Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-05-16
TUE MOSQUE OF oMAR

THE MOSQUE OF OMAR
is the most prominent as well as the
most beautiful building in the city. 1t
undoubtedly occupies the exact spot
where Solomon'S Temple stood. 1t is
surrounded by very large area CORES
ponding TO the outer courts of the tenn
pie. paved with marble, ornamented
with cypress and olives. and enclosed by
high walls. giving it the appearance Of
a fortress. The Jews ana MOhammed-
ans regard it with equal reverence. the
former deploring its loss; and the Mos
lens clarifying in its possession. With
I'm the mosque and directly beneath the
dome the natural rock of Mt. Moriah is
exposed to view and rigidly guarded.
Ii was upon this rock that the Holy of
HOLES was built. Many blocks OF mar
BILE and stone in the building have the
marks of very early times upon them
| Under the south east corner OF
area are immense chambers which are
said 10 be- the stables of solomon, and
/ I'm the masonry of the piers are still seen
/ the rings i'm which the crusading kings
and Knight TcmplarS fastened their
horses.
The MohammcdauS regard this
mosque as second only to Mecca. and
/ Christians are not allowed 10 visit it cX-
ccpt under guard of Turkish soldiers.
After waiting ten days admission was
secured through our Consul.
The MoslcmS are not TO be outdonc at
this holy season by Christians and Jews.
They have a great festival in honor OF
Moses. whom they regard rs one Of their
greatest prophets. They have found
out where he is buried-in the noun
tainS this side the Dead Sea-ond they
come from all parts of the Mohamme-
dan world TO visit his tomb. One day
last week large companies OF them left
the mosque, passed out OF the east gate
of the city. on such mission, with ban
.uerS flying and drums beating.
TIE JERUSALEM OF TO-DAY
n, of course i'm the main a great diSap
1pointment. All its glory is gone. 1t Is
ruled by the Turks, and its streets art
the narroweSt, dampeSt and dirtieSt
have seen. David and Christian streets,
the principal thoroughfares, are not
more than ten or fifteen feet wide. and
many of the side streets are dark alleys
or tunnels three or four feet wide and
|oftcn Uttered with filth. The present
population is between 10000 and $4,000
including the Jewish settlement out
side the walls, The increase has been
rapid I'm recent years owing to the re-
turn of large numbers of Jews. Jcru-
salem is situated high among the hills,
has mo- manufactures of any extent and
nothing TO keep it alive except its his
toric interest. A great deal OF business
is done i'm its shops, but it is chiefly IN
the way of antiques and souvenirs pur-
chased by pilgrims and tourists. The
Idav We landed at Jatfa was supposed Ia
he a signal day for Jerusalem and Pal
estine. as on that day the first work
was done on a railroad to extend
from JafTa 10 Jerusalem. The Cover
nor OF Jerusalem and the foreign con
suIs were present at the ceremony. We
saw the men actually ut work. but 1t Is
very doubtful whether the road viii
ever be built. 1t will not pay. About
tine only patrons will be tourists, and To
most people Palestine will have lost
much of its peculiar charm when II Is
modernized and Secularized by Such Il
thing as a railroad.
One of the most interesting, as wei
as the most trying. rides we ever had
was to the Dead Sea and the jordan.
The round trip required three days
As the Sea is 300 feet below JeruSa-
lem the descent is rapid. The road is
not as rough as formerly, as a carriage
road is now well under way, The poor
natives at work on the road have been
forced TO it by the tyrannical gov
eminent. asked what wages
the laborcrS received and was told
that they did not receive
cent and boarded themselves. How
wdnld the American workingman relish
that? On the way we passed pilgrims
of nearly all' ages and natiOnalities
bound for the sacred Jordan. and tour
ISIS chiefly from England and America.
Most of them were mounted on horses
mules. donkeyS or camelS, some road IN
state i'm palanquin suspended between
two mules. Occasionally we passed a
timid lady perched on donkey with an
Arab leading the animal and another at
the side holding the madame on, and