Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1893-04-01
FROM JAFFA TO JERUSALEM
The Opening of the First Railroad Rrl,
in Palestine

Consul Selah Merrill at Jerusalem has
sent to the State Department an ~.
count Of the opening of the railroad
from Jaffa to Jerusalem, says a Wash.
ington special to the st. Louis Globo
Democrat The event was celebrated
on the part of the Mohammedaus Nv
an address from nm imam, one of tba
priests of high rank in Jerusalem. after
which three sheep were slaughtered
on the platform of the station IA
kind of propitiatory sacrifice; and on
the part of the company it was celebrat
ed by a dinner given in the evening
under tents at the Jerusalem station
Djelal Pasha, aide-de-camp to the Sui.
tan, was present from Constitutions
TO represent the Sultan in the opening
exercises NJ. Collas the president of
the road, and several eminent engineers
from Paris, We're also present, likewise
The Governor Of Jerusalem and Palcs.
tine, together with the civil and mill
tary authorities and the members Of
the diplomatic and consular corps. One
hundred and fifty guests sat down at
the tables and enjoyed Il fine dinner
but the speech-maling was confined
to Il few remarks by the Governor, with
a brief response from the Suttn's re-
preventative, and a few words by the
French Consul General on behalf of
the consular corps. a toast to the Sui
tan was drunk, and the lurking band
played the different national airs as
represented by the guests The greatest
popular interest was manifested in this
event, and for the first time in its his
tory Jerusalem showed a little of the
life and hustle which characterize cl-
ties in the Western world
The road just completed, the first
ever huilt IN Palestine and Syria, is
little over tifty-three miles long, thirty
miles Of which are on the plain land
and the remaining twenty-tmee on the
mountains. There are no tunnels on
the road, the builders prefeufng to 20
around bluffs that might be tunneled
rather than to bore thu,.~ hem. The
wooden ties brought from rance cost
80 cents a piece. The road has five
engines all made in Philadelphia, and
the ears, which were made in the north
Of France open Mt the ends with @
passage running lcngthWays through
them and there are compartments di-
yided 10y partitions aud doors. Coal
brought from Cardiff and from Belgium,
and POO tons ure required a day.
Between Jaffa and Jerusalem, not in.
Guiding these, there are five stations
For the station in Jerusalem, which Is
one mile from the city, a little more
than eight and a half acres of land
We're purchased mt a very high price
not less than S25,OOO-land which thil-
ty years ago was sold for 81 per acre
The men who did most of the stone
work blasting through hills lying
walls to support eubanllments and
cutting stone for stations and bridges
were from Bethlehem and the nearest
ueighbOIiug village o it, called Belt
Jala, men whose ancestors have been
stone-cuttcIs from ancient times The
Arabs on the plain received 80 to IS
cents per day, the Egyptians and 9th
cIS 40 to 30 cents per day, while the
men who could work in stone received
20 cents to 81 per day. The company
erected barracks along the line Of the
road, where llborcrs could sleep free
. of charge, but they provided their own
food Twice a week physicians passed
along the line of the road wherever
there were worlmen TO render and
medical assistance that might be re
quired.
The time between Jerusalem and iat
in is three and Uuc-fourth hours down
and three and onehalf hours coming up
and the fare is $3.50 first class ana
81 for the second class.