The Washington times., 1906-09-09
In the Picturesque Fortified Town Where
Rest the Bones Of Christopher Columbus
Only Vine Clad Walls Of What Were
Once Stately Palaces Recall the Departed
Oories Of San Domingo ~ * X
By THOMAS R. DAwLEY, JR.

ton OF Africans, had settled down to
the peaceful pursuit OF filling the soil.
but with the tales OF other conQuests
and gold from Mexico, the unfinished
Santo Domingo was almost aban-
doned. It's population sank 20 an in
significant few. and even tho name OF
the island was lost and forgotten.
Even at the present day there ars
many people whose interests are In
the northern part OF the island. who
assert that this old city has no reason
20 exist and they compare It 70 an
air plant which lives upon nothing,
FOR Santo Domingo Is actually a city
without Industries Of any kind. The
advisabnity OF abandoning Il as the
capital Of the country has been advo-
Gated many times, and this would
have been done before this were Il
not for the edihCes already built and
Htill serving the necessary purposes OF
government Offices and residences. As
stiH serving the necessary purposes OF
some -0.000 Inhabitants, which Is IN
doubtedly twice as many as fl actually
contains. The ancient wall inclosing
10 measures only 2.00o yards on the
west and less than 1000 Yards on the
north while IT'S frontage on the sea
IS a little over 800 yards. That 20
oo0 people could live within this IN
riosure under the present conditions
Is propCsterous. vet the DOMINICAN au-
tooriues give this as the population.
With the sea on one side. the river
on the o.hcr. the city IS surrounded
on the north east. and west by an
immensely fertile region which IS al-
most devoid OF population. There are
no farms surrounding IL worthy the
name. and its only subsistence -s that
obtained directly .r indirectly from
the customs receipts and such loans
as can be- procured from time 70 time
AT eNorblrant rates Of interest upon
more or less dubious security. Twice a
month the Civde Line steamers from
New York enter IT'S harbor and brings
81 communication by mail with the out
side world There is telegraph line
across iae island monopoHzed by the
French cable Company. vshlch charges
thc government heavy per diem for
every 5av the line refuses 70 0Derare
on account Of revolutions and revolu-
uonIsts and if the per diem was only
N'ttrN.| atlE WfAi4 tfN4IL inr company
more by The line being down than IN
operation.
Crossing the island 70 the city from
the north one traverses miles %
primeval forest which seldom hears the
fall of the woodman's ak. There are
innumerabla swiftly flowing rivers
without bridges. and which become
impass8hIe in a single hour. and there
are mountains over which the tral
winds IN le7s passahle shape than in
the DAYS OF the early Spaniard. There
are extensive plains covered with tan
grass, but rarely does the traveller see
any cattle brousing upon them, and
even more rarely does he encounter an
Individual outside Of an occasional
collection Of native cabins made Of
palm leaves and poles fosming a set
uement Even when approaching the
capital one fails 10 see the expected
signs of civilization. Crosses marking
the last resting place of some dead
revolutionist a government general. OF
a cattle thief, may become more nu-
merous. that is all.