Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-01-29
Water sapply for Jerusalem.

The committee formed 10 provide au
improved water supply for Jerusalem,
have obtained the necessary concession
from tho Porte enabling them 20 pro.
coed with the practical work connected
with the schcmc. The Importance Of
this onward step will he recognized by
everyone who knows anything Of the
dliiiculiies which beset all attempts t.
secure official sanction for contemplat.
ed improvements IN oriental countries.
To get the neediul concession IL usual.
~ n matter requiring considerable
time, tact and patience; and In this
Instance, nj any rate, It may be re-
g,fded a. half the battle. In persuad.
Ing the Turkish government 10 grant
the concession, the committee have
PROFESSIONALLY accomplished their
hardest bit OF "engiDecring." Though
there are difficulties still TO be over
come, they are such ~ can 10 readily
made 10 yield 10 English earnestness
aud perseverance.
The undertaking Is not phllanthro-
pic la the ordinary acceptance OF the
term, but strictly commercial venture.
Some keen-sightcd men have perceiv.
cd, not only the need Of purer and
more abundant water for the lncreas'
ing population OF Jerusalem, but the
possibility Of satisfying the want by
utilizing the old sources OF supply, anu
Of securing thereby n remuncrative re-
turn on their capital. Never
thcless the idea Is philantbropic
In sense, seeing that better water
supply for the Holy City will mean an
Improvement ia the health OF Its lopu.
latlon and n corresponding diminution
OF human suffering.
Tn. committee propose, moreover,
10 make q free gin " the precious cle-
mont--precious indeed In the ciet--to
the poorer classes. Occuplers ofhouses
supplied direct with water Will have
to pay for IL, but, for the benefit Of the
poor, rtand.pipes are 10 be erected In
various parts OF the city, from which
water viii he obtained without charge.
At present the water supply Is In
sufficient aud foul. IL u a fertile source
OF discomfort and disease.
The scheme has helped TO bring Into
relief tho remarkable nature Of the
provision made for supp'yln Jerusalem
with water In ancient times. The COM
mlttce do not intend 10 open up any
new sources u supply, but TO make the
OLD ones, which have been neglected
for centurica, once more available.
Jerusalem Il Mt present dependent Tot
Ia stock Of water upon the rainfall; but
In former ages, as remote ~ that OF the
King, water was brought into the city
by subterrancan conduits from sources
outside the walls, and stored In huge
cisterns. TO these SECRET conduit'
Jerusalem owed lis ability TO stand pro-
tracted sleges.
In recent times excavations have
| disclosed cistcrns or reservoirs cut out
OF the rock beneath the temple pre-
cincls, aud connected by aqucducu
with the pool OF Sloan 10 the north Of
the city. A similar conttivance
brought water from Solomon'a Pools
stlll further away. The excellent
water supply excited remark from Tao
titus, who speaks OF Jerusalem as con,
talning perennial underground
spring. This favored condition the
committee propose 10 restore TO III,
Holy City, and now that the initial
and tn. greatest difficulty has been re-
moved, there eau be little question
that, aided by modern engineering
skill, their efforts will DO crowned with
success. Everyone who Ia Interested
In Jcrusslem--which means every de-
vout Jew and Chri-tian--will follow
the next stages Of the enterprise with
sympathetic attentioD.-Jetfth c''ron
ioie.