The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-06-20
Pirates, Pestilence and Storm
Have Scared Vera Cruz.
Buccaneers Of the Spanish Main Have
PIundered and Burned and Com
mitted Other Atrocities Re-
peatedly In Ancient Port

New Orleans.-Bloodshe Is not new
In Vera Cruz. In fact, no city on the
continent has witnessed such devilish
cruelty, such plundering. burning and
ravishing, as has this place or the
True Cross" Since Cortez landed
in 1878, there has been a succession
OF strife and pestilence which can be
paralleled In few cities in the world
Bepistoled buccaneers, in all their aw'
full glory, have raided the port time
and again; 1t has been a point oil
vantage which has called forth the
lustiest fighting in the many civil wars
that have swept Mexico and 1t has
always been selected as the landing
point for foreign foes. writes Pau
Norton In the New Orleans Times
Democrat Picayune.
Whenever any OF the numerous pi
rates who preyed on the rich shipping
Of the Spanish main wanted to "singe
the beard of the king of Spain" they
would attack Vera Cruz. Lorencillo
q famous pirate Of the early days
with 500 Of his cutthroats. slipped by
the sleeping cannoneers at the fort
surprised the town, killed thousands
outraged its women and stripped the
city of its valuables. Hundreds OF
persons were driven into the cathe
dral. men, women and children. black
and white. and held prisoners. When
the doors were opened four days later
most of the inmates were dead from
suffocation.
As the gateway through which all
the commerce with Spain was con-
Quoted. there always were great stores
Of valuable property on hand. This
was true particularly Just before the
sailing OF the galleons. which usually
travelled in fleets owing to the men.
ace OF pirates. BY learning of the
schedule Of the galleons the bucca.
neers generally dropped in when the
supply Of treasure was great. Nicolas
de Agriamonte, another highwayman
Of the deep. pillaged the town some
years after the visit OF Lorencillo
He enriched himself with 100000
In silver awaiting transportation to
Spain. BY way Of appreciation he
took prisoners 800 of the citizens OF
the town and marooned them on the
Sacrifice islands, patches Of sand not
far from the coast. where they died oil
starvation. The anniversary Of this
calamity Is observed by memorial
services to this day.
While the blood OF thousands ha.
flowed through the streets of this Ill
fated port. the toll of war and violence
II Insignificant in comparison with
the deaths that have come from pesti
lepce.
Until 1850 the city was surrounded
by mighty wall This great bulwarl
may have saved the city on a few oc
casions from attack. but cutting GU
the healthful sea breeze made II {
pest hole compared to which Guaya
gull is a health resort. Yellow jacl
In all Its terrors was never absent
Smallpox. bubonic plague and the 9th
or offspring OF the dirt and squalol
Of the middle ages were always pres
ent. II was only in recent years tha
modern sewer and drainage system.
were installed. which, with other SAM
tary precautions, has changed tn,
place from death-dealing focus to {
health resort
The harbor at Vera Cruz has little
natural protection. Before the build
ing OF the present breakwaters tn.
northers which characterize the Mos
quito coast dealt the struggling cit,
almost as severe blows as did Tho
pirates and the diseases. Modern en-
g1neering now protects the city ant
gives limited area in which the ship.
can anchor behind the seawall.
Due to the hatred OF the Spaniards
Vera Cruz once was ground to pow
Oar At the close OF Mexico's war fol
independence. In 1921. the Spaniard,
still held the fort Of San Juan d.
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