The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-12-01

birthplace of GIL Bias and Home of
rgnatius Loyold,
Especial Correspondence Of the Journal
and Courier)
Nov. 2O.-The traveller who wishes to
become acquainted with Spain must
not neglect it's less frequented northern
coast, which differs as entirely from
the southern as the mining regions of
Michigan differ from the rice and cane
lands of Louisiana. 1t is a common
saying in France that africa begins at
the Pyrenees;" but remembering that
no nation on earth is quite so conceited
as SPANS nearest neighbor, which
claims monopoly of the fashion and
refinement of Europe, we should place
the border of Spanish civilization
where it properly belongs-on the other
side of Gibraltar.
From Burgos to Bilbao-the seaport
capital of the province of Vizcaya-is
only few hours journey by the great
North of Spain railway, but the scene
ry, the people, the character of the
country, change as completely in those
few miles as when you cross the Py-
renees into France. Ancient Bilboa-
christened about the year 1900, by Don
Diego Lopez de Haro, the name mean
ing "Fine Ports now one of the
most thriving and up-to-date cities in
Spain-the Manchester of the peninsu-
la. Having been several times reduced
to ashes by bombardment and confa-
grafton, its buildings are almost en-
tire1y new; and because Of it's bravery
in resisting sieges, it's full title, long ago
bestowed by the crown, is La Invicta
Villa de Bilbao. Twice during the civil
war was 1t unsuccessfully besieged by
the Carlists, and again. as late as 1874,
it was bombarded for seventy-two
days, without result, except the killing
of many superfiuous SpaniardS Now
adays you hear as much English as
Spanish spoken in the wide, straight
streets, so unlike those of the southern
cities, and Bilbao has become second
only to Antwerp in the importance of
its British shipping. Long lines Of
steamers are constantly loading ore
along the left bank of the river for Car
diff, Newcastle, Newport and Glasgow,
and on the opposite bank prosperous
English colony has established itself,
with schools, clubs and reading rooms
In town. Since the war with America
the rich iron mines in the neighborins
mountains have mostly fallen into the
hands of English capitalists, and last
year the British shipping, registered at
Bilbao alone amounted to 3,390,187 tons. |
Never was town more picturesquely |
situated than this, in the mountain
gorge of river, nine miles above the |
Bay of Biscay The river, by the way, |
rejoices under variety of names. The |
English call it Nervian; the French, |
A7rsff; and the Basques, who own 1t |
and therefore ought to be the best au-
thority, stick to the old title, Ibaizabal. /
Straight through the city it runs, di-
viding the old town from the new and
spanned by four beautiful bridges. The
Oldest and most interesting bridge-"La
Punta de San Antonio'-a massive
structure Of stone, with three magnifi-
cent arches, dates to the fourteenth
sion affair of steel and iron was COM
pleted within the last twenty years. A
great deal of money has been expended
in improving the river, including
miIe-long breakwater at it's mouth, be-
gun in 'S7 and costing, with its pier,
something over ten million dollars.
The latter makes the finest harbor of
Spain at Portugalete-the real port at
the rivers mouth; but to this day all
large vessels have to anchor and dis
charge their cargoes there, while only
small steamers and lighters come up to
Bilboa.
The new-old city in it's picturesque
mountain setting pronounced, by the
way, as if spelled Beel-bah-oD, contains
a present population of about thirty
seven thousand. On one side of the
river ii is purely commercial, as rush
ing and busting as miniature Chica- I
go; but you have only to cross a
bridge to find yourself at once in a for
eign country, and a century or two be-
hind the times The smaller "Bilgao
Viejo" (old town( is the same that fig
ured in history as the seat Of the ia
nous Consolado Concrete, originally
established at Burgos, having the high
est authority in Spain as commercial
It's irregular streets are too
narrow TO admit two carriages abreast,
and lazy citizens might shake hands
out of opposite windows of the very
tall stone houses, whose quaint, pro- I
jecting rooms afford perfect shelter
from sun and rain. 1t was in these
linn alleys that tWo-thirds of the city's
tion were slaughtered in cold
blood, during the Carlist conflict of
1886, when the valient Zumalacarrigui
received his death wound, yet held out
Until succor arrived. The Basques are
he queerest people he have met in ]
Spain, both in customs and costumes,
Here the tall, strong, blue-eyed women 7
10 all the heavy porterage, like patient {
cattle, while their puny lords and mas
.ers loll around the Wharves, dissipat- {
ng their wives earnings in tobacco and +
,guardiente. t
When the new town was laid out, on +
he other side of the river, with wide, 6
straight streets and modern houses of r
lewn stone, the Bi1boans We're so proud I
f their nice new pavementS that for +
many years no carts or carriages were I
permitted TO enter, Tor fear of injurlng I