The Republican journal., 1898-05-12
CALIFORNIA FIG SYRUP co.
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL
LOUISVILLE. kY NEW YORK, NY.


skies above it, reaching out to the ocean.
Another side overlooks the Cumbre hills, in
which nsurgenJ campfres are nightly seen,
and the historic old Montserrat chapel,
perched on a nearer spur. Those green
heights enclose the world-famed Yumuri
valley-"Vale of Paradis''-an emerald
gorge with river running through, dotted
with stately palms and now ruined villas
Directly below, the Plaza d. Armas is sur
rounded by the several departments of the
Colonial government, and the finest shops,
cafes and club-houses of an aristocratic and
once prosperous people. The plaza is laid
out in the usual fashion of Spanish-Ameri-
ca-walks, lined with flowers and shrub
berry, radiating like the spokes in wheel
from central point, which in this case is a
fine statue OF Ferdinand XII. In this his
toric square many native patriots have met
death in SPANS effort to maintain her
blighting hold upon this remnant of her
western territory. Among the last who
died here was Gabriel Conception de la Val
DEE, the muatto poet and one of the noblest
men Cuba has produced. He was accused
of completely with the slave insurrection of
"A, and condemned to be shot by soldiers of
the line. The first volley failed to touch
vital spot. The brave man, bleeding from
many wounds, still stood erect and undaunt-
ed, and pointing to his heart, said in a clear
calm voice. Aim here" Another volley,
and another victim was added to the long
list of Cuban martyrs
The blacklist page in the history of this
talr island can never be accurately written,
for Spain has made every effort to suppress
the record of the thousands of brave men
who, suspected Of having a hand in some
plot to overthrow the iniquitous govern
ment, Or of sympathy with one of the in
Vulnerable revolutionary movements, have
been publicly shot or privately disposed of,
or left to die by inches in some noisome
dungeon.
A little more than centuries ago, this de-
lightful situation was occupied by the popu-
lous Indian village, Yucayo In 1693-iust
200 years after the discovery of the island by
Colum bus-a Spanish hidalgo, named Man
zaneda, purchased from Carlos H., a few
hectares of land. including the then long
deserted Yucayo, and settled thereon 80
families of Canary Islanders. The colonists
arrived on a Saturday in October The next
day being Sunday, Bishop Compostello
changed the heather name of the place,
with mass and solemn ceremonies, to San
Carlos y San Severino; and on Monday, the
third day, the corner stones were laid of the
cathedral and the castle of San Severino,-
the most remarkable instance of expedition
on record in this land of Manana, ''tomor-
row." The colonists afterwards acquired
considerable more space in the adjacent
Yumuri valley, for a cattle range, and de-
voted themselves to the raising of beef for
the Havana market. Hence the place be-
| come known as Ell Metanzas-'the slaughter
pen.' In time the names of the Saints were
| left off altogether, and not only the SETTLE
ment, but the bay, the district and the whole
province, rejoiced under the name of "the
slaughter pen."
Straight through the middle of the CITY
runs the San Juan river-the portion on the
south side of it being now known as "Pue-
north as "Verseilles." Several handsome
stone bridges cross the river, among them
the notable Puenee Belem. The new town
contains the railway depot and many beau
tiful villas. 1t has one of the handsomest
streets in all Cuba, the Calzeda de San Es-
tevan, lined for two miles with imposing
residences, all with pillarei porticos in
ha
, OF black and white marble, or blue and vel
low Venetian tiles These casas of the old
time grandees are set flush with the pave
ments, but each has its beautiful gardens at
the sides, filled with palms and flowers,
surrounded by tall iron ratings and stone
pillars topped with urns.
Matanzas has experienced the vicissitudes
| common to West Indian towns, of attacks
by buccaneers and bonn bardments by naval
forces, English, French and Spanish, but
! the worst calamity that ever befell her was
the great conhagration of 43 years ago.
After that, the well-to-do citizens built their
residences on the heights above the city,
where ocean breezes blow and the wide
spreading bay forms a delightful picture,
Two railway lines connect Matanzas with
Havana, one of them running via Jaruco
and Cardenas-the other coming from the
southeast, through Villa Clara, Sagua and
Clenfuegos, intersecting a rich sugar dis
trict and in peaceful times bringing large
amount of freight to the coast for shipment.
Both lines are American built, drawn by
American engines, equipped with American
cars, and will no doubt soon be run by
American engineers. Matanzas has splen-
did new theatre, said to be the finest in the
West Indies, not even excepting 1.-THE thea
tire of hundred DOORS in Havana Most
OF the public buildings, however, are very
Old, uncomfortable and dilapidated. The
musty cathedral, whose cornerstone was
laid little more than three centuries ago,
which has two towers, one much taller than