Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-04-08
A Town Without Women.
New York Star.

81 know city in the United States
of over 80, 600 population where not
one vote was cast for Grover Cleve-
land"
t'Where was that?"
Gin Washington"
ST know stranger place than that.
I have been to town where there has
been no births nor marriages in hun
dreds of years, yet people live there
and die" The captain of the bark of
Malta crossed his legs, opened and
shut the blade of penknife with his
thumb and forefnger and complacent-
chewed tobacco. The Malta arrived
at New York from the Mediterranean
last Friday with figs and Egyptian
onions.
eyes," said Captain Baldwin. 1--WE
ran up the west shore of the Hgean
sea to Haggion Crns, meaning to the
Greeks holy mountain. It is grand
pile ST rocks, rising 5000 feet straight
out of the water from a narrow penln-
sula. What Gibraltar is to Mediter-
ranean Haggion Oros is to the Darda-
nelles. This peninsula runs back
from the mountain about forty miles
grand coast-and averages six
miles wide. It is Joined to the larger
Chalcedouian peninsula by a narrow
neck Of sand. They told me there
that Xerxes, the fellew whoslead mil
lion of heather soldiers, cnt a canal
through at that'point for his vessels to
sail through. There is another noun
tain on the peninsula - Mount Athos
= We had an Ohio preacher and his
e daughter, passengers from Alexan-
dria. on board, and the preacher told
us about the peninsula and the town
of Athos."
''Before Christendom, said he s're-
cluses used to live at Mount Athos in
holes in the ground. The solemnity
inspired by the bare peak of the
mountain harnonized well with their
minds, bent On wild and mystic
thoughts. So, after the new religion
came it got to be a popular resort for
monks, who didn't want to live with
the rest of the mankind; and Greek
monks have been going to that PENN
sula ever since, until now, after 1, 900
or 1 800 years, they have formed an
ecclesiastical self government. Under
the Byzantine emperors the monks
were under no secular control what
ever, but now the Turkish Govern
ment keeps caimakam there. He
has no power, however. His duty is
only to observe the monks. The
caimakan has two zaptieths or soldiers
for a body guard, but they represent
the honor of his Office more than they
do the power. The community has
its own police in the shape of q squad
of Albanians. The monks govern
themselves by council of representa-
tives over which the proteros, or presi-
dent rules. He is called the First
man Of Athos. The proteros can only
be boss for three months at time.
He then resigns to the next eminent
citizen until the honor is shared by
every man in the council"
''They wouldn't let the preachers
daughter land. No woman is allowed,
on any protense whatever, to set foot
IN the Territory. No female creature
of any kind cow, she goat, or mare,
or animal capable of giving birth to
its kinds found here. Not even
hens are permitted in Athos. So there
have been no births, no marriages. no
love-makings, or scandals there. Just
about as many Greek monks get sick
of the world and 60 to Athos as there
are those who die. But what sane
timonial funeral monk must have
there priests for mourners, hack
drivers, pail bearers, grave-diggers,
and lookers-on."