Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-07-16
re PALESTINE ~ RAIL.



Reess tsss Msdsssrr.nran BY way ~ f.As
GsI.tee 10 Damascus.
II the Turkish Government consents
II is probable that Palestine will be in
vaded by locomotives. and that before
long the conductor will have an oppor-
tunity Of calling out .sialilee all out
for Gafilee." and IN good Turkish.
damascus passengers will please re-
tain their seats until the train comes 10
a full stop" Application has been
made by Joseph Elias. formerly Gov
eminent engineer OF the Lebanon, for
concession for railway from Haifa on
the Mediterranean. about midway be-
tween Tyre and Cssarea, by way of
Lake Galiiee. over the River Jordan TO
Damascus Authority for the naviga-
ton of the lake and priority Of right
for the extension 81 a line over any
other applicant for three years
h asked for. The line Il to
going within three and ihree-quarter
miles OF Nazareth, and then ascending
the valley 10 the water sheds Of the
Jordan. The line win proceed along
| the northwest OF the lake. close to the
plan Of Genesaret. up the 10 dan.
crossing it two miles below Merlin
From that point the line turns toward
| the east TO Damascus. distance of l0J
miles from the coast. A branch line
I will go 10 Naoua. the capital OF the
/ Hauran, with an option To continue on
to Bosra. the ancient capital OF Baslian.
Permission is also ASKED TO go on with
1 the Palmyra into Aleppo
/ The practical part of Mr. Elias ap
/ plication is interesting. He estimates
! the population to be served at half a
! million or about five Thousand to the
| mile. Damascus has about two hum
dred Thousand inhabitants. and there
/ are ten towns with from one thousand
to ten thousand inhabitants aud about
/ five Thousand and forty villages Al
though the district is very fertile. only
/ one-sixth of the arabic land is under
| cultivation. There is an abundance of
/ streams however, so that the country
could be easily irrigated Ma ui-sslly
cereals are the principal produce. but
cotton can be grown and silk worms
reared The cultivation of sugar cane
was undertaken there by the Crisad-
ers. Indigo grows wild, lieorice is
plentiful, fruits are largely exported
and olives are abundant The country
is rich in bitumen, coal iron aud sui
phur, and it abouuds in forests OF oak.
pine and poplar Although it now
the cereals to the sea, the export is fully
80, 600 tons. If the concession is granted
MIR Elias will construct the 1870 miller
proposed 10 be butt at first for f640. 0Ot
to 1850, 900 He calculates modestly
on $4,000 through passengers year al
about three cents mile. or Of zoe. on
about s. for lo5 miles. and 80 600 loca
passengers at the same rate Freighi
is expected to pay about four cents pc,
ton per mile, or about five or six time
what Western railroad commissioners
consider high rate. Even at this rat.
there will be much larger profit t.
the farmer than at present. and th'
profit on the actual cost is figured a
1 II IL to Is l-2 per cent. A consider
able amount Of corroboratory informa
ton is given More than ten years agt
Major Con Tor advocated the construe
ton of a railroad on this line. Law
renee Oliphaut SAYS that 4 900 or D ,oo
camel loads of grain arrive at Acre ant
Haifa daily during the season. Flou
ground at Damascus IS of very superLo
quality Even with this primitiv
method of com munication 675. 352 bush
els of wheat aud barley were exporte
from Acre and Haifa and 243. 1870 pound
Of olive oil in 1877. The proposed lin
will also cross the pilgrim road to MEG
ca little above Mezarib
Mr.. julius v Milingten of the I'm
perial Ottoman Bank OF lantinople
is interested in the scheme, and it
believed that the concession will 500
be put up for sale, in which event it
not at all impossible that America
capitalists may become interested =
\. Y Mail and Express.