por los Alcaldes y Ayuntamientos que ha tenido desde el año 1882 al 1900. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Tipografía José Picó Matos. 1900. pp. 65-68. LCCN 85-207338
7. Félix Pubill. La Administración Municipal de Ponce: Memoria de las gestiones practicadas en la Administración Municipal de Ponce, por los Alcaldes y Ayuntamientos que ha tenido desde el año 1882 al 1900. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Tipografía José Picó Matos. 1900. p. 68. LCCN 85-207338
8. Museo de la Historia de Ponce. Health Hall. March 2011.
9. Socorro Girón. Ponce, el teatro La Perla y La Campana de la Almudaina. Gobierno Municipal de Ponce. 1992. Page 317.
10. Félix Pubill. La Administración Municipal de Ponce: Memoria de las gestiones practicadas en la Administración Municipal de Ponce, por los Alcaldes y Ayuntamientos que ha tenido desde el año 1882 al 1900. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Tipografía José Picó Matos. 1900. p. 72. LCCN 85-207338

See also

• List of Puerto Ricans
• List of mayors of Ponce, Puerto Rico

Further reading

• Fay Fowlie de Flores. Ponce, Perla del Sur: Una Bibliografía Anotada. Second Edition. 1997. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Universidad de Puerto Rico en Ponce. p. 334. Item 1664. LCCN 92-75480
• Municipio de Ponce. Ayuntamiento. Informe sobre las necesidades de la ciudad de Ponce que deben tenerse presente al redactar el presupuesto municipal y que se publica por acuerdo del Excmo. Ayuntamiento de esta ciudad. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Imprenta El Vapor. 1895. [fotocopia] (Colegio Universitario Tecnológico de Ponce, CUTPO)
• Fay Fowlie de Flores. Ponce, Perla del Sur: Una Bibliografía Anotada. Segunda Edición. 1997. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Universidad de Puerto Rico en Ponce. p. 337. Item 1676. LCCN 92-75480
• Ponce. Informe sobre las necesidades de la Ciudad de Ponce que deben tenerse presente al redactar el presupuesto municipal y que se publica por acuerdo del Excm. Ayuntamiento de esta Ciudad. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Imprenta El Vapor. 1895. Archivo Histórico Municipal de Ponce)