Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-02-10
San Domingo.

San Domingo.
We clip the following succienct
history ana description of San Do
mingo from Hurper's Weekly:
"The Dominican republic compri-
ses over one, halfoft he island, some
times designated as Hayti, and
controls about 1900 square miles,
divided into five departments, which
are subdivided into communes.
The departments are called San
Domingo (Which contains the capt
taD, Azua de Compostcla, Sevbo,
Santiago de los Caballcros, and Con-
ccpcion de la Vega, the whole con-
tanning 4 population estimated at
10000 souls, or about eighty per-
sons to the square mile.
San Domingo abonnds in valuable
natural resources. The soil is re-
markablv fertile, producing every
thing grown in the tropics, and the
climate is more salubrious than that
Of any Of the other West India Is
lands. Gold and silver abound in
the country, and iron, lead, and
other minerals are said to be plcnti-
ful. The mountain ranges, where
the mineral treasures chiefly abound,
attain an elevation Of 5000 and 5000
feet above the sea level, and are
covered with magnificent tropical
forests. Tn these high regions the
climate is said to rival that of
Southern Italy. Writing from
Port-au-Prince in lS4s, Lieutenant
Porter, who made the tour Of the
island, said Of the country:
In manv ofthe provinces through
which have passed the country
NAV be said to be almost in the
same state rs it was when Columbus
first discovered the island. In these
places the population can not be
said to he much superior in intellect
to the unpublished Indians who were
the first posscssors Of the soil, al
'hourh they have many Of the same
'raitS of character nv which those
nnhnnpv people were distinguished.
nd that are so much 70 be admired.
he remembrance Of some places
though which ! have Travelled ap-
nears TO me like a beautiful dream.
md no one who has not seen can
form the slightest idea of what ma
turc can be, arravcd in all the beau
" of hills and dalcs, rocks and wa
tcrfallS, and mountains piled M one
upon another in such beautiful and
fantastic shapes that the mind is
completely bcwildcrcd by the ma
;cstv Of scenery it could never have
dreamed Of. For those who have
"" ambition to labor. the soil is
ovc"howin" with wealth, the Hill
sides are full ofthe richest minerals,
md they have only to gather in the
Gifts which nature has placed at
their disnosal. There is scarcely a
slct over which have paSsed-ex-
centino about two hundred miles
along the seashore on the south
silc-whesc the most iastidiou
would not ho hnrnv TO rest himself
forever. with full security that he
could never he without fhe neceSsa-
ries. and could a'wavs have ut hand
fhc comforts Of life. IT al seems
like land of poetry and flowers.
and more fit for the abode Of the
"rlclcss people first found there
than Of the avaririous race who
worked them to death in pursuit of
the wealth which the Indians alone
dcspised.'
The city Of San Domingo, the
caaital Of the country. is situated on
the sonti. side of the island. and
contains shout ten thousand inhab-
fonts. II is the principal ser-nort,
although Porto Plata and Samana
and Santiago de los CahalleroS are
splcniil ports, and, if the re'uhlic
WAS in 4 proGnerous condition.
would carry on ali extensive trade.
Another town in the interior, called
Az,a, is memorable rs the place
whore Iicrnanlo Cortcz lived. pur-
suing the business Of public nota-
~. The other town; worthy of
mention are Conrcnrion Gcla VEGA.
near where Columbus built Fort
Conccprion. and Ianto Fcrror where
he erected cross. OF the other
centres Of population, Ilirucv. Scv-
no. san Juan De Maruana, Ncvbo,
Bani, san Cristoval, Havaguana,
Monte Plata, Cotuv, and Bova arc
the only ones deserving notice.
Bova was the place frefm@e of Hen
riquillo, the last Of the Havtian
caciuucs Charles V. of Snain per-
mittcd him 70 retire thithcr with
the remnant of his people.
San Domingo WAS dependency
Of Spain till 1905, when the entire
island WIS coded to Franco. In
1898 it again passed into the hands
of Spain: but in the following wear
the people rcvolted, and declared
their independence. For upwards
of fourteen years a!lerward San
Domingo was prev to civil strife.
In 1923. however, the entire island
was united under a republican form
Of government, and Bower, then
ruler OF iIavti, was chosen President
for life TWENTY-FIVE wears of com
parative quiet followed, and had
this interval been employed in de-
vclopinm the resources Of the cOun-
try, San Domingo would have be-
came thickly populate ! and pros
porous.
In 1914 4 revolution in lIavti ele-
waited Rivcrc to the Presidency.
The Dominicans revoltcd against
his rule, and after sharp struggle
acquired independence. 1t would
be tedious to recount the repeated
attempts made bv Soulouquc, the
negro emperor Of IIayti, to recover
control of the Dominican republic,
and the long struggle between San
tana and Baez. At the present time
Buenaycntura Baez is President
The Dubuque Times is response
hln for tho fnllouinr rood thin0 on