Rafael de Zárate y Sequera

Rafael de Zárate y Sequera[3] (ca. 1824 – ca. 1904) was Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico, from 11 June 1884[4] to 16 July 1886.[5]

Rafael de Zárate y Sequera
86th Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico
In office
11 June 1884[1] – 16 July 1886[2]
Preceded byMáximo de Meana y Guridi
Succeeded byRamón Elices Montes
Personal details
Bornca. 1824
Diedca. 1904

Mayoral term edit

During his two-year mayoral term, Zárate y Sequera is credited with placing fire hydrants along the route[a] from downtown Ponce to its Port at Playa de Ponce and enlarging Calle León further up northbound, both completed in 1884.[6] He is also credited with starting construction of Hospital Civil de Ponce[b] on 4 June 1885.[7]

While Zárate Sequera did achieve these goals, the Hospital Civil was not completed, only one of its two wings was. In addition, he had a bad temper and it did not take long before he started to lose the support of both Municipal Council members and the townspeople at large. Given this state of affairs, he presented his resignation to the Governor and, on 16 July 1886 he made the announcement that the Governor had named Elices Montes to replace him. The Municipal Council reacted by stating that, though they respected the decision of the Governor, they were disappointed as three council members, namely, Juan Mayoral, Joaquin P. Valdivieso, and Federico Leon y Cortes, were qualified for the position. In addition, it was argued, Mr. Elices Montes was "a stranger" to Ponce politics and municipal administration. As a consequence, the municipal council approved a resolution that condemned the appointment of Elices Montes for mayor.[8]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ this route is today's Avenida Hostos
  2. ^ Hospital Civil de Ponce (Ponce Civil Hospital), was the name given to an annex/enlargement wing to Hospital Tricoche. Ermelindo Salazar, Bartolo Mayol, and Francisco Maria Franceschi were the lead contributors to the new hospital wing. See, Museo de la Historia de Ponce. Health Hall. March 2011.

References edit

  1. ^ Eduardo Neumann Gandía. "Verdadera y Auténtica Historia de la Ciudad de Ponce. 1913. p. 279.
  2. ^ Eduardo Neumann Gandía. "Verdadera y Auténtica Historia de la Ciudad de Ponce. 1913. p. 279.
  3. ^ Municipio de Ponce: Alcaldes en su Historia. Puerto Rico Encyclopedia. Fundación Puertorriqueña para las Humanidades. 2018. Accessed 2 May 2018. Archived 23 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 9 July 2009.
  4. ^ Verdadera y Auténtica Historia de la Ciudad de Ponce. 1913. San Juan, Puerto Rico: Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña. p. 279.
  5. ^ Verdadera y Auténtica Historia de la Ciudad de Ponce. 1913. San Juan, Puerto Rico: Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña. p. 279.
  6. ^ Eduardo Neumann Gandia. Verdadera y Autentica Historia de la Ciudad de Ponce. p. 269.
  7. ^ Eduardo Neumann Gandia. Verdadera y Autentica Historia de la Ciudad de Ponce. p. 269.
  8. ^ 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. 20-21. LCCN 85-207338

Further reading edit

  • Ramon Marin. Las Fiestas Populares de Ponce. Editorial Universidad de Puerto Rico. 1994.
  • Fay Fowlie de Flores. Ponce, Perla del Sur: Una Bibliografía Anotada. Second Edition. 1997. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Universidad de Puerto Rico en Ponce. p. 335. Item 1671. LCCN 92-75480
  • Ponce. Presupuesto ordinario correspondiente al año económico venidero de 1884 a 85. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Tip. El Comercio, 1884. (Biblioteca del Congreso [Washington, D.C.]; Colegio Universitario Tecnológico de Ponce, CUTPO [fotocopia])

External links edit

Political offices
Preceded by Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico
11 June 1884 – 16 July 1886
Succeeded by