The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-05-24
IN OLD JERUSALEM.

| David, the psaimist said: As the
| mountains are round about Jerusalem. 50
| Z the Lord round about HIS people.
But this was not an exact statement.
There are no mountains in the neighbor-
hood OF Jerusalem. writes ". E. Curtis.
from that city. 10 the Chicago Record
| Herald There are several rocky. bar
ren hills, bat only three-Neey- Samyil.
/ Er-Raln and Tuliel el-Ful-rise 10 any
| considerable elevation. and they are Only
/ ten or twelve hundred feet above the
| city The mountains OF Moab. On the
| other side OF the Jordan. have the nearest
| peaks, and they are perhaps nifty miles
distant The Jews cali them, in their
/ picturesque language. the Mountains OF
/ the Other Side" or the Mountains that
| are Across very expressive terms. IL
| Illustrating how the River Jordan was in
| terwoTen into the poetry. the religion and
| the nomenclature Of Israel. The nearest
r.ouutain 10 Jerusalem is a considerable
| distance away, but I suppose that the
| psalmist was using the ordinary poetic
license when he referred to the hills that
are about the city as mountains. for, as
he suggests they are protection. shell
| ter against nature and 2 defense against
invasion, II properly fortified Mount OIL
vet is the highest hill IN the immediate
neighborhood. ard It is only $50 feet above
the summit Of Mount Zion, although a
uStR Ndilcf lies DcANScA LltEl-
Jerusalem occupies the summit Of \
limestone hill and IS divided into two
nearly equal parts by depression called
the Cheesemonser Valley. which COM
mences near the famous old Damascus
Gate n the north part Of the city. shall
low and broad az first, but deepening
rapidly as its course extends, until II
reaches the Kidron river, near the Pool OF
Sloan The two ridges thus formed are
| ~ al ID ~fr Of 2 Ia -
height. The eastern. looking toward Oil
vet. Is called Mount Mcriah, and is the
site of Solomon's Temple. Tire western
ia Zion. the hill sacred 10 David. where
his palace stood and where he offered
sacrifices. The Cheesemonger' Valley IS
well built over Every inch OF the land
is occupied.
On the same ridge as Zion. but lower
down the slope, lies the Jewish quarter
OF the city, where from 5000 10 500 peo-
pie. men, women and children, are pack
ed into the most loathsome tenenents.
reeking with filth ard offensive 10 the eye
and the noStrils. This quarter WIS once
covered with palaces and synagogues.
some CT the finest ediaces in Jerusalem.
but In any city Of Europe OF America
the district would be condemned as
plague spot and as a danger 10 the pub
lie health. There are new two syna-
gogues. representing the Ashkenazirn. who
are of Polish and German origin and TN
der the protection OF their consuls, and
SephardiE, who come from Spain and
Portugal, but are Turkish subjects, sects
OF Hebrews. . hospice for Jewish pilgrims.
free GispenSary and a hospital and sew
eraI schools.
a considerable part OF the population
OF the Jewish quarter talk the Spanish
language and retain the customs and
habits they have inherited from their an
cestors, who were expelled from Spanish
territory by Ferdinand and Isabella. The
Member of Jews now in Jerusalem Is
subject OF dispute. but ii exceeds 5000.
Some say that they constitute at least
three-fourths and perhaps four-fifths OF
the population. although theoretically
they are forbidden TO live here. The Jew
ish population Of Jerusalem has doubled
during the last twenty-five years. Immi-
grafton has increased rapidly of late IN
spite of the regulations prohibiting it,
and the most OF the newcomers are de-
pendent upon the charity OF their Euro
pean brethren. Many who have been
great sinners elsewhere come here 20
purge their souls by fasting. prayer and
devotion. Within the walls TO which /
have just alluded a considerable majority
are engaged in business and are self
supporting.
There are more than seventy syna-
gogues in Jerusalem, and even a larger
number OF schools. The late Sir Moses
MOntefore, the several members of the
Rothschild family the late Baron Hirsh
and other benevolent Jewish Iaillionaires
have donated an enormous amount or
money 10 ameliorate the condition OF
their poor brethren In Jerusalem and
crafty the desire Of their hearts to be
buried on Mount Olivet. IN the Valley OF
Jehosaphat, or in the sacred soil Of Zion.
They have established hospitals. orphan
ages. training schools which are said 10
be the best IN the East and other insti-
tutions for the care of the poor and ar
fieted.