Evening star., 1934-10-28
.H|SPAN|OLA RICH
IN TOURIST LORE
Columbus, Christophe and
Others Brought Fame to
Beautiful Isle.
BY WILLIAM A. REID,
Foreign Trade Adviser ,Pan-America

This is the sirth OF q series OF
articles on trdrel in pdn-An1ertcdn
countries.
Look backward into the centuries
3 by walking through the oldest city in
all the Americas: see the location
that was chosen for the first perma-
nent settlement in this newly-found
land; stroll through the Columbus
home. "the most imposing structure
of man in the American tropics; !;
visit on a mountain top a citadel
large enough to quarter 10000 SOL
diers; bow your head at the tomb of
the great discoverer!
Such momentous history is at ones
elbow on the island of Hispaniola.
Today the islands highways and its
airways and comfortable ships that
sail to its ports are opening a wonder
land comparatively few Americans
have seen.
HiSpaniola is the second largest
island of the Greater Antilles. Draw
an imaginary line from Boston l 400
miles southwark and a similar one
of like distance eastward from Mexico
City These lines will bisect in His
PAMELA.
Approaching on ship, from any di-
rection, the topography appears to
be a conglomeration of hills and
mountains, all clothed in tropical ver-
dure. Mount Iona Tina stands ap-
proximately at the middle of the
island 1t is not only the highest
peak in Hispaniola, but also the
loftiest point in all the West Indies.
It's crest is about 9,400 feet above sea
level. When we remember that the
island is only 400 miles long and 160
miles wide, the height of this peak
is accentusted. 1t may be seen many
miles away.
First Colony Attempted.
Hispaniola was visited by Columbus
In December. 1892, on his first voy-
age. On the northwest coast the
Santa Maria, the flagship of the illus
trious admiral, was wrecked. Colum-
bus went ashore at place now called
Mole st. Nicholas. We are told he
left some of his men on the island
and returned to Spain, but on the
second voyage to the New World he
found none of those Spaniards left
on the first voyage.
Hlspaniola the name Columbus
gave the island, was the first land in
the New World on which colonization
was attempted. But it proved to be
''the worst governed, most trouble
some and the earliest lost to Spain. -
A zig-zag line following eight
mountain peaks from the Bay Of
Mancenillo, on the north. to Cape
Rojo, on the south. divides the island.
Two-thirds Of its entire area forms
the Dominican Republic, while the
remaining third on the west is that
occupied by the Republic of Haiti.
Mountains, many valleys watered
by short streams. numerous plains,
abundance of tropical fruits. primeval
forests, coffee farms, sugar cane
fields, banana plantations are COM
mon to both countries. On the other
hand, the two peoples are quite diff
ferent. Citizens of the larger country
speak Spanish and are mostly de-
scendants of early Spanish colo
nization. Haiti, the only Negro re-
public in the Western Hemisphere,
speaks French, and many of its peo-
pie are descendants of slaves brought
from Africa by the French in early
days. These people, intermarrying
and mingling for centuries with
French and other colonists of higher
walks of life, have created an inter-
esting and unusual population.
Travel Facilities improved,
But what do these countries hold
today for those who seek the uncom-
mon, the unusual, the historic? In
the first place, modern travel facili-
ties have been so developed within
recent years that both countries are
open to visitors and both peoples are
catering to tourists.
Dominican and Haitian highways
for motor travel now lead to many
historic places. From Santo Domingo
City a fine highway extends north
ward across the country to Puerto
Plata, passing en- route La Vega, San
tiago and smaller cities. Numerous
roads also lead from the capital to
other parts of the country. In Haiti
there is highway artery connecting
Port au Prince, in the south, with
Cape Haitien, in the north, passing
through ST. Marc and Gonaives, and
from the capital to the southernmost
towns there are similar highway IA
cilities. Dominican and Haitian capi-
tails are at last connected by motor
roads, with a southern route and a
northern route. The connecting links
of the latter have been practically
completed.
These new roads, therefore, open
Hispaniola to tourist travel as never
before. Much of the highway work
must be credited to the United States
Marines while stationed in the two
republics. The roads the Marines
constructed formed a nucleus which
both nations have extended.
Starting from Miami, regular air
planes call at Havana, Santiago, Port
au Prince, Santo Domingo City and
San Juan in Puerto Rico. Returning,
the planes follow the same general
course. So, both eastward and west
ward bound planes bring the prin-
cipal cities of Hispaniola into quick
touch with the United States.
Hamlet Crosses Stream.
Only four years after Christopher
Columbus discovered the New World
q brother of the admiral, Bartolome
Columbus, began a settlement on Au-
gust 4. 14e6, at what is today Santo
Domingo City. This hamlet was
started on the left bank of the Ozama
River near the ocean, but by 1902 1t
was found advisable to re-establish
the village on the opposite side of the
stream. There stands the present
capital city of the Dominican Repub-
lie and the oldest city in the Western
World. Only 18 years after his
fathers discovery Diego Columbus
began to erect an extensive stone
castle as a home for the family in
the New World. It's massive walls
and towers bear mute testimony to
the skill and patience of the builders
of yesterday. Today the tourist may
stroll about the ruins of this castle,
see the family quarters. those of the
servants and other parts of the his
torir strIlctiIre A movement Is on