The Hartford republican., 1905-03-10
JERUSALEM TO-DAY,
Old Sites of the Holy City
Rapidly Disappearing.
Great Obstacle TO Study of Anci-
ent Localities is Erection
of New Houses.


from a six months tour of the Ho-
by Land, and who also was present
at the last production of Oberam-
mergau some time ago, gives the
press the following:
The view of Jerusalem is the
history of the world, so wrote Dis
raeli early in the 10Th century; and
he added: 1t is more common-it
is the history of the earth and of
heaven And to-day in Jerusalem
an epitome of all the nations is pre-
sented, and a strange world is to be
studied within the walls of Jerusa-
lem.
THE walls are still a glorious fact
and most impressively do their ruddy
tawny bastious and embattled sum-
mits tower up against the deep blue
of the sky, as we descend the Valley
of Hinnom, thence to ascend the
Jaffa Gate, where is the only break
in the mighty wall-that ugly rent
torn betwixt the Tower of David and
the Jaffa Gate to allow the cavalcade
of Kaiser William to enter. But, in
spite of this rent, the scene of the
Jaffa Gate is full of life and color.
Bread and cake and fruit sellers in
colored robes are clustered around
its pillars, and under its vaults Jews
in round fiat hats bound with fur
and in purple robes of velvet and
silk, are hustled by ragged Bedouins
in gray and brown patched robes.
Turkished officials in the regulation
fez, halt before a rugged pile of
pomegranates at the arch.
"A Jew in yellow robe, with black
velvet hat passes in as some Persains
in red sheep-skin hustles past lem
on seller, who is crouched by a pile
of yellow fruit smoking his hubble
bubble regardless of trade. Negro
porters in gray rags elbow women,
veiled and uvailed, and makes way
for an ass, led by a shephered in
brown robes with a half-veiled wom-
an seated on it's back.
A continuous throng comes and
goes everywhere, ever chatting and
.shouting-no two figures alike or in
color. Women in rich garments and
girls with open-breasted robes, bal
ancing water basins on their heads.
And inside the Gate rises up the
massive or the solid Tower of David.
Turkish soldiers are patrolling near
for just beyond is the citadel. But
let us turn up the narrow way to the
left. Lying at the corner of great
house is the naked body of a poor
wretch-a brown piece of sacking
thrown over his loins; he waits aims,
but makes no sign. A Roman priest
passes by then; a Greek priest, and
woman, all yelled, clothed in white
from head to foot save her black veil
then a man in a brown robe on a lit
tie mule.
Such is the ever varying, quick,
eager, shifting crowd, so full of col
or; SO ever changing as wepenetrate
doubling on our steps, down through
the busy David's street on into Mo-
hammedan street where dark shad-
ows are thrown by the arches and
the brilliant cOlors are softened by
the shade. The stranger can soon
learn to thread his way amid the
narrow, tortuous streets that inter-
sect Jerusalem. The city is so small
that, lose ones self as one easily
may repeatedly, the outer walls
must soon be reached. If we enter
by the Jaffa gate on the west, abroad
temple area lies to the east and soon
blocks the route along the eastern
walls, and so aswe bear to the north,a
continuous narrow thoroughfare is
stuck, below which, far down be-
meath the accumulation of ages, runs
the pavements of the way Of pain"
trodden by the feet Of Christ.
There Is a spot where today the
actual pavement may be seen, but TO
get to ii once must enter into It
house and descend may steps; and
then, some twenty feet below the
present street. are seen the broad
level slabs Of the Roman pavement.
One Of the Sisters Of Sion, to whom
the house belongs. points out the