Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-02-04


the stubble with great white oxen
Half the land seems to be given up
10 olive orchards. which stretch in
every direction as far as the eye can
see, and beautiful trees they are. The
leaves of the olive tree have a tint
OF their own that is shared by no 9th.
ers. One side OF the leaf is lnstrous
and the other side Is gray, so that a
breeze makes an olive orchard look
very pretty.
A new industry has been introduc-
ed into Spain-,he manufacture OF
sugar beets. 1t began with the late
revolution OF 1894 in Cuba, which de
stroyed so many plantations that su-
gar became scarce and high. and IL
Tor every one who went into 1t has
made money. Sugar mills have
sprung up all around southern Spain.
and the soil in the valleys between
Seville and Granada has proved to be
especially well adapted to beeis.
In the afternoon we reached the
town of Boadllla, which is a consider
able railroad center and the name
reminds MS Of the ugly old governor
,f Santo Domingo who arrested Co
lumbus and sent him home in chains.
A little way beyond this we pass
through the estates OF the ARGOS fam
ily. which are very large and remind
the Duke d'Arcos, was recently the
Spanish minister to Washington, and
married Miss Lowery of that city.
rem miles beyond are the estates OF
he Empress Eugene. She owns a
great deal OF land and AT Osnna is
he seat of the Giron family, one OF
he oldest OF the noble houses Of Eur
)pe II is said that more than thirty
generations OF them have been bur
led In the family vault. Plenty of
history has been made around here.
There isn't town on the whole line
but what has been the scene OF stir
ring events or has had its part in ro-
nance
Near the estate known "a Sofa de
Roma, which was presented TO the
Duke Of Wellington by the govern
ment of Spain after he drove out the
French intruders in 1908. is the ia
nous Bridge OF Pines. where Colum.
bus was stopped by messenger sent
by Queen Isabella. who begged him
o come back 10 Santa Fe and renew
negotiations which had hecn termin-
tied by the rejection of his schemes.
Hence that bridge has always had a
,articular interest and has been paint
"a by a hundred artists. The disap-
jointed old sailor was riding a don
tcy and his faithful brother Bar
holomew walked by his side, His of
'er had been rejected by the SOW
arcigns of Spain because they were
engieed in the siege of Granada and
nad NO lime or money TO waste on ex'
,lDring expeditions. Disappointed
ind Indignant, Columbus left the
,ourt and started for England, where
he intended TO lay his scheme before
he British government Queen lisa
bella had treated him so kindly, how
ever. that he obeyed her summons
md in turning back to enter into Q
WIN WV t'Buuioh SoN'' u
mcnt he perhaps changed the entire
history of the American continent
rhat was one of the most critical in
'idents in human experience.
The contract with Columbus wa'
made and signed AT the little towr
II Santa Fe. which had sprung NJ
tround the Headquarters of Ferdinand
md Isabella during the long siege
II Granada, Louis Santangel, the roy
n treasurer, undertaking to find mon
~ 10 pay the expenses, so that the
Queens jewels. which were generous
offered. were not sacrihced Under
his contract Columbus and his heirs
ore,er were to enjoy one-flfth of al
he revenues that might come from
he lands he discovered; he and hi.
descendants were 10 own one-tifth o
them. and were to be perpetual gov
ernors or rulers, subject TO the crown
If Spain. If this contract had beer
Kept to the letter all these centuries
the Duke OF Veragua would now bt
Viceroy of all America and woult
own one-ifth of the United States
After the death Of Isabella, King Fer
1inand refused To recognize tht
,laims of Columbus. So many ex
plorers had visited the new worlt
and had claimed similar rights ant
tiles to the territory they had visit
A. that the king could not make s
precedent, so that for seven years Co
lumbus was following the court from
place to place pleading for his rights
and reward After he died his sol
Diego was permitted to take the cast
into court, where it was decided ir
his favor and he was finally made
governor OF the island now known as
Haiti and Sauio Domingo He proved
failure and after a few years was
recalled TO Spain and spent the resi-
Of his life demanding restoration
The family claims upon the crown
were Inherited by his sor
Louis. who early developed all III,
vices of his father During his mi
nority San Domingo was governed b,
4 council. and when he became o.
age he surrendered all his claims up
II the crown for an annual pension
ten thousand ducats, an estate ir
Honduras twenty-five leagues square
md group OF titles making him tht
Duke of Neragua (Hondurasl, Mar
n,,tu at l,n,ai,a Erapd AIn,ir,l 4,