The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-29
ASIA MINORS METROPOLIS.
What Is To Be Seen In and AbOr' he
Streets Of the City of Smyrna
How Commerce with the United States Could
Be Increased-The Evil of Brigand-
age-A Vigorous Pasha.
correspondence of the Indian apolis Journal.

emu IuiI or SHIPS from all parts or the world.
The two railways running into the city drain the
richest sections of Asia Minor, and are con
stantly taxed to the highest capacity. The
streets reverberate in every direction with the
jingle of bells from the trains of camels loaded
with the produce of the interior. The handsome
quay built by Europeans and extending along
the whole harbor front of the city is the scene of
a busy life. A tramway runs the entire length
of the quay and gives a traveller the impression of
a European city. The we'll built houses facing the
quay also intensity this impression. But a walk
OF a few moments into the town utterly dispels
this Illusion, and one finds himself in the narrow
and dirty streets of a typical Oriental city.
Long trains of neavily-laden camels, invariably
led by a liliputian ass, bear down upon you with
the inexorableness of fate. and you take refuge
IN a friendly doorway until they pass by. The
extensive bazaars are much inferior to those of
Constantinople in point of arrangement and
general cleanliness. but furnish elements quite
unique. The babel of tongues is quite as various
here as in the city on the Golden Horn, and the
Oriental effects are more striking.
Mr.. Stevens, the American consul at Smyrna,
upon whom called this morning, furnished me
AheSAOooAhs OaGd do " COinAcICidi
dealings between this port and the United
States which ought to be more widely known ia
our country. The imports from the United
States barely reach the figure of $500, 900 annu-
ally, and are rapidly on the decrease, while the
exports from Smyrna to the United States dur
ing the last quarter, ending Sept. 30, amounted in
value to ST., 250, 900; and in many respects 1t is a
poor season of the year for exporting. The prin-
cipal article sent from America is petroleum.
This is fast being driven out of the market by
the Russian OIL The American oil obviously
has the better reputation, for certain
Russian companies have been detected
putting their oil in American cases, and not
long ago a man was arrested at Mitylene on
charge of fraud. But the Russian petroleum has
improved somewhat IN quality, although it does
not compare with the better qualities of Ameri-
can oil. The trouble is that only the very poor
est petroleum has been sent out from the United
States, for the people here will not buy anything
but the cheapest. 1t is quite probable that the
best oil from the Russian reineries is superior
to the article commonly sent from America. In
Constantinople the Russian oil has almost entirely
superseded the American oil. There is, however,
a large American firm still doing an extensive
business in Smyrna. Unless some device is dis
covered, there can be no doubt that American
oil will be undersold all through the Levant, and
consequently driven from the market.
American cotton goods are sold largely in
Smyrna. But this article of commerce has also
been imported on a declining scale for the past
Few years. Wandering about the streets the
other day L came suddenly upon a large piece of
cotton goods Tapping in the wind with the Amer
lean stamp, Cabot A, in large letters. This
brand OF goods, In fact, is so highly esteemed in
Smyrna and the East that it's trade mark has
been frequently initiated so closely that it takes
the most careful inspection to detect the fraud.
Greek merchants take a poor quality of goods
from Manchester, Eng, and put in clay to give
wQlUht and than cell than al A N QpIaan
The principal articles of export from SMYRNA
to the United States are licorice root, emery
stone, figs, opium, canary seed, carpets and rugs,
wool, iron ore and raisinS. During the last quar-
ter nearly 500. 900 worth of licorice root has been
sent to America. 1t grows wild along the river
bottom. and is really an obnoxious weed. The
same ground can be dug over and over again,
and even under these circumstances the licorice
root from Asia Minor is the finest in the world.
1t Is very largely used in the manufacture of
chewing tobacco, generally constituting about
40 per cent. of it's substance. The
stamford Manufacturing Company, of
Connecticut. is a large exporter of this root. 1t
comes to Smyrna in huge bales loaded on cam
els. Several large manufactures about this re-
gion grind the root into a sort of paste. Syria
completes with Asia Minor in the raising and ex-
porting of licorice root. but Smyrna has the ad-
vantage in many respects. The same sailing
vessel that takes on a cargo of the bulky and
light licOrice root also finds a good ballast in the
emery stone mined in and about Smyrna. The
Abbot & Jackson mine has the best reputation,
but other mines are rapidly rising in value and
Importance.
AT first sight it seems very strange that iron
ore should be sent from this port to America;
but during the last quarter, ore to the value of
$50, 900 has been sent to the United States,
mostly to the Baltimore smelling works. It has
some peculiarities which render it especially val
liable and makes q good ballast for ships carry
ing light cargoes. A certain kind of long, coarse
wool. which is subject to very small duty in
the United States, is sent from Smyrna during
the last quarter to the value of nearly $175, O00.)
Smyrna figs are the best in the market. The
process of curing these is kept as far as possible
a mystery. They are grown chiefly in
the Adm region. Nearly 1925. 900 worth were
exported to America during the last quarter.
The opium exported from Smyrna is of a poor
quality, and is sent so largely to the United
States 5000, 600 during the quarter) because the
French and English drug dealers will not buy it.
Rags were formerly sent in large quantities to
America, but since steps have been taken to
ward off the liability to contagious diseases by
requiring an expensive method Of fumigation no
rags have been exported. it is unnecessary
to specify concerning the other articles.
seed, nutgails. olive oil (of q superior
quality. raisins. etc. Enough has been said to
show that the trade of Smyrna is well worth
competing for. The American name stands well.
1t has been the commercial policy of Turkey to
form the closest connections with the United
States, not openly, it is true, but practically.
Aghiah Pasha, now minister to Greece, has been
especially active in encouraging these CONNER
cial relations. Asia Minor, with it's small duties
on articles imported, and it's growing market,
furnishes a strong inducement to American ex-
porters; and If they knew how to push their
goods they might soon bring the value of the
imports up to the value of the exports. There
is a special demand for cheap articles. To facili-
tate such increase of trade between the two
countries it is absolutely necessary that a line of
fast steamers should be established between
New York and Smyrna, touching, perhaps, at
Gibraltar, Malta and Athens. Immense quaint
ties of the best fruit grown could then find their
way to America, and such a southern route
would attract winter travel. Such a line of
steamers ought, however. to be supplemented by
strong companies established at Smyrna, not
afraid to risk a little outlay in view of the har-
vest in this richest province in the Turkish en-
pire, that is sure to come sooner or later.
Brigandage has broken out like smallpox since
Hadii Naschid P6sha Left to taka tho roxax>o~