Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1931-04-23

Kings. Highway was built across
the isthmus.
For a number Of years the Span
ish, were unmolested in their rich
traffic over the isthmus. But in
1872 Sir Francis Drake visited the
east coast and made an ~ansuec essfaal
attack ON Nombre de Dies, the
Spanish stronghold. He afterwards
captured a treasure train 6 on HI
Canine Real and them returned to
England to prepare for greater con-
quests On ffs second voyage he
captured Nombre de Dios and was
preparing to sack Porto Be1lo, an
other Spanish settlement, when he
became i'll and soon died His body,
encased in a leaden casket, was
buried in the Atlantic, off Porto
Beilo. afUt sa fif "-
For 80 years after brakes death
the Spanish enjoyed comparative
security on the isthmus. But the
time came when the most desperate
of English pirates-Henry Morgan
made his appearance. With a
crew of rapscallions he attacked
Porto Bello, then become the east
| ern stronghold of the Spaniards.
The town was captured, sacked and
destroyed Gold of greater value
than the treasures of Ophir were
carried away The Spanish next
built Fort San Lorenzo, supposedly
impregnable, at the mouth of the
i Chagres river Morgan returned,
again defeated the Castilians and
looted their treasure house. He
then marched across the isthmus
and attacked Panama city In four
days the western metropolis lay in
| ruins. Twelve thousand buildings
| We're utterly destroyed and nought
remained of the once beautiful city
save the walls of few churches. d..
But the sold that the English ex-
pected as "a reward for their rapine
was not forthcoming. The Spanish
who survived the siege We're tor
tured to make them tell where they
vain. To this day it is not known
what became of the gold Of Old
Panama. Seekers of treasure trove
still like to poke among the ruins
/ of the ancient city and along the
old Gold Trail, in quest of this
/ long hidden wealth. ..,.-
An Almost Priceless Relic
An almost priceless relic is the
solid gold altar of San Jose church
in the present city Of Panama The
churches Of the old city when word
came that Morgan was on his way.
The priests loaded the altar on a
ship and put out to sea, Later
when Panama city was established,
San Jose church was built, and an
altar, elaborately carved, but pure
white, was erected therein. After
that. when pirates were no longer
to be feared, there suddenly burst
upon the daZzled vision of the con-
gregation the cleaning altar as it
now appears. The change had been
effected simply by the priests re-
moving the white paint that had
safeguarded the altar from theft.
During the recent revolution in
! Panama, of which . there still re-
splintered door jambs and bullet
| pierced windows, San Jose church
was said to be an objective of each
of the warning factions. But to
disprove any such malicious mo-
tive, guards from each side were
posted in front of the church, and
we thus found the edifice protected
when we visited the city. ...
The golden altar is truly mag
nificent. A realization that it is
solid gold makes it many times
more impressive. AS bullion alone
it is said to be worth three million
dollars, but as an antique its value
can hardly be estimated. a.
We visited the site of Old Pan
ANA, and saw the crumbing walls
that have defed the ravages of
time since Morgan laid the city low
more than two and a half centuries
ago. y good road leads from the
present city to the old. In the
words Of the Panaman poet Gilbert,
Old Panama
Stands naught but a ruin. half
hidden from view.
A pirates foul Gift to his blood.
thirsty crew"
Another interesting ruin in the
modern city of Panama is the old
Dominican church at Ave. A and
Third street. The woodwork of
the church was burned by fire in
j 56y and meyer rebuilt \ flat. arch
of masonry. 7censi cred a marvel of
architecture, still stands, having re-
sisted earthquakes and time with
no support. other than the terminal
arches. When the question of q
sea level or lock type canal was be-
ing debated; this time-defying arch
IS said to have been a deciding fac
tor in favor of the lock type canal,
as it proved conyipcingly that Pan
anna was outside the earthquake
area. ..i.,., ,=4 H ~
its narrow Streets ~red-tiled
high roofs, attractive plazas and old
.cathedrals, Panama city is strong
ly reminiscent of old SPAIN 1T is
Spanish in government and also in
its mode of living. This fact we
soon found out, after we were reg
istered at the Central al~hstels~~-Whe hen
a North American is ready to go to
bed and sleep, the Central Amer
lean is wiping the -sleep from his
and rin to L O. - 11nll a