New-York tribune., 1899-08-06
BEAUTIES OF SAN DOMINGO .
THE LITTLE ISLAND REPUBLIC "n'H
RECENT TROUBLES HAVE BROUGHT
1T INTO PROMINENCE.

the little republic into conspicuous pioH''''e"
during the last week and men VINO nave oee"
there on business or pleasure have oeen NC
sieged with questions as 10 the place anu the
scenes from San Domingo in The Tribune i''u'
trated Supplement will be studied WIN i'o'e
than ordinary interest.
There are a number Of merchants III We"
York who do business with the sugar pla"'e''
of San Domingo and send the products ana man
uractured articles of this country IN exchange
for the sweet staple In conversation WIN t"ese
merchants one OF the first points one hotices Is
that they, like the natives OF the island speah Vi
the republic as San Domingo and or the oaii'"'
as Santo Domingo. No one seems to kno" just
why the difference is made, but the TWO "a'i'e'
have become correct by established usage
The rich and fertile soil produces coHee' TO-
bacco, cocoa and spices In large quantities. ou'
sugar has always been the chief product anu II
all comes to New-York and Boston.
A writer the subject says:
over a century before the French founded
Quebec or two centuries before they rounded
New Orleans old Spain was drawing great
wealth from the sugar fields OF San Domingo
and It is safe to say that more real wealth was
thus gathered by Spain for two centuries ai'er
Columbus than from all her gold and silver
mngo Is the fruit business. Great banana plan
tations have been developed by enterrrisins
Domin!cans and Americans and large conssn-
ments OF the fruit are sent from the Island most
OF the shipments being made from Samana Bay
to New York and Boston. The great dense ior-
ests Of San Domingo are among the natural At
fractions Of the country. and are also source
OF profit to the inhabitants. Mahogany SATIN
wood granadulo, guayacan and yaya are among
the many varieties that are exported wax
honey. molasses. cocoanuts. dyewoods and many
other articles are exported. the records showing
that about SIS 900 900 worth Of various products
leave the republic every year.
As to the climate in the republic writer says:
1T must be healthfu when one may see by the
records that the death rate is only eight TO the
thousand Inhabitants There are no denseIy
populated places. yellow fever Is unknown ana
intermittent fevers may he avoided, as in Eu-
rope with the smallest precautions. There Is
scarcely a section Of the republic where-all day
long--the strong sea breezes do not blow. The
mountain ranges run east and west, and tho
valleys between them. well as the mountain
sides. receive the trade winds which blow con-
tinually from the east in that latitude The city
OF Puerto Plata. on the north coast. and the IN
terror cities Of La Vega, Moca and Santiago. In
the Royal Plain Vega ReaD Of Columbus. are
kept healthful and comfortable all the year by
this trade wind. which removes masmatlc
on the south the great sugar rails
ing plains are between the mountains and the
Caribbean Sea. Although Santo Domingo city,
the capital is situated only 1Si2 degrees from
the equator and Porto Plata, the northern
port 20 degrees. and the temperature in winter
is quite mild the thermometer does not ris"
high in midsummer Carefully kept records show
that at Puerta Plata In four years. with the ex-
ception OF one day. the mercury never rose
higher than 90 degrees Fahrenheit The rainy
season which is dreaded In all tropical coun-
tries Is not a period Of continued rain In San
Domingo. It ls a period when the sunshine is
broken by clouds with occasional showers.
usually heavy. but Of short duration"
The Central Dominican Railway connects
Puerto Plata, on the north coast with Santiago.
and in the forty five miles OF its length passes
over one Of the mountain ranges which extend
over the whole length of the island This road
was constructed by Americans and IL being
operated by an American company. and another
smaller railroad from Samana Bay I'm the east
end Of the island. to La Vega, Is operated by an
English company. Within n short distance OF
the modern railway are buildings which were
monasteries and cloisters are still IN existence
which were built by the men who came TO the
island with the son Of Christopher Columbus.
The low stone building on the river front at
Santo Domingo where Coumbus's son lived is
still in fair state OF preservation. Every little
hamlet has It's church. and In the larger places
the churches usually the chief architectural
features OF the place. the cathedral at Santiago.
ttara ,Ha al % tHa gla,,
was held. being imposing edifice
An American who lived there several years
said:
San Domingo is not only rich in natural prod
ucts, but is beautiful and interesting Old cas-
ties and churches for which the iron work and
ornaments were brought from Spain may be
seen in the larger places. while the villages orrer
other attractions in the way Of primitive hab-
itations The great forests. with their wealth
OF woods. are free from reptiles and one OF the
their island is that there Is not snake on IT,"
There are no positive records as 10 the number
OF inhabitants. but the population has been esti-
mated at about six hundred thousand. The city
OF Santo Domingo has about twenty five thou
sand inhabitants Santiago between six thou
sand and eight thousand, Puerto Plata about six
thousand. Macors. from which point nearly all
the sugar shipments made. has about five
thousand. and Moca and La Vega have each
about four thousand inhabitants
Santiago City. the terminus Of the American
railroad, was founded by Diego Colon the son OF
the discoverer, when he was Governor Of the
province. and some OF the buildings erected by
the founders are still there. The railroad which
runs from Puerta Plata to the ancient town is a
narrow gauge road, and in its construction ths
mountain had to be pierced for a tunnel eight
hundred feet long, which is the largest work OF
that kind on the island.
AMERICAS STAINED GLASS INDUSTRY.
Kokomo Inu. Aug. (SpeclaD.-The opalescent
glass plant Of this city Is preparing four carloads
Of its product to be shipped to Europe One car
load goes to Germany. two TO Paris and one TO
Florence Until the glass painting"