Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-04-08
MISSION FIELDS.
ANTIOCH.
a visit to Tina, Ane,.n, city aud Neigh
borbood.

borbood.
To the Editor;
The writer has just completed three
weeks trip to the ancient city Antioch.
a little over 1900 years ago Antioch
witnessed stirring times when the doe
trinc now called "Mormoniam'' frat
reached that place and was called
Christianity IN honor of the founder of
all true religion. Antioch IL not VIVA, u
then was. IL Ia but an insignincant
Turkish town OF about ss,oOo inhabit-
ants. Its only Industry IN a Few soap
factories which have sprung M lately
and they are only on a very primitive
basis.
The city n located on narrow strip
Of land between the mountain and the
river Drontea. now called Aai Su by the
Turks. The city was formerly upon the
foot.aIdc OF the mountain. most plctur-
esquc In Its location. but ne " has been
destroyed and rebuilt several times. the
old site has been abandoned and the
more easy ground chosen near the fiNcr.
The present city u built on about
twelve or fourteen feet Of debris from
the old ruins and aH such II a vcrliahle
snail bed. The city II compact the
streets narrow, crooked and nlthy AZ
arr an Oriental towns. Earthquakes
have also helped TO reduce the city.
Several times many Of It's poorly built
houses have been shaken 10 the ground
without being replaced by anything bet
ter. A few old statues are yet In eiFht
nj the palace or government building.
and two marble anrcophnal.
A number OF old coins are offered
strangers by the people a. antiquities
gathered In among the ruins. II " said
that sold nuggets afc frequently found
after violent rain. the Hoods from the
mountains having washed them bare.
A stone bridge spans the river last op-
poaitc the town. Nis-s-Sir the city II a
small mound called by some Crusaders
lIill. There the cruraderr campcd pre-
,ioua TO the taking OF the clty proper.
Here ono obtains fnc Wow ~ thy
city aa II now II and as II once stood
on IN. mountain side. The old site u
now covered With olive and Tx trees.
The surrounding country nian Looks In
vlting from this Interesting hill. To the
east IL the Ahmuk. q large open valley
with the lake or Antioch swamp In the
center. Coz feet above sea level. II Ia
about i've miles east Of this point with
n line open bottom locked out by a
small hill running across like u sentinel.
To the north In the i<ixel Iagh. or Ted
mountain. about three miles distant.
The country IL gentle rise toward
the north. slightly rolling - nr 10 make
Il naturally picturesque. several
streams How rapidly down the noun
tain aide and after watering the small
plain enptles into the orontcn, Under
the mountains nru several villages los
Gated In the different small rnyinea OF
other proper places where there u wa
ter. These villages aru surrounded with
gardens. and IN many places these VII
lagos look much like the Davis county
settlements such IN iiountlrui and Gem
teryilie. Each house II located IN
garden by Itself and differs from other
Turkish towns In this that they are not
walled IN like prisons but are open and
free.
no the west one looks toward the
Mediterranean distant about twenty
miles. The country Looks we'll. but
when one travels over u, II " not 20
nice, Much Of thu land In said o. be
worthless az II N poor volcano clay
With a liberal amount ~ round cobhlc
stones Ntr.wn over H. Some IL hilly and
not iillable. but must be tcrraced and
planted with special crops ~ fruit suit.
able la such soil and climate This 81
course, the Turks VII never do, and
though the Christians would do same-
thing toward II, they will not permit
them to do H.
Much Of the land along tho orontea
and ON the creek beds n fertile and
god crops ~ fruit ana grain IL grown.
but much more. possibly ali could b.
made productive and paying II handed
property. ON the north rido nf ne
river IN the Nllagca nitlns. lladit ilab-
icy, fofEun oluh, Kinder 10y aud
kubuaa are about 1000 families All Ar
mcnianH, These people arr nne
branch " The Asmpniaus. rather brave
and Intelligent and very clean. pfb-
iestnniism has ID big hold here and tho
people are quite enllHhtened Thrsr pco-
pie live also largely In their trspefuyt
gardens ami aa u looks rather Eum.
ncah, II gives one good Impression.
II also shows moro order uud cont.
dencc. Stealing h. not INDUCED iu and
the people are little inclined % boaat.
They were much favored during la.
Armenian troubles, Tor though n was
proved that ngilntors had entered their
peaceful mountain homes about 1000
feet above sea level, ana much powder
ana dynamite was found lu The rocks
yet they were delivered from the sword
The government sent iu unout Loo
kurds who, 10 b. hail hua.teI of tyhat
they hpd done and NJ what they expect.
ed 10 10 but combination VI cltrun.
stances prevented trouble. English ana
American mcn-nf-Wlr happened about
Just then either by accident ar by on.
defa uud Tie HIliirfs Withdrew after
leaving a rulrd Uut tho frU cHuss
that IN tho Initiating cause Cor suurh.
ter was mot ct hand that b thoie W,l,
no psmnnu residents therr iu Ultk Ia
qunrfel or 10 faia the Urst at.ns .o IA
10 Give tho troupf armhpues 0f [.
cause for tho sHutltsg sl th4t ls an,
warnhlps APPEARED uu the scene M,
crisis passed ANA The iurd saved ihfs.
people for Ms own purpose. Foolish
men nsoribo " tO their own bravery
but that IN an chllls tank.
AZ and around the mouth ~ the river
otontes n located the best and fatt.st
Of the whole country II Is called
suadieh now, formerly seloucln. Tbe
real seleuclnn port h n little north ALI
IN ruins but the county round about H.
very good, wei cultivated FOR this comm
Try and hai a large population. nh.
Armenian troubles have brought the
place Into notice ana strong guard Ia
kept over The whole ncighborhood. Tie
pHpulation heie II Gtrrk and Fcllahin
AZ English Episcopal school ~ run here
otherwise no reform Impressions have
been produced here.
The people In this nelghborhood H.
now gardening principally. A livie