The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-04-21
TIE HOLY LAND RAILWAY.

p NtatAtl fF4 GOV fa rr
The Echoes of Nineteen Centuries to be |
. Awakened by the shrill Whistle Of the |
Locomotive-The Route, Distances. Etc.
aI New York World
In l843 student of the New York Uni |
versity, as appears from newspaper reports |
of that time, was reprimanded in the Chapel |
by Chancellor Frelinghuysen forirreverence |
in predicting that the echoes of Mount Sinai |
would before long become aroused by the
shrill whistle of the locomotive. Neverthe-
less recent advices from the Orient to the
principal promoters in Boston OF the "Pales-
tine Raiiway"-some of the stock of which
has been subscribed for in this city-show
that this is likely to occur. And now that
the Palestine Railroad seems an assured fact
although its bonds are not yet in the share
lists of Wall street--it is of interest to know
something of the "lay of the land" through
which it is to run, and of the places into and
out of which passengers journeying on the
road will be whirled. The scheme of putting
iron or steel rails across the surface of the
Holy Land is by no means q new one
England has long wanted shorter
route to her Eastern possessions
than is furnished by water con-
nections, and although the present projected
railroad, which is to run from Cairo in
Egypt, to Mosul, on the River Tigris, is
nominally an American undertaking. the
work is to be done with the support of
English money. According to a Boston pa
per, ''the charter was OBJ aimed with the
minimum amount of capital and number of
incorporators There are in the Company
| fifteen men, with each one share of the
| stock; eight of the fifteen live in Massachu-
setts-just enough to come within the law
and one of them lives in this city, but in now
temporarily absent.
To get clear idea of the proposed
route reporter called upon Rev. Dr.
| Hitchcock, who is, as is well known, a
Professor in the Presbyterian Theological
Seminary of this city-which Ex-Governor
Morgan so literally end owed the other day
and is President of the Palestine Explora
ton Company or Society. Having been
given the direction of the road, DR.. Hitch
cock said: "Well, if the railroad starts from
Carlo, in Egypt, it will stretch rather more
than 100 miles to reach Port Said, running
northward along the Pelusiac branch of the
Nile. Port Said got its name in 1859 from
SAID Pasha, and owes its origin TO the Suez
Canal. 1t is place now / think of about
5000 population-mostly French. 1t has a
harbor Of $40 acres and twenty-six feet deep,
which was dug..out at great expense. 1t is pro-
tected by immense moles, the eastern one
running out mile into the Mediterranean
and the western one a mile and half" (At
this point connection will be possible with
the lines of steamers running between the
East and Europe.) keeping close to the
sea continued DIR. Hitchcock, "the railroad
will probably run eastward, 1t is nearly
100 miles to FL Areesh, supposed to be the
River of Egypt the ancient boundary be
tween Egypt and Syria. Then it must
turn northward, if, as is said, the intention
is to reach GAIA. The distance from Fl
Areesh to GAIA is, think. about fifty miles
GAIA is one of the FIVE chief cities of ancient
Philistis. 1t is now best known by the Ara
bian name of Ghuzzeh. 1t is some three
miles from the Mediterranean and has g
population Of about Is 600. suppose the
second stop in Palestine will be Esdud-the
ancient Ashdod-which is twenty two mile:
from GAIA. In reaching Esdud the railroad
will doubtless pass over the site of the ancien.
Ascalon, which is or was twelve miles from
GAIA. Esdud, which is referred to in the
New Testament as Azotus, is not very
promising or progressing town. 1t is abou
three miles from the Mediterranean, and it
inhabitants chiefly reside in mud houses
Ramleh, some seventeen or eighteen mile
further on, will probably be the third stop
Remleh, by the way, will not be q bad plac'
for travellers to stop over a train. 1t is
beautiful little town of about 5000 inhabi
tants, nearly third of whom are Christians
! 1t was founded by the Arabs in ZIG A. d
, So that it can hardly be called mushroom
, village. Ramleh will doubtless be an i'm
, portant station if, as you say, there are to b
! | branches from there to Jaffa and Jerusalem
. 1t would indeed be very singular if Their
\ we're not, for Jaffa is but twelve miles north
, west and Jerusalem only about twenty mile
] southeast of Ramleh
According to the plan of the railroad q
published, the Jerusalem branch will ascen
the Valley of the Nahr Rubin and Wad
Surar and will reach Jerusalem from tn
Gihon Valley, the station being at or nea
the Damascus gate. Leaving Ramleh tn
main line will run north through the Plai
: of Sharon to point near the ancient Beth
r ar, whence a branch is proposed to Nabloui
r the ancient Shechem. Continuing northerl
/ from Bethar to the Abu Zubura, the roa
: will ascend that river valley and cross tn
: Carmel range through the Megiddo Pas
2 From Cairo to this point the maximum grad
:, | will be twenty feet to mile, and through tn
/ pass forty feet to mile. From the base &
!, the hill of Megiddo branch is proposed, t
( run down the Plain of Esdraelon, and theme
northward along the shore through Acre an
!, Sidon, and by the ruins Of Tyre to Beyrou
' Iskenderoom lies north of Beyrout at tn
0 northeast corner of the Mediterranean Sea
upon the gulf of the same name. The mai
] line will pass from Megiddo across the plat
of Esdraelon, by the base of Mount Tabor
3 and along the west side of Lake Gennessare
3 | 1t will cross the Jordan at or near Jacob
! Bridge, and follow up the valley, and elm
r the Jebel Heish at a grade of sixt
/, feet to a mile. Crossing the summit
and descending the valley on tn
other side, it will stretch scros
t the plain to Damascus. Thence it will b
/ projected to the Euphrates to connect wit
t the Euphrates Valley Railroad, which is abou