Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-12-07

had gained the enmity of the command
| ant or the governor were confined fnl
chains. Let it be whispered, however,
that the thrilling tales of skeletons
| found chained to the walls and Of the
tortures authorized by the 1nquisition|
and carried out by it's agents are large
~ If not wholly moonshtne.
From the watchtower. a beautiful
view is gained of the Matanzas river,
Anastasta island, the rolling sand
dunes and the heaving sea beyond. on
Anastasia stands the barber pole
| lighthouse" SO named because it has
| been painted black and white in spiral
stripes so that mariners may distin-
gulsh 1t from other beacons. The
bathing beach of st. Augustine is on
| Anastasla island also Here landed the
Dand OF Huguenots who were slaugh-
! tered by Pedro Menendez, away back
in the sixteenth century, after they
had been induced to give up their
arms by false pretenses Menendez
sent boats to them, brought them over
In small bands, bound them when out
OF sight of their waiting comradesj
hllndfolded them and took them behind
the sand hills where he put them to-
death. All this, done in the name OF
religion" happened in America, not
In medieval Europe. The Matanzas isl
APPLY named. Matanzas is Spanish for
massacre, and the name and memories|
cling peristently to the spot
The ocean constantly means on the
beach OF Anastasia island. Supersti7
tious persons say it is wailing forstheI
victims Of Pedro Menendez; others
claim that the soul Of the murderou1
governor is bound in tho waves and
that there it will always stay, -mournx
ing and weeping for the evil deeds az
Menendez in the flesh
The slaughter of the Huguenots 81
not the only massacre remembered
here. Not far from the United Stated
barracks, once the old Franciscan monp
astry, Is military cemetery, in whzcA
three white pyramids rise conspic,A
ously to mark the spot where rest TIM
bones of the massacred men who went
out against the Seminoles under Majoi
Dade.
The Plaza de la Constitution derived
it's name from an old monument which
is unique among the memorials of the
new world. The shaft, which is very
ancient in construction and design, was
erected at the time many others OF
similar character were raised in the
cities of Spain to commemorate the
granting of more liberal constitution!
to the Spaniards. But not for long
were these monuments permitted to
stand. Soon the new constitution be-
came irksome to the nobility The
court found the common people enjoy
ing too many privileges. So, as was
the case in those days when a king
thought his people were becoming hap:
py and contented under privileges not
enjoyed before, the constitution was res
voked and a return to tyranny ensued!
Then the monuments were torn down.
Not one remained Of all of them, ex-
cept the modest shaft away over in
America, and there it stands on the
Plaza at st. Augustine, at once a me-.
mortal to liberty and tyranny STRANGE
the liberal Though temporarily son
ideas of a Spanish king should be OH
American soil, is it not:
The old palace of the governor gent
eral fronts on the Plaza. Ancient glo{,
ries are suggested, but a touch of mod+
ern reality is added in one of Uncle
Sans letter boxes in the main court
Not far from the palace is the old
Spanish cathedral, one of the Oldest
buildings In the United States, and
still redolent with historical charml
The bells still hang In the open arch!
and 1t Is not SO ve7g many years aga
that priests came ous An the landing
and struck them with hammers. Now
they are supplied with ropes and ara
rung from below.
The cathedral is In constant use. but
has seen many 'vicissitudes. A fegl
years ago the interior was nearlR
ruined by fire. A northern millionaire
advanced $4,000 on bond and mort
gage for Its restoration, and the next
Christmas the bishop Of the districh
found the Cancelled mortgage among
his presents. -,
The city gates, set In 9 massive WALL
and having the lion Of tho sturdy Leon
OF CASTLE as their escutcheons, are all
ways visited early by tourists. The
ride from the modern railroad station
to modern hotel built in the charm
ing Spanish style extends through
these gates, and thus at once that inde-
Unable blending Of the ancient and the
modern is noted.
On the Plaza stands the old slave
mart, plain open structure reminding
one slightly of the Greek Parthenon.i
though there is nothing Grecian about
the stubby, square tower which rises
from one end nor is there suggestion
of Grecian architecture in the stontl
square pillars which uphold the roof s.
=Alo4g the sea wall one finds mann
quaint and curious buildings, and an
through the town reminders of spafn
are thiokly scattered, The city wan
may be traced the entire length, but .
the gateway is about the only Tangible
reminder Of it that is left. IT..
Getting an Education.
"Has your son learned much sfnca
he went to college?'' asked the new
minister.
Nav replied Farmer oaacaba