The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-20
MAIL DAY In JERUSALEM.
Crowds Gather at the Office and POST
master Calls Out the Names.
er in Philadelphia Telegraph.

Letter in Philadelphia Telegraph.
In view of the German Emperor's visit to
the Holy Land German postofice was es-
tablished at Jaffa, which during the pres
ence of the Majesties dispatched the mails
between here and Germany and vice versa.
Possibly the postoffice may remain a per-
manent venture, which would be a great
boon to the country. Constantinople has
had for years a French, italian, Greek,
Austrian and German postofice. Other
Turkish ports have postoff1ces maintained
by the foreign powers as well. The Turkish
postal service Is q travesty on the name
The Egyptian mail service is far more relia-
BILE, but Alexandria nevertheless has a num-
Der of foreign postoff1ces. Several of the
European powers even go so far as to main
tain postal stations in the interior, for in
stance Austria. which has a postoffice at
Jerusalem, the so-called Lloyd postoffice,
which is managed by the Triester Lloyd.
Many of these European postof1ces are
closed the longer part of the day and only
open at certain hours
1t Will interest your readers if give YOU
an accurate description of the scenes at
tending the arrival of the foreign mail at
Jerusalem AS soon as the mail has been
landed the entire city becomes excited.
whoever expects a letter hastens to the
square facing the postoffice l have now
reference to the Austrian postoffice. After
waiting there for some time the window of
the prlmltiVe building oQens and the post
master reads aloud the names Of all those
for whom letters have arrived. If your
name is mentioned you say Here and
then with the adroitness Of a sharpshooter
the postmaster filings the epistle in the di-
rection from where the Here" was heard.
You are supposed to do the catching, and if
you miss it is your fault. The bystanders
may trample your letter or package into
pulp before you may be able to recover it.
But you soon become an adept catcher
The letter carrier is an unknown institu-
ton in the Sultan's dominions If a letter
IS unclaimed when the postmaster calls out
the addresses, it is laid on one side. The
uncalled-for mail is exhibited in a show
case in the postoffice. and you may claim
1T at certain hours. This is the modus OPP
erandi at a European postofHce in Turkey.
Now let US see how the Turkish institu-
to say that the Mohammedans admire the
European poStoffices and think they are the
ideal of postal institutions. When I asked
ut one of the Turkish postohices in Syria
for letter the postmaster would in most
cases point to heap of letters thrown care
lessly in one corner Of the room and politely
request me to nick out my mail myself If
an Office is IL. exceedingly good hands a
wash-basket might be provided by the Off
cial, where he is wont to throw the mail.
and from where you are permitted to help
yourself to anything you want. l always
my arrival at a town in Syria, / could see
the postma Ster without delay. Sometimes
one waits hours ana hours untll the post
effendi graeiously deigns TO put in an APP
pearance.
A week ago wanted to buy postal cards
at the Turkish postofTice of Jerusalem. The
effendi said to me: But, my dear man,
what do you want to write postal cards for?
Why don't you write letters? You can write
more in a letter and not every one VIII be
able to read the contents" But" re-
.torted, Il have only few words to write
and cards will suffice. Give me what /
asked for ''Oh, dear, sir, said the official, |
you don't look as though you were too
poor to buy stamps Why don't you write |
letters?" / protested against his uncalled- |
for comment, when the official blurted out: |
II would like to sell you cards, but can't"
Yes. But pray tell me why you are not |
permitted TO sell postal cardsz Because |
have none. I have sold all l had last /
week. If you must have CARDS, YOU had bet |
ter travel to Jaffa' Jaffa is eighty-six |
miles from Jerusalem; / therefore purchased |
stamps and received the efTendI benedlcuon !
for my trip through Syria.
In farther remote districts OF syria post /
offices are few and far between. Every I
fortnight a postal official comes TO the VII i
lagos comprised in one postal district and L
brings the mail not In bag, nut wrapped 1
up in a rag that is usually full or holes. SO 1
that mail drops here and there as from q 4
sieve. He comes riding on mule and L
stops before q coffee house. 1nen ne un-'
folds the rag and spreads out the mail IN
thai middle or the walk with the addresses i
turned upwards He then drinks his coIee. /
smokes his nnrRkile end spreads MS ie8A ~
the true Oriental fashion. Those VINO await