La Junta tribune., 1913-03-15
ISLAND or cvsA.
Cuban Fortrsssss Literally Carved
Out Of Solid Aeek-Strsnss and
WeodreUs Sights.

hutHSr mere tndt YAH NOV rAp'N'
TO do more than give you a birds
eye view OF the island OF Cuba and
It's capitol city, Havana. In the short
space OF one letter. Coming direct
from Florida. a distance OF ninety
miles. | expected TO find here d low,
level country. but slightly elevated
above the sea Instead, however. !
found hills and hollows with hazy
mountains In the distance. some Of
them rising TO an altitude Of 5000
feet II may be- that some time IN
the dim past line Of coral reefs of
which Cuba and Florida are compos-
ed. extended In a continuous line
through here. connecting North and
South America. Then some mighty
upheayal OF the carths crust raised
what Is now Cuba. high and dry. leaS.
ing channel through which the Gulf
Stream makes rs way TO the north
The coral rocks are lifted high about
Havana harbor which although not
large affords magnificent protection
TO shipping as Il Is entirely land
locked. the entrance having width
Of but $50 yards.
been fortified on both sides. the
first fort having been built by the
Spsniards early In 1900 Some idea
OF the strength Of these Qualifications
can be- realized when We are told
that MORO Castle and Cabanas fort.
ross. both on on. side, cost Sli 00O
900 In money and twelve years labor
by an army Of negro slaves This
fortress is literally carved out Of
solid rock. IN. huge blocks Of cor.
al taken out IN one place being Us,
cd In another TO build a wall ii0
feet thick on the land side In front
OF MORO Castle is moat. once mn
ed with water 10 a depth of eighty
five feet. over which an immense
draw bridge vas operated by horse
power and weights Here was pro.
lection and an ideal site for a city,
and here Havana has grown through
the centuries and today. rich beyond
measure In strange and Wondrous
sights Is fun of interest 10 the
traveller
The American Traveller who sspires
to do" a foreign land need go bu,
ninety miles across the Florida stral,
tn find something which will surely
meet his requirements Here " y
land. the infan, republic Of Cuha. on.
OF tn. IVES, Indies. where history be
Kan for tn. new world when Colum-
bus landed In iis2 Although the
lsia de Cuba VAS not HIS first land.
Ing place be touched this shor. on
his first yoyas. aud visited Cuba
again In lIst I, Is nerc. then. that
much history has been made In the
latest Of which our Uncle Sam play.
ed a very prominent part. ". ar.
all familiar with the blowing up Of
the Maine In this harbor ON the 18th
II February. isas Neither Spain.
nor the fellow who touched off the
mine realized what they had done un.
~ the force Of the explosion had
shaken Spain loos. from Cuba for.
ever. and reaching around the world.
transferred the Philippines 10 the
United States The United States
took possession of Havana. January
T. 1900 and their first act was To
lib,rat" from the Dungeons ~ Morro
Castle and Cahauas the Cuban pris.
luDrs vho stili survived the oppres.
sion OF Spain which had begun 500
years before I have read Of the
spanish luquizition but never rcaliz.
"a their untold tor;urss and luhuman
treatment until saw fho spot
wh"r" The Cuban patriots verr shot
20 death after a. mock trial and the
dungeons where they we're imprIs1n.
ed and died awaiting ihc trial which
never came. and other dungeons
whore they were walled in ally.
There are l2o of these latter which
remain unopened to this hay but
enough have been opened Whcr. the
rrinninF skeletons toll the Ercssome
tale met gentleman here Who
Was one Of the United states troops
detailed TO release a." living priS.
oners on that day They found ?si
still alive. and these were released.
but for many Of them the rescue
cam. too late. for they had become
blind In the dartncss or b~r.f, Of
reason from their suffcrinss All Of
this is bu, a hin, Of IN. a'roci,ic.
for which Spain has been responsible
during her dominion on this CONT.
ncn' and with this In mind. I have