Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-05-28
Cardenas. May II, 1898


s.,,h,a of the island. Though only an
liant town. as compared with its three
,,pared year old MISUNDERSTANDING
been born after the first quarter OF the
crescent century. (about the year 1870,
helieye)-it has already played lead
Two role in Cubas commercial amairs.
LONG Mt the head of safe and spa
ciaus hay. fifty miles east from Matan-
80. and one hundred and fifty from
havana. 1t is the last port of conse-
,,,orce on the north coast of the island.
povund Cardcnas, going eastward. all
,ha sbaboard Industries are shifted to
49, south coast and with the sole ex-
nan,ion of Sugua la Grande, Gan unim-
,,nrtant mort at the mouth of river,
one may sail along the entire two
thirds remaining length of the island.
rounding Cape Maysi at the eastern up
and then going west on the other slde
ms far as Santiago. without finding a
place worth visiting. Cardenas, with
population CT $4,000. is not only the
capital of n fertile district, and one OF
the main outlets of Cuba's richest prov
ince Matanzas-but Is also the great
railway center of the island; or, more
properly speaking. 1t ought to be, as
all the railroads of the country form a
junction fifteen miles inland at an In
significant. station called Jovellonas
In time of peace Cardenas enjoyed
thriving business, particularly in sugar
and molasses--its exports of the former
sometimes amounting to one hundred
thousand tons a year. To the west ana
south stretch the great sugar estates
which have made this fraction OF
SpaIn's dominion q prize to be sought
for, with their sugar mills and REIN
eries-now all in ruins. The water side
of the town is fed with long wharves
and lined with warehouses;, and Its ex-
tensive railway depot would do credit
to any metropolis. There are a few pre-
tentious public buildings, including
the custom house, hospital and college,;
its cobble- paved streets-considerably
wider than those of Havann--have two
lines of horse-eary; there is gas and
electric lighting, and more two-storied
houses than one Is accustomed to see
in SpAyish America. But, notwithstand-
ing tn, broad blue bay in front and the
Paseo. whose tall trees seem to be
touching finger tips across the rond
communicating each other on the pres
ence Of eternal summer-Cardenas is
not an attractive town. You miss the
glamour of antiquity and historic in
terest which pervades Havana, Matan-
gas, Santiago, and feel somehow de-
frauded by town which is new with
out being modern-young but not
youthful. Why place of so much com
mercial Importance has not been more
strongly fortified, II is impossible to
say. Plenty of beehive forts are scat
tered around the edges and there are
other rude defenses on the land side to
keep the insurgents out and the recon-
centrados In; but no massive stone
wall fortresses, like the MORO.
Cabanas, San Severino, imposing
though comparatively worthless, with
you know that Cardenas was stormed
and taken by force which started
from the United States about fifty
years ago? 1t was the flibustering ex-
petition of General Narciso Lopez,
who sailed from New Orleans in the
spring of 1s5O--when the idea OF annax-
ing Cuba and her half million slaves
found considerable favor among the
alave-owneIs of our Southern states.
Lopez was d sparriard, (born in Vene-
fighting Spanish American rebels. He
was sent to Cuba in 1884, to I'LL some
important post under the home gov
eminent and IN Havana he fell In love
with and married beautiful and
wealthy Cuban girl. Perhaps 1t was
owing to her influence that he soon re-
signed his official position, and after
wards took part in a seditious under
taking. The conspiracy was discov-
cred and nipped In the bud, as SO
many incipient revolutions have been.
before and since; and in 1919, General
Lopez found 1t expedlent to emgrate
"between two DAYS" He went to New
York-that paradise Of Cuban refu-
gees and disappointed revolutionlsts
where he Identified himself prominent
ly with the large colony OF conspirators
The following year he undertook his
first expedition to Cuba, sailing from
New Orleans, May 10, 1850. II
the Pampero. with 61o men. Hi
object was to assist wha
was known as the separatls
hn cd
powerful faction In Cuba to rally t.
his support. Landing at Cardenas, h'
took the city without much trouble
but held 1t only two days. when III
was compelled to retire. The Cuban'
did not sustain him, as he had anticl
pated.- They remembered that he wa.
Spaniard. who had gained his higi
rank in the army OF the oppressor
and naturally they distrusted him, TIL
following year he came again with so
men. There was no pretence OF dis
euise In our Southern States of the OBJ
ject of the expedition, and the detail
of It were recklessly given, so that tb
Spaniards were amply warned and hat
time to lay trap for Lopez. The!
knew that he meant to land in tn
eastern part OF the island Letter
were sent to him, purporting to com
from Cuban patriots, persuading then
to land in the western portion am
promising TO support him. He stopped
at Key West to take coal, landed a
the Spaniards had planned at BahlI
Honda, and marched into the interio
where the Instruction was to talk
place; while his second in command, w
s. C1ttenden-a graduate OF Yves
Point and Mexican war hero. though
only twenty-eight years od-renlaine'
at the seaside as a base of operations
Hearing nothing from Lopez and know
ing therefore that his movement ha'
been failure, Crttenden made
desperate attempt to escape in opel
boats; but was discovered and cap
tured. The United States consul wa
appealed to for assistance, but decline
TO Interfere; and, 1t Is said, did not eve
visit the unfortunate men because h
feared for his own safety Proceed
ings were prompt The filibuster
were taken to Havana, Lopez was no
permitted the death of a soldier blu
was publicly garotted. Forty-nine q
his men were shot and one hundred an
six others were loaded with chains an
sent to Spain. where they were held /
servtude seven months. Poor Crit
tenden, promising young fellow un
der thirty, and fifty OF his men, wer
shot In groups of six under the wall
OF old Fort Atares. He refused
kneel with his back to the firing part,
according to the Spanish fashion, bu
faced them erect saying that
kneeled only to his God, Report saw