Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-10-02

The purchase of st. Thomas ny the
United States, writes correspondent
of the Boston Herald, at once makes
the island of st. Lucia, sometimes
called the "Gibraltar Of the West In
dies" of great interest to Americans,
for Great Britain has already made OF
ST Lucia what the United States pro-
poses to make of ST. Thomas-an i'm
pregnable base and coaling station.
Those who visited st. Lucia a few
years ago would hardly recognize it
now AS late as 1880 it was like all
the other West India islands-slowly
dropping from genteel poverty into
ragged disreputableness But since
that time England has spent 100000
on the defenses of Castries harbor
and the island has supplemented this
with an outlay of 100000 on the i'm
provement of the harbor itself.
Today an air of businesslike ANNA
ton pervades the picturesque town.
Troops marching to and from their
barracks enliven the streets; a con-
slant procession of vessels calling for
coal passes in and. out the narrow
harbor entrance; surer sign than all
others, perhaps, of an advancing civ
ilization, the fer-de-lance, most terri
BILE of snakes, has at last been eXtir-
pated, the statistics for 1901 for the
first time showing no death from it's
deadly sting
From the date of it's colonization
st. Lucia we'll earned the title of 1.-The
dark and bloody ground Every yard
has cost a drop of human blood; every
acre hundred lives. Life lacked not
in strenuousness for the early settler
From 1905 to 1914 ST. Lucia changed
owners between the English and the
French no less than 10 times; the
English each time conquering it by
force of arms, only to give it back
again to France by treaty, apparently
for the mere fun of conquering it over
again when the next war broke out.
In addition to this record of excite
ment, for the first SO years after it's
colonization the native Cards took a
hand, and three times swept English
and French alike off the island; once,
in 1910, literally smoking them out by
burning dried red peppers
In 1893 the new French republic
abolished slavery in the island. AS a
result, thereafter, when the forts and
garrisons were captured by the Eng
fish, the visitors had still to face bands
If desperate negroes, fighting for their
freedom, who, hiding in the dense
forest, burst out at intervals, carrying
destruction with them.
Such. briefly, was the turbulent his
tory of st. Lucia. Small wonder if
agricultural pursuits were somewhat
neglected In fact, not until England
finally freed the slaves, in 1S4S, could
there be said to have been any agri-
culture at all.
Activity in the Harbor.
The perfect harbor is alive these
days with busy steamers. Some 800
vessels call at St Lucia every year
In every other West Indian port the
steamers anchor off the shore and the
passengers are at the mercy of the
boatmen-direct descendants of the
buccaneers. But here your vessel
steams straight up to the wharf and
the captain tells you there is 80 feet
of clear water beneath him at the
dock. Fully 100000 the local govern
ment expended in dredging to make
this possible, but already the outlay
has proved a good investment, as it
pays the handsome rate of s per cent
All the shore in the Immediate
vicinity of the docks is covered by
great pyramids of coal. There are
100, 900 tons always on hand. fully four
fifths of the supply coming from the
United States. Scarcely has the last
cable been hauled taut when up the
forward gangway marches a weird
procession of stalwart black females
J with skirts tucked up to their naked
knees, each bearing a basket Of Goa
upon her head. 1t is marvellous tC
watch the swiftness of their move
ments AS much as 140 tons an hour
has been delivered by these women
rate that few steam hoists could
equal.
From standpipe on the pier water
is being supplied at the same time
Everything is accomplished with a
businesslike directness that shor
clearly one reason why st. Thomas
has been so badly distanced by this
more enterprising port.
Defense of the Town.
A short walk through the town and
climb up the hills back of it will
soon reveal the impregnable defenses
of Castries. This almost land-locked
harbor-so large that in April, 1899
all of Admiral SIMPSONS fleet of nine
vessels took in coal and water with
out in the least disturbing the regula,
business of the port, which was un
usually brisk at the time-is defended
from the sea by batteries of a-inct
and 6-inch guns on Vigie Point where
powerful searchlights have also beer
erected, as well as by correspondence,
heavy ornaments on the opnosit,
point, known as "the Cocoanuts.'
From land attack an encirc1ins
chain OF high and rugged hills pro
tects the town and bay. Over ties,
hills the government has allowed onl,
a few military roads to be cut vel
covered by numerous rapidfire gun,
and field batteries With a suficien
garrison, these hills would seem to b.
defense enough, although with tn