Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-03
IN SAN TO DOMINGO
The Land Columbus Chose
for a Home.
RUINS OF HIS CASTLE
REMAINS REST IN THE OLD
CATHEDRAL.
The Official Lottery-The Only Daily
Newspaper-Scenes at
the Market.
RUINS OF HIS CASTLE

There has always been more or less con-
fusion in the public mind as to the differ
ence between the two republics Of Santo
Domingo and Haiti. AS matter of fact
they might as we'll be thousand miles
apart as far as resemblance is concerned.
Haiti Is French, speaks a French patois
and has almost entirely driven out the
whites, so that the population is almost
entirely made up of the descendants of the
slaves brought from Africa Santo Do
mingo has been dominated by the whites,
has been generally ruled by them and most
of the business of the republic is conducted
by them. The language is a good Spanish
and an almost insuperable mountain range
separates the two republics. Haiti is the
black republic" The other republic Is no
more so than Cuba, for 1.-THE whites rule
1t is therefore at the present time safe
place to visit, even though under a pro-
visional government, one white president
having driven out another in the recent
revolution. And there is no more interest
ing place than the capital city, the Oldest
city on this side Of the Atlantic.
The Castle of Columbus.
There 1t was that Columbus was impris-
oned, and there the Columbus family
sought to make home, selecting it as the
fairest spot in all the newly discovered
lands. The castle of Colon still stands. a
massive and imposing ruin. But it was
never completed and never occupied. Its
massive walls at the city gate and over
looking the river were too formidable in the
early days, and it was whispered about that
Columbus was to be king, and this was to
be his impregnable stronghold. 1t was this
story sent back to Spain that made the
tower his home instead and the castle
built by Diego Columbus was never cem-
pleted. by order Of the king.
Just below it, on the river bank, stands
the broadspreading cibo tree which his
tory says Columbus fastened his boats to
on his first arrival 1t Is five hundred
years old, it is said, and many grow to that
age. Many hundreds Of its leaves find their
way to all parts of the world, for the cas-
ual visitor from the ship in port for the day
must tell the story and inclose leaf from
the famous tree in a letter back to friends
at home. The Spanish government sane
toned the story during the Columbian ex-
position in this country a Chicago by send
ing cruiser to take away to Spain two
immense boushs OF the tree. What was
done with them afterward no one in Santo
Domingo knows. but they probably found
a place in the exhibit of Spain. The well of
Columbus stands near the tree, pool COW
cred and surrounded by solid masonry, eX-
cept for the door at one end. The water is
fresh. that in the river is braclish for many
miles farther up, and the mystery of its
freshness no one is able to explain. There
are various stories. but the most probable
is that it is simply spring, protected by
the masonry from the old inclination to
poison the water which an enemy was in
the habit of doing. The general belief IS
that it was piped in some mysterious man
ner from some distant river. 1t was here
the water supply for all the ancient vessels
was obtained. and no doubt many casks of
1t found their way to Spain. 1t is open now,
and little used except by the younger gen.
Grafton, who find it a safe swimming pool
1t is outside of the city wall and entirely
too far from the gate to justify lazy pop
ulace in seeking it for city supply. Most
of the water in daily comes from the
cisterns. which are not always clean and
contain animal life visible to the naked eye.
In fact, so large are these wriggling ami
malculae that Americans refer to them as
"alligat tors" When there is a drought and
the cisterns are dry boys peddle cans of
water about the streets, the supply gen.
orally coming from a large cistern con-
structed by an American company which
erected a brewery and operated it few
months.
Just below the castle. on the point at the
mouth of the Ozama river. is the tower.
unimpaired by age. where Columbus spent
so many weary hours. 1t is tall and dreary
looking, the windows are barely large
enough to permit ray of light to enter
and the inner walls are damp and dirty.
A long wall runs around it, and this con-
tains the barracks of the army of today.
Where Columbus Bones Rest.
On the plaza is the cathedral, built in
1902, and it still contains the bones of Co
lumbus, notwithstanding SPANS claim to
the contrary. The evidence proving this
cannot be disputed successfully. A mistake
was made in the removal of the remains.
The instructions given by Spain were am
biguous, in that the consul was asked to
remove the body at the right Of the altar.
All depended upon which way the altar was
viewed. The bones of Diego Columbus
We're removed, and later, in some repairs
to the cathedral, the casket containing the
remains of Christopher Columbus was
found. 1t was properly inscribed, and so
convinced of the accuracy of the facts was
the Spanish consul at the time the remains
were found that he Joined in memorial to
Spain the subject. This action cost him
his official head. Spain had duly identified
the remains according to the act of the for
mer consul, they had been removed with
due ceremony to Havana, and no aspersions
on the official acts of Spain were to be per-
mitted. The consuls Of other nations Joined
in the same memorial, and the documents
in the case and copies of the inscriptions
on the casket are to be found in little
pamphlet in Spanish. which seems to settle
the question beyond doubt. Within the
cathedral a $4,000 monument, erected by
the government of Santo Domingo STANDS
over the casket. In the tower of the ca
thedral is lodged an English cannon ball.
fired from a man-of-war in one of the many
conflicts in which England, France and
Spain were involved.
The plaza is well kept and filled with
tropical plants. And in fact the streets OF
the city are kept clean and the city in no
way resembles its sisters over the Haitian
frontier. Facing the plaza is also the
palace, which is the official residence of the
president and cabinet. No one lives in it.
and il is used only for offices Opposite it
on the plaza is the municipal building where
the city and provincial government have
homes.
The Official Lottery.
On the wide verandah of this building ev-
cry Sunday morning the drawing Of the Of
fetal lottery takes place to the music Of the
military band. This lottery is authorized by
law and apparently is honestly conducted |
The proceeds mainly go to the charitable |
institutions Of the city whose beneficiaries |
are employed during the week selling the |
tickets about the streets Every one buys |
one or more tickets, or rather fractions OF |
them, for they are sold In perforated sheets. |
and purchaser usually varies his chances |
by taking a ticket or two from several |
sheets. The prizes decided by means of |
an immense glass cylinder containing num- |