The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-08-03
FINDS THE TURKS
MILD AND GENTLE
c. {. Johnson Tells OF His Trip
to Jerusalem.
DENIES OUTRAGE STORIES
CHRISTIANS CONSTANT FIGHT
AMONG THEMSELVES.

Charles E. Johnson, the photogra-
pher. has returned from trip to the
Holy Land and the worlds fair at st.
Louis. He left Salt Lake City No
vember 20. and went direct to London,
where he joined Madame Mountford,
the oriental lecturer. From there
they went through France and Italy,
making brief stops in Paris, Genoa,
Pisa. Rome, Naples and Fompeii They
took the mail steamer at Brindisi fof
! Port said, at the head Of the Suez
canal.
The object Of our trip was to make
photographs of scenes and localities
in the Holy Land for exhibition at
the worlds fair I'm what is known as
the Jerusalem's worlds fair exhibit,
said Mr.. Johnson. But did not
confine my efforts in the Photographic
line to tie Holy Land, for | used the
camera all along the route At Port
Said l made photos Of the statue OF
Ferdinand De Lesseps- which STANDS
at the head of the canal Of which
he was the engineer. At Port said We
passed through a genuine Egyptian
sandstorm. and while IN London one
of the worst fogs ever known there
3
tered a snowstOrm in Jerusalem,
very unusual occurrence in that part
Of the world
Forced to Visit Beyrout.
AT Port Said we found We would
have to go to Beyrout for medical in
spectiOn before proceeding on our
way to Jaffa (ancient Joppa). We IN
tended sailing across in one day 10
Jafa. But the trip to BeyTOut de-
layed US two days. This medical in
spection is to compel travellers TO so
to Beyrout. At that place We visited
the fine school conducted by DIT. Bliss.
which is called the American Syrian
college The day we went there an
American warship steamed into the
harbor as an object lesson to the sui
tan of Turkey
From Beyrout we went to Jeffa.
and from there TO Jerusalem on the
American built narrow guage railroad.
At Jerusalem we visited all the places
within its walls made sacred by the
footsteps of the Savior. and that are
mentioned in both the Old and New
Testaments.
Defends the Turks
How did you find the Turks, and
we're they still engaged in committing
Outrages upon the Armenians. MI
Johnson was asked.
II found the Turks in the parts of
the sultan's domains through which L
Travelled a peaceahle lot of people.
They are kospitable and kind, and are
only vicious when grossly imposed
upon. I have been out with Turks
and Arabs on a number Of occasions.
and have always been well treated.
I would sooner trust myself with them
in a dark SPOT at night than with
some of the people TO be found iii New
York and Salt Lake City
How about the oft repeated stories
OF outrages teIegraphed to newspapers
in all parts Of the world"
These stories are largely the inven-
ton of the correspondents. and II IS
only once in great wEile that there
is any foundation for them The fact
Is. the so-CaIIed Christians in the
Turkish empire make more trouble
than the Turks, for they are constant
" fighting among themselves To
show how il goes, there are fourteen
denominations of Christians in Jeru-
salem, and the sultan of Turkey Is
compelled to keep armed troops at the
SaviOT's grave or Holy ScpulchTe TO
prevent IL from being desecrated by
Christians. When left 10 work their
own viii without the intervention Of
the soldiers they fight over the grave.
On more than one occasion, when one
denomination was having procession
around the tomb of Christ. another
would want to parade and would at
tempt to drive the firstcOmers away
Then blows would be exchanged and
heads cut and broken.
Madame Mountford whom I ac-
Companied. was born and lived in
Jerusalem until she was 20 years of
age Sic was educated there in one
OF the English schools After leaving
school she came 10 the United States
and has lived here ever since She
speaks seven languages and II very
popular in Jerusalem. Because Of her
popularity l was enabled to obtain
photographs of buildings and their in
teriors that had never been photo
gTsphed. These photographs are now
on exhibition at the worlds fair, at
which I stopped on my return from
the Holy Land