The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-07-22
The City of COnstantlnople.


Constantinople, or, MS the Turks write
it, Istamboul, which has again suffered
from destructive fire, is a city which
has suffered from wars, earthquakes and
pestilence. It is more beautifully stu
ated than any other city in the world,
the site of Rio Janeiro alone approach
ing it in loyeliness. 1t was MS Byzantium
city of much importance in pre-Chris-
tian times. The name by which it is
known TO Western Europeans and their
descendants is derived from the polite
Constantine, who embraced Christianity
rs a matter Of statesmauship just ms be
increased his army, changed the seat Of
government to Byzantium, and intro
duced reforms into the administration.
About eighty years after COnstantine's
removal Of the seat Of empire to the
beautiful city on the Bosphorus IN earth
quake almost totally destroyed it. 1t
was shortly afterwards rebuilt by the
Emperor Theodosius II. About three
hundred years aiterwards-in the eighth
century-30O,0 600 OF its inhabitants fell
victims to pestilence. This incident
shows how prosperous the city must have
been. It probably contained as many
inhabitants then MS il has now. Eight
general councils Of the Church were held
at Constantinople.
The streets OF the Turkish capital nre
famous for being the most crooked, mar.
row, filthy pathways in any city, town,
or village. The houses aro built Of the
slightest material, and through the care
lessness OF their proprictors are always
in dilapidated condition. There is
hardly house in any quarter which has
not been burned down, and the truly
conservative owner when he rcbuilds it
sedulOusly refuses to efIace all the marks
of the catastrophe or to improve in the
least upon the original plan. Whole
squares are sometimes consumed. The
fire department was until very recently
in truly primitive condition. Lately,
however, some steps have been taken
towards the organization Of q measurably
efficient corps Of iremen supplied with
suitable Rppamtus. The story Of this
fire does not speak well for its efficiency
il it has been put In operation at all.
The mcagro account OF this conilagrn'
ton gives one no data on which to base
m estimate as to the probable number OF
people rendered homeless or the destruc.
ton of property in the city proper. But
rs the number OF the houses in the whole
city Is about 10000, aud the number Of
inhabitants (sayl 100000, there cannot
at the outside be more than 10, 900 peo-
pie rendered homeless. Even that is
appalling in such city. This fire dwin.
dies in comparison with the rnvnges OF n
night some twenty years ngO, in which
seven fires destroyed 800 houses
There are hut seven public squares in
COnstantinOple. The streets are, except
in the quarter known ms Pera, unlighted
at night. The city is the dogs paradise,
thousands of which wnnderup and down
these checrless alleys howliRg and whin-
ing us long as life remains. The differ
ent nationalities and religions have sepa-
rate quarters in the city. . Tho Turks Of
course have tlelion's share Of everything
the dirt and dilapidation included.
This flth-ior "the dingy denizens are
reared in dirt'-giyes rise to numerous
diseases OF an epidemic kind, which
amounts at times almost to pestilencc.
Hardly year passes over US without n
scare about the Asiatic chOlera being
disseminated by ships from the Bospho-
rus. Last year this was the case, as our
readers will remember Several times
telcgrams reached us Of the virulence OF
the scourge in that city, md tho proba-
bility that 1t would travel into other
parts from that centre.
Scutari, the suburb in which part If
not the whole OF the connagrAtion Of
which the cable informs lis has taken
place, is the ancient Chrysopolis. 1t is
rather a city than suburb. It's about
a mile square in extent, and is the prin-
cipal commercial emporium Of the L.
want. a great trade in leather, silk,
cotton goods and other articles Of COM
merce is carried on in its warehouses and
bazaars. 1t contains Turkish post
office, an imperial palace, and tho bar
racks Of the Imperial Guard. In relation
to ConstantinOple, Scutari is situated
much rs Brooklyn is to New York though
the relative population is different, II
has about sixty thousand inhabitants,
and though fires have not been so
numerous On extensive there as in the
capital, they aro not unknown, owing to
the slight materials used in building. II
the fire spreads, should leave the poorer
quarters and advance into the portions
devoted to mercantile operations, the
loss will be immense.