Manuel Egozcue Cintrón
Encyclopedia
Manuel Egozcue y Cintrón was born in Bilbao
, Spain
in 1855. After completing university he immigrated to Puerto Rico
, then an overseas province
of Spain, to pursue commercial projects; quickly becoming prominent in island business circles.
He became an active member of the Partido Incondicional Español (the loyalist
Spanish Unconditional Party) and held important public offices under the Spanish government, including the vice presidency of the Diputación Provincial (Provincial Legislature). In 1896 he was honored by the government with the Orden del Mérito Naval for services rendered to Spain's navy.
After the American occupation he joined the newly formed Republican Party of Puerto Rico (whose main goal was obtaining statehood status for the Island) and was assigned a place on its board of directors, working closely with party founder José Celso Barbosa
.
During the municipal elections of 1900, the first to be held since the beginning of the American occupation, the Republican Party achieved an overwhelming victory; this resulted in Egozcue Cintrón becoming Alcalde
of San Juan
, a position he held until elected a member of the First House of Delegates
for the 1901-1902 term. Following the House's seasonal adjourment he was reappointed to fill the unexpired term of Alcalde.
In 1904 he was again elected mayor, but this last term would be truncated when territorial governor William Henry Hunt
ordered his removal from office following a corruption scandal that tainted much of city government. Although he was ultimately acquitted of all charges the ordeal nevertheless left him much affected, requiring his interment in a psychiatric hospital. Mayor Manuel Egozcue Cintrón died shortly after in 1906.
During Egozcue Cintrón's various terms as mayor an urban police corps was created to patrol the city. Also, $600,000 worth of municipal bonds
were issued, resulting in full payment of city debt and the completion of an aqueduct
.
The accompanying portrait of mayor Egozcue Cintrón is from a contemporaneous ink drawing by Puerto Rican political caricaturist Mario Brau de Zuzuárregui.
Bilbao
Bilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in 1855. After completing university he immigrated to Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, then an overseas province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
of Spain, to pursue commercial projects; quickly becoming prominent in island business circles.
He became an active member of the Partido Incondicional Español (the loyalist
Loyalist
In general, a loyalist is someone who maintains loyalty to an established government, political party, or sovereign, especially during war or revolutionary change. In modern English usage, the most common application is to loyalty to the British Crown....
Spanish Unconditional Party) and held important public offices under the Spanish government, including the vice presidency of the Diputación Provincial (Provincial Legislature). In 1896 he was honored by the government with the Orden del Mérito Naval for services rendered to Spain's navy.
After the American occupation he joined the newly formed Republican Party of Puerto Rico (whose main goal was obtaining statehood status for the Island) and was assigned a place on its board of directors, working closely with party founder José Celso Barbosa
José Celso Barbosa
Dr. José Celso Barbosa was a medical Physician, sociologist, and political leader of Puerto Rico.Known within Puerto Rico's New Progressive Party as "The father of the Statehood for Puerto Rico movement", Barbosa was also the first Puerto Rican to be awarded an American medical degree.-Early...
.
During the municipal elections of 1900, the first to be held since the beginning of the American occupation, the Republican Party achieved an overwhelming victory; this resulted in Egozcue Cintrón becoming Alcalde
Alcalde
Alcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
of San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, a position he held until elected a member of the First House of Delegates
Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico
The Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico is the territorial legislature of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The structure and responsibilities of the Legislative Assembly are defined in Article III of the Constitution of Puerto Rico....
for the 1901-1902 term. Following the House's seasonal adjourment he was reappointed to fill the unexpired term of Alcalde.
In 1904 he was again elected mayor, but this last term would be truncated when territorial governor William Henry Hunt
William Henry Hunt (judge)
William Henry Hunt was a state and federal judge and a territorial governor of Puerto Rico.-Early law practice:...
ordered his removal from office following a corruption scandal that tainted much of city government. Although he was ultimately acquitted of all charges the ordeal nevertheless left him much affected, requiring his interment in a psychiatric hospital. Mayor Manuel Egozcue Cintrón died shortly after in 1906.
During Egozcue Cintrón's various terms as mayor an urban police corps was created to patrol the city. Also, $600,000 worth of municipal bonds
Municipal bond
A municipal bond is a bond issued by a city or other local government, or their agencies. Potential issuers of municipal bonds includes cities, counties, redevelopment agencies, special-purpose districts, school districts, public utility districts, publicly owned airports and seaports, and any...
were issued, resulting in full payment of city debt and the completion of an aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
.
The accompanying portrait of mayor Egozcue Cintrón is from a contemporaneous ink drawing by Puerto Rican political caricaturist Mario Brau de Zuzuárregui.