The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-24
MEDIEVAL DUNGEONS OF VERA CRUZ SWEEP
barbarism in the Prison
Fortress of San Juan
&c Ulua Alongside
| Modern War Equip
ment
ment
~ DUDLEY HARMON.

fortress, arsenal and military
prison of Vera Cruz affords "A
striking picture of methods and
.orA,llons In Mexico. In this curious,
,syoltlng survival of the days OF the
.o,oulstadores there exist side by side
~ medieval barbarism of the old
Msy,co and the coating of modernism
s.pNed to his country by the great Don
Dordrlu Within the walls of San Juan
che whole history Of Mexico IL written
- that nil who visit II may read, and
lore any belief in tho civilization
n the Mexican Government and
,s,ion yanshes us have thousands of
Nexcans who entered the castle walls
4 prisoners. II san Juan shows any
Eng # reveals Mexico. stripped of all
,.,ocr. tho backness underneath ex-
,o,al TO the twentieth century world.
lThc conditions found in that portion
tho island fortress given over to the
IorHncmcnt OF prisoners were beyond
description. such treatment OF human
,,,pgs as was evidenced when the
4 American naval officers first took over
San Juan Is picturesque perhaps when
encountered in a romance OF the days
N the discovery, but when met face to
fecs In the principal port OF Mexico in
,h,q dav and generation It Is only cause
,o- righteous Indignation and such
,-orpt action as has now been taken.
,Le majority Of the I'll fated men In
. nr.son at the taking of Vera Cruz
ave bscn released. and though there
,,oy he doubt as to whether the present
s,,u,tion means military Intervention or
r,t tho American naval officers have
| NOT hes.tatci an instant in most
i vigorous sanitary intervention In San
Iua, ds Juua. There are walking the
streets o. Vera Cruz to-day poor wrecks
\ ~ humanity, Indians for the most part,
who feel gratitude 10 Americans as the
= yeoplo who restored to them the light
NJ dav and the rights Of life, liberty and
IA, pursuit Of happiness. At least at
II frs, they were grateful; 1t is quite
prohabo that by now 1t has come TO DC
NJ =, natural to them to eat out of the
hand II Uncle sam that they take
ings more or less for granted.
IKE is foundations sunk beneath the
Goa. the history of San Juan lies buried
,a- below the present era In Mexico
7, kAd It's beginning IN the very ear
nee, laws Of the conquest OF Mexico,
nd next to the famous castle at Santo
noniuco city is the oldest fortress OF
n vuroneqn design in all the Western
uar,is,here. Much OF its history Is
obscure. but there Is one story which
ia nub,ic property down here and which
p4rhaps has not yet become generally
associated in the States with the vera
criz fortress 1t is said that centuries
sgo a courtier went to one or the
spanish Kings and reported that san
La, de I-lua was finished. The King
,hereupon stepped 20 balcony open
Ing ont toward the setting sun, ana
after gazing intently for a moment re-
,lled. "No. think you must be mis-
,aken. l don't see the fortress any
where"
"Rut your Majesty San Juan is In
u.v,co ana one cannot see Mexico from
here"
~ know" said the King. with sign
OF krow. hit certainly I thought
II 'ortress which has cost as much as san
IAN could certainly be seen from here
N when Il WIS finished"
" Had ne been obliged TO pay the DIS
ror the work done on San Juan since
I his doy, this King would have groaned
even more. For to-day San Juan Is
much more than It was then, in fact
t,he huge pile erected by the Spaniards
\ W. now only historical value, While
The additions made by the Mexicans are
Il real usefulness. It Is these addi-
~ lions which make so vivid the contrast
H between the old Mexico and the veneer
" Of civilization. Engrafted on the an
,art fortress is n complete machine
shop, foundry and forge, together with
floating dry dock, which has already
accommodated an American naval ves-
SCI. There Is also torpedo equipment
Of the most modern type. These things
a. 4 .
the abysmal dungeons in which hum
Az tveds OF NIcXlcans were Imprisoned IN
darkness and unspeakablc filth.
Hardly a trace Of the original island
U upon which san Juan was built can
ROW bo seen, So extensive are the ma
sonry works built upon It. In many
places the walls extend beyond what
was once the island beach. The island
Itself is not moro than a quarter OF
9 mile from the nearest point on the
thorc, and .a connected with the MAIN
land by q narrow Causeway. the latter
cq9GC,tng with long breakwater
= ["he course Of the causeway md break
water is so roundabout that no one ever
\ thinks os going 10 san Juan except 10y
boat In the late afternoon, when the
water aud sky are both n deep. clear
Blue, the old castle fairly siis-ens In
the reflection OF light from It's gray
EAte walls, and makes picture In
II keas.ns contrast to the ugly but eN-
tfemely valuable port works Installed
~ the EuNsh firm OF Pearsons.
VI IN the lee OF the fortress lles the
shoa,.ng dry dock. When ! visited tho
Island Mexican steamer, taken ovel
VI ny tie American forces, was resting
Y on the blocks. while gang OF eX-
prisoners was at work scraping its
nun, Richard ID. Gatewood. fleet nava
constructor. has been placed in charge
OF the operations of the dry dock anc
Ads had the plant going fun blast al
most ever since he took hold. one
ot his difficulties has been that his
"orkmcn are practically all Spaniards
VINO know no English, while Mr. Gate.
WOOD does not know the Spanish terms
pr the parts OF the dry dock machinery
- equipment. There has been neces.
Wy much pointing and waving of arms
~ inc AH.-T!Csh yacht Eagle was
HI-eh out OF the dock and Mexican
M "oa' cooked in her place In one morn.
~ Ing this weep.
Az ths narrow landing OF the fortress.
' s.aes are sheer for many fathoms