White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1931-12-03

tprep5ea by National GeS1ap sasv Society
THE dark, unmarked Santo Do
mingo harbor into which Column
bus three diminutive vessels
sailed in 1892 soon will be light
ed by new lighthouse, memorial
to the Great Discoverer. Plans have
already been chosen from those sub
mitted by architects representing the
United States and several countries of
Europe.
Although now modernized, Santo
Domingo still retains much of it's
early Spanish aspect. "Oldest in the
New world" and First to be estab
lshed by white men in America" are
phrases of inevitable recurrence in
any descriptive list of the historic
buildings and ruins Of this ancient
city. The early colonists built for the
centuries, and many edifices dating
from the Sixteenth century are still
In use.
The ministry of foreign affairs and
other departments of the Dominican
government occupy the old colonial
palace of government spacious
structure that was venerable long be-
fore the first buildings rose at James
town, Va.
Surmounting a bluff which COM
mands the entrance to the inner har-
Dor rises the ancient Tower Of Homage.
Unshaken through the centuries this
pioneer outpost, of New world con-
quest seems to dream of the golden
age when it guarded the key city
of the far-fung empire of Spain in
America.
In the tower is small barred aper-
ture that sometimes is pointed out
as the window of the cell in which
Columbus was imprisoned before being
sent back to Spain in chains-a state
ment that cannot be true, since Colum-
bus Imprisonment took place in 1900,
posite bank of the Ozama river. The
same hurricane that destroyed the
home-bound fleet in 1902 so damaged
the city that it was decided to re-
build it on the higher western side of
the Ozama, the site it now occupies.
House Of the Admiral.
OF the buildings now in ruins one
of the most interesting is the castle
of Diego Colon or House of the Adj
miral, the ancestral home of the
Columbus family in America. Its con-
struction was begun in 1909, when
Diego Columbus, second admiral and
son of the discoverer, came to Santo
Domingo as governor of the colony.
The house was occupied by members
of the Columbus family until the death
of another Diego, great-grandson Of
the discoverer and last of the direct
line Of his male descendants.
Although the House of the Admiral
has been allowed to fall into ruins,
with it's destruction further fastened
by the vandalism of treasure-seekers,
II historic walls will bear mute testi-
mony to it's former magnifcence 1t
was to this and other pretentiOus
mansions of the city that the chron-
fcler Oviedo referred when in letter
to the king Of Spain he said that his
ROYAL Highness often lodged in palaces
far inferior to those of Santo Domingo,
and added that he considered the
city superior to any in Spain in it's
location, beauty and arrangement.
Fifty years after it's founding
Santo Domingo had passed the apex of
It's first glory. Interest in the new
colony was eclipsed by desire for fur
Their conquest, and its meteoric rise
it's decline. From goal, Santo
Domingo became base for expedi-
lions farther westward. CorteZ, PiZar-
70 and Ponce de Leon were only few
of the gentlemen adventures who
sailed out Of the mouth of the Ozama
with their eyes strained for the glitter
of gold on the western horizon.
BY 1886 the power Of Santo Domin-
90 had so waned that the capital fell
an easy prey to Sir Francis Drake,
and ransom was extorted by meth
DDS smacking Of the torture chamber.
Each day prescribed buildings were
demolished until about third Of the
city lay in ruins. Then the citizens
managed to scrape together going
away present amounting to about $780,
600 with which Drake took his leave
after hanging few prominent citizens
by way Of valediction.
OF less stern caiber were the war
riors Of the Admiral Penn expedition |
which in 1866 was sent to the island |
by Cromwell with the object of gain !
ing permanent possession Of the col |
ony. Landing on the coast west of
Santo Domingo city, the English |
forces were met by determined resist
ance in their advance on the capital
and we're soon glad to leave Hispaniola |