The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-12-27
The aueha naiIu eagle guesaau gornine ncbee ~ 1882
ANCIENT DAMASCUS.
The Financial Status Of That His.
toric City.
Mosiems Absorbing All the Trade and
Growing Richer. While the Chris
tiAns and jews Are Grow
Ing Poorer.

The British consul in Damascus, In o
report which has lately been issued by
the foreign Office, gives some interest
ing information in regard to the condi-
ton of that city and its neighborhood,
says the London Times Damascus
sends to Beyrout and other towns in
Syria -four, grain and fruits, while in
regard to the necessaries of life it Is
practically self-supporting, with the ex.
ception of Manchester manufactures
Cotton goods were formerly all home
made, but the great cheapness Of
British cottons has destroyed the home
production. The trade of the place is
almost stationary from year TO year; If
there is an increase in the tradein an
article one year there is corresponding
decrease the next, for luxuries are
scarce and the necessaries of life will
only fuctuate with the population,
while the exports depend on the har-
vest, which rarely fails.
The population is given at about 21e,-
ooo of which about $50, 900 are Moslems.
The number is supposed 70 be increas-
ing, but it must be slowly, for the old
walls still surround the greater part of
the population. and the houses built out
side are very few. The poverty of the
Christians and Jews is remarkab BILE, the
Moslems having of late years absorbed
the trade and wealth which were former
ly in the hands of the others The Mos
lens steadily increase in wealth, while
the Christians and Jews as steadily de-
cline. This unusual state of things Is
said to be due to the loss of the through
trade to Bagdad, to the difficulties
which those who are not Moslems en-
counter in business and to the insol-
vency Of the government The Damas-
Gus bonds, which were repudiated to
the extent of $500, 900, were mostly held
by Christians and Jews, and the repudi-
alton was heavy blow to them.
But it appears that the wealth of the
place has considerably increased in the
last thirty years, and it is probable that
Damascus will still further increase
when the railways now projected from
the coast are constructed. The ex-
portation Of licorice root, however,
seems to be doomed by the discovery of
root of a superior quality in Asia Minor
and elsewhere. Apricots form one of
the chief products of Damascus 1t is
estimated that in good year no fewer
than 1000 tons are gathered. Large
quantities are sent fresh into the neigh
boring towns and villages, while the
rest is dried or made into paste and ex-
ported to Egypt. Hemp, too, is an inn
portant local production. Local indus
tries are numerous and some are of i'm
portance. The chief is weaving.
There are about 1000 looms for cotton,
wool and silk weaving. The first
produce calico, curtains and divan COW
ers, the material used for the long coats
worn by Moslems and for the cloaks
which cover the native women from
head to foot. A hand loom can turn
out thirteen yards of striped cotton
cloth per day, but the average days
work does not exceed seven yards. The
cotton looms are constantly at work,
while the wool and silk looms are fire.
quently idle. The manufacture of
ropes, harness, hammered iron, copper
and brass work is among the other in
Gustries. The ornamental brass work
and mother-of-pearl inlaid work are
chiefly supported by the travellers, who
pay exorbitant prices.