Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-03-07
PANAMA, OLD AND NEW.
The City OF Today is an odd Conglomereton OF the
Ancient and Modern.

OF the

are raced Dy vast american hulcl anu
the green cathedral with It's green
saints, before mentioned, This fam
GUS sanctuary of bygone centuries Is
almost a fac smile Of the grand cath
edral in the city Of Mexico. being built
Of stone aud succeed adobe, 200 feet
long by $50 feet deep, with floor OF
square red bricks ana roof supported
by four rows Of massive stone columns.
It's twin towers are among me tallesJ
on the two contlnents-so tall That they
indicate to vessels far out at sea the
entrance to the harbor
Panamas principal theater occupies
an old convent, an enormous structure,
within whose quaint ClUlstcrs, during
two hundred years, black-rObed nuns
lived In priyatlon and prayer verify
this Is an age OF contrasts! IL was
opened for It's present use few years
ago by Sarah Bernhard, as that queen
OF the demi monde, Camille Among
other noteworthy buildings are the
governors palace, which commands a
charming view of the bay and It's green
Islands. the late sumptu0us headquar-
ters of the defunct canal company; the
Coleii0 Esperanza Hope college)i for
girls directed and taught by teachers
from the United States the Colejio del
lsthm0, for boys and half dozen
nne old churches. Among the latter
that of Santo Domingo, is perhaps
most interesting. though now IN ruins.
n was built soon after the founding of
the city, and In It's day was one of the
richest sanctuaries in the new world,
possesslng extraordinary store of jew
elled vestments golden altor-serNlce'
lamps and crucidxes. The church IT,
self was built by the queen Of Spain
and the ladies' OF her court eaeh con
tributing to the pi0us work what
money she could afford. When the time
came for casting bells for rs tower
there was no money left TO pay for the
metal they should contain. SO the
Jealous queen invited not only the mo-
blIitv. but people Of an classes, to
come and witness the casting OF the
bells and 10 contribute thereto, On the
appointed day they came IN cr0Wds,
high and low, rich and poor Wheh
an was ready the queen threw a hahu
ful Of gold into the great cruclD'e' ana
the ladies and gentlemen OF her court
did the same. and then the poor
followed with donations OF suNer
and copper, greater In quantity put Tess
In value Thus the amount OF metal rap
idly Increased. but still there was not
enough. Then the queen threw ~
All the golden ornaments she wore,
her ladies did the same. The gallant
courtlers cut the silver buttons from
their Jackets the buckles from their
shoes. and the officers wrcnched the
ieweled handles from their swords. Tile
excitement grew intense, Rings, brace
let's and yaluables of all sorts. some OF
Them precious relics and family heir
looms. together with brass and iron
and the meaner trinkets OF hol polloL
an went into the crucible. And thus
The bells OF Santo Domingo were made,
Their tones were the sweetest and
clearest ever heard and whenever they
were heard priests and people crossed
themselves and said prayer When the
church for which they were designed
was burned about 20 years ago they
were not injured by their fall from the
lofty tower and were afterwards hung
In the catheral, but listening 10 the
discordant. ear-splitting clatter that is
sues continually from its tower one Is
inclined 10 doubt the story Of the sweet
tones OF the famous bells.