The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-08-25
ASIA MINORS NEW RAILWAY.
An Important Enterprise Recently Pu
Into Oneraf ion.


An Important Enterprise Recently Put
Into Operation.
The railway from Ismidt to point twen-
ty-seven miles beyond that city, the Open
ing of which l announced by telegraph,
ought to be an important one. 1t is a con-
tinuation of one between Scutari and IS
midi, which was constructed nearly twenty
years ago. When Europe is placed in rail
way communication with India, this will
DO the beginning of the line on the Asiatic
side. At present it is not proposed to go
further than Angora; but just as it has
been found impossible to prevent Constan-
tinople from being placed in direct railway
communication with Western Europe. so it
will be impossible to prevent this new rail-
way from being continued to the Persian
frontier.
Starting from Scutari itieaves the ancient
Chalcedon to the right and follows the
shore to the Gulf Ismidt to the city of that
name. The ancient Helenopolis, Gibseh,
with the tomb of Hannibal, and many
another historic site, are passed before
!smidt, the ancient Nlcomedla, and once
the capital Of the Roman Empire, is reached.
Not far from it are the ruins of Mecca,
now best remembered for its council and
the Nicene Creed formulated within its
walls. Hitherto 1smidt has been the ter
mination of the railway. The cost OF trans
pOlty HUotly upOu CdiuOlo. AlOHl hu6Olu w
the railway has been so heavy in conse-
quence of the wretched condition of the
roads that the traffic has been very mucn
less than it ought to have been. -Four years
ago it cost al per bushel more to bring
wheat down to Ismidt than it could he
bought for in that city. The result OF the
absence of easy means of communication,
together with other causes, has been to
keep the population in state of poverty.
A large portion of the country in question
Is extremely fertile. much of it covered with
forests and well Watered, but it was useless
to cultivate grain or other produce which it
did not pay to take to market. The first I'M
portant station upon the new railway is at
Sabanja, about twenty miles beyond lsmidt.
The town is wretched collection OF houses,
where our party found it impossible to OBJ
tain either plates or forks and where chairs
were unknown either to the Christian or
Turkish inhabitants. Yet it is situated in
wonderfully fertile district and upon the
shores of beautiful lake, which in any
European country would be surrounded
by prosperous homesteads. The neigh
borhoOd has until recently been in
tested with brigands. The river Sau-
garius drains the lake. and has left
traces of having changed its course many
times within the last few centuries. Near
the railway beyond Sabanja remains stone
bridge, of which all the arches are I'M
broken. 1t is as long as Waterloo bridge,
which it much resembles. An inscription
upon it states that it was built by Justinian,
and calls upon the River Saccarius to flow
beneath il for all time. The river, however,
is now miles away, and the bridge is over
green field. Indeed, the traces of ancient
cities or constructions will be everywhere
around the traveller who journeys upon this
railroad. What is of more practical import
auce is that it will bring many thousands
Of acres under profitable cultivation, and
will give large number OF inhabitants the
nraN n,rtrt mil - d rnh
have hitherto had no inducement.-Letter
from Constantinople to London News.