The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1883-09-01

The hrrt railway in Palestine 10 being
laid out, aud the preliminary survey has
been completed as far a. Jordan i, Is 10
run betwecd Acre and Demascus. and |, is
called the HAmidi line, because Il Is
named after bis present majesty the Sui.
tan Abdul Amid, ADD probably one rea.
son why the frman has been granted 40
easily lies IN the fact that i, passes through
a grea, extent Of property which he has
recently acquired to ,he east Of the plain
Of Esdraelon. The concession is held by
ten on twelve gentlemen. some ~ whom
are Moslems and some Christians, bu, all
are Ottomen subjects resident in Syria
Among the most influential are the Meesrs.
Sursock, bankers, who own the greater
part OF The plain Of Esdraclon, and who
have. therefore, large interest in the suc.
cess Of the line. Starting from Acre. Il
will follow the curve OF the bay for ten
miles, in southerly direction ata die.
tauce Of about tive miles from the beach.
Crossing the Kishon by . sixty.foot
bridge. 1t will turn east at the junction Of
short branch line. two miles long. ut
Baifa. Hueeing tho foot Of the Carmel
range. so as to avoid the Kishon marshes
il will pass through the gorge which sep
aratcs that mountain from the lower ran.
ges Of the Galilee hills and deboueh into
the plain OF Esdraelon. This plain IL will
traverse in its entire length. The station
for Nazareth will be distant about IL
miles from that town; there may. however,
be short branch TO the foot OF the hills.
So far, there has only been risc from the
sea level in 20 miles 2l0 feet, so that the
grade is now imperceptible. II now
crosses the watershed aud commences TO
descend across the plains Of Jezreel TO the
valley OF the Jordon Here the Wady
Jalud offers an easy incline as far as Bel
san, the ancient Bethshean, and every
mile OF the country it has travered 80 far
is private property and fairly cultivated.
AT Beisan il inters upon region which
has, partly owing to malaria and partly to
insecurity, been abandoned to the Arabs,
but it is the track OF all others which the
passage OF railway is likely to transfgure,
for the abundance Of water, which is now
allowed to stngnate in marshes, and which
causes its unhealthiness, is destined to at
tract attention to its great fertility and
natural advantages, which would, with
proper drainage, renderit themost proiita-
BILE region in Palestine. Owing TO the
elevation 81 the springs, which send their
copions streams across the site OF Beisan,
the rich plain which decends TO the Jor'
dan, 500 feet below, can be abundantly
irrigated. There is u little bit OF engineer.
ing required TO carry the line down TO the
valley Of the Jordan. here 800 feet below
the level Of the sea, when 1t then follows
north as far as the Diisr el Medjameih.
Near this ancient Roman bridge OF three
arches, which is usod to this day Ivy the
caravans Of camels which bring the pro.
duce of the Hauran to the coast, the
railroad bridge will cross the Jordan,
probably the only one in the world which
will have for its neighbor an actual bridge
in use which was built by the Romans.
thus, in this now semibarbarous country,
bringing into close contact an ancient and
modern civilization. After crossing the
Jordan, the line will still follow the banks
OF that river to its junction with the Yar-
muk, which 1t will also cross, and then
traverse fertile plain Of rich alluvium,
about five miles long by four wide. 10 the
banks OF the ridge which overlooks the
eastern margin Of the Sea Of Tiberias.
This is the extent TO which the survey
has been completed. II is not decided
whether to rise from the valley by the
shoulder Of the ridge which overlooks the
Yarmnk or to follow the east shore OF the
Lake of Tberias TO the Wady Semakh,
which offers great advantages for grade
by which to descend nearly 5000 feet in
about 10 miles. This is the toughest bit
Of engineering on the line. and is in close
'~oximity to tho steep place down which
me possessed by devils are said tol
!, into tho sea. Once on the
~ .ana verse tho magnificent
,la,oan !, n,u !. and tho grain
... ,..,. - ,rran, with
1'' vhich
rowing country Of the h..
'robably short branch TO Mezrib,
J the principal grain emporium. and one
I the most important halting places on the J,
rcat pilgrimage road from Damascus to
Iecca. tits calculated that the transport
I grain alone from this region TO the coast
ill suffice TO pay large dividend upon tt
he capital required for the construction 81
I the road, which will be about 1870 is
,iles in length. The grantees have also lo
ecured the right to put steam tugs upon
be Lake Tlberias, and under the influence 9
this new means Of transportation, the
isolate shores will undergo transforma- h'
on. 20
A Wonderful Lake. :.
A =.