The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-01-23

Interesting Resume Of the Present Condition
of Paleslina

Interesting Resume Of the Present Condition
of Palestine.
From Report Of Consul Merrill. Jerusalem.
The condition OF Palestine during the past
year and up to the present time has been one
OF general prosperity. The rains, npon
which everything depends, were 40 undant
and the crops were excellent The re has
been an increase in the populati on of this
district during the past year, which can be
attributed chiefly to Jewish immigration
THIS increase Is confined wholly to Jerusa-
lem. Jatfa and Hebron and may be estimated
at about 900 souls OF this number Jerusa-
lem has received 900 or more, Jafa less than
1000 and Hebron 900 The condition of
theSe jewish immigrants is pitiable. They
eeiong TO the poorer classes, and come here
10 escape persecution in Russia and elsewhere.
aey find TO their sorrow that they are not
wanted here, and that the government has
actually issued an order prohibiting the
landing of Jewish immigrants. Very many
oil those who came. or attempted to come
have gone back, while large numbers of
those who remain are in distress, Much
has been done to relieve their immediate
s.ants, but still their condition is wretched
Among matters which deserve to be
brought to the attention of the department
are the signs which exist of the material
prosperity of this city. Perhaps the most
marked OF these is the impetus that has been
given to building operations during the year.
SO much is going on in this direction that
person M light easily be misled into supposing
that Jerusalem was city of wealth. Who
ever builds a new house. or makes repairs or
additions to an old one must first obtain a
permit from the authorities. | have obtained
from the Office of the municipality the fol-
lowing list of permits for the SIX months of
the current year from March to August The
total is fifteen repairs, sixty-three additions,
and sixty-five new houses. With regard to
the last figures (sxty-fve), it is necessary to
explain that in many cases several houses are
Dullt IN common, or as one small block, in
which case one permit covers the whole,
and hence the actual number of new houses
is considerably greater than the figures indi-
cate.
1t will be of interest if 1 state further that
of these permits of all classes two-thrds
were to Jews. Considering all the obstacles
in the way, the growth of Jerusalem during
ten or more wears past has been remarkable
! made my first visit to this city in the year
1869. In the years from 1875 to 1877, spent
as some members of the department know,
two full years in the work of explorations in
the country east of the Jordan and during
that time l frequently visited Jerusalem. l
left for America five years ago, and since
that time the growth OF the city, outside of
the walls, has surprised me. Small and neat,
or large and beautiful houses, built in mod
ern style, have sprung up, and gardens of
fruit and shade trees have been planted, so
that the suburbs of Jerusalem are beginning
to present an aspect of comfort and thrift.
Five years ago the ground where some of
these houses and gardens now are was rocky
and barren in the extreme. The little that
has been done is sufficient to show what, un-
der favorable circumstances, might be done
for large part of the entire country. Not
withstanding the number of new houses
toA 10 h,,,o Il i i
the year, and it is very difficult for foreign
ers to obtain suitable places for residence.