Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-14
CATHEDRAL SPARED
BY TROP|C STORM
N0.Year- Old Temple Re-
mains Unhurt, Despite Hur-
ricanes and Revolutions.
By GRETCHEN SMITH.

Ruthless in its destruction OF life and
property, the hurricane which recently
devastated the city of Santo Domingo,
left untouched in its ancient beauty the
old cathedral which for over 400 years
has defled the storms and revolutions of
nature and man. In the center of blood
and Ynud-stained ruins, the temple
proved q real sanctuary to the body
torn and soul-strieken inhabitants of
the Dominican city.
Despite the fact that the solid stone
walls of the building remain mute test
nonials to the efficiency of the Spanish
architect, Alfonso Rodriguez, and his CO.
workers, who completed the cathedral in
1910, the old church apparently pos
sesses Divine protection, rendering 1t
immune to either the storms of nature
or the revolutions of the islands in
habitants
In 1854. 20 years after the completion
Of the cathedral, when Santo Domingo
was rocked by the earthquake which
completely destroyed the neighboring
city Of Santiago de los Caballeros, the
Cathedral of Santo Domingo survived
the catastrophe without so much as
crack in its walls.
Often Fired Upon.
Upon the roof of the cathedral there
still remains, partly irnbedded, shell
fred by one of the English ships which
STACKED the Spanish forces in 1855.
Apparently the shell failed to explode
and did no greater harm than partly
penetrating the roof Of the building.
Bombing was q common occurrence dur
ing the tempestuous days when the
possession of Santo Domingo was in
turn contested by Spanish, English and
French.
Gunfre was again heard and the
If cl1al1r Gantn n0rlaiY1
COS plaza caused much destruction
during the Dominican struggle for in
dependence in 1914, but through it all
the cathedral remained untouched, the
beauty Of its splendid facade unaffected
by the shells and explosives which
rained about it.
Among the first reports to come from
the stricken republic last week was that
which told of the survival of the cathe
dral ana its use as q sanctuary for the
living and the dying. Hundreds in
tured by the storm were carried within
the stone walls of the building and
given first aid where they lay upon the
doors Of the three vast naves and the
IS ciapels which constitute the inte-
Nor Of the cathedral.
The destruction of the Cathedral of
GAnto Domingo would have been an
international loss, as historical relics OF
untold value have been donated to the
sacred building during its 400 years ex-
istence. In one of the chapels there
Is q famous painting presented to
Christopher Columbus by King Ferdi-
nand and Queen Isabella Of Spain, and
later presented to the island by the
discoyerer Of America.
Tomb Of Columbus.
Heated disputes and ceaseless discus
SLANG have resulted over the question
Of the final resting place Of Columbus,
but It has been generally accepted after
careful investigations Of disinterested
persons, including the German his
torian, Rudolf Cronau, that the bones
OF the famous explorer now rest in q
crypt under the old cathedral. Column
bus died in Spain in 1906 and few
days before his death, he expressed the
desire that his bones be laid to rest in
Espanola (Santo Domingo, the island
he loved most. It was not until APP
proxinnately 81 years after his death
that his wish was fulfilled. The re-
mains of his son, Diego, who died In