The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-12-02

For five years the faithful of Islam have been pushing seuthward into the the Arabian desert railroad that IS to connect the holy Mohammedar cities Damascus, Medina and Meca- start ing from Damascus the line when 1t enters Mecca will be over HOO miles long. It will be completed ey the end of his year to Tubuk. sso miles from Damascus more than half way to Me- dina; where the prophet died and ever one-third the way to Mecca, his blrtn- place.
 railroad will be comr leted to Mecca in 1918, The interest of the entire Mo- harnn1edan world is enlisted. ap
 The line stands in class by itseA, fer there is no other enterprise like IL. Its inception and progress are due to considerations. A religious necessity impeIled Sultan Abdul Hamid II. the ruler of Turkey and the head of th9 Monammedan faith. to build the road.
 He called upon Mohammedans all over the world in 1901 to contribute the funds required as religious duty. They have responded tirelessly, funds are continually pouring into the treas- urv and nearly the entire cost Of the road as 1t advances week by week. IS defrayed by these free will offerings.
 Gen Auler Pasha, formerly of the German army and now in the service O. Turkey, knows this enterprise from its inception to the present time. Ha has just written the history Of DIS Hadschasbahn," illustrated with peenv views of the progress of the road. It is published as a supplement to Peter mann's Mitteilungen, and the facts used here are taken from this exhaustive re- port.
 Every M9hammedan who Is rich enough to make the costly journey be- Iieves it is his religious duty to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in his life. About 100000 of these pll gri.ns. coming from all parte If the Mohs mn.edan world, meet every year, at the Prophets birthplace to worship st the Knaba and win the special blessing of heaven.
 Many, caravans of Arabian pilgrims take the sandy routes across Arabia 70 Mecca Many Persians also cross the the sea routeyto Jedda, on the Red Sea, and then the caravan road to Mecca From 30,000 to 60,000 pilgrims a year. coming from Egypt. North Africa and India, as well as Turkey, Asia Minor and South Russia, reach Mecca by way of Jedda.
 It is the Syrian pilgrims. about 5000 annually. who travel the wearisonfe pil- grim road from Damascus through Medina and Mecca. For the poorest travellers the journeys costs at least k25O. and none but the comparatvely well to do can afford this expense.
 The route Is especially famous be- nause it is the read followed by the annual caravan of the Sultan of Fur key, who sends costly presents to the sheriff of Mecca and the Bedouin sneiks carried all the way between battalion of infantry and a battery of field ar tillery
 The pilgrim railroad, though only one-third completed, is already at tracting many thousands of devotees from lands which have hitherto used other routes. The day will soon come when all the pilgrims from European stantinoPle and Mecca.
 The railroad from Damascus north through Aleppo Is nearly completed to the railroad which the Germans are building between Constantineple and the Persian Gulf When this German road is completed Persian and Inaian pilgrims may also trave1 st.l the way by rail from the Persian Gulf to the pilgrim railroad and thence south to Mecca. The pilgrim railroad Is expect ed ultimately to carry about half the pilgrims who visit the holy cities
 Gen Auler says that the evidences of Inc terrible sufferings endured by pil- Rrims on this longest desert route to Mecca are most impressive, and the completion of the pilgrim railroad win be a boon to humanity.
 Up to September l. 19Oo, the total amount of contributions from Mnham- medans toward the buildings of this railroad amounted to $9.34O.0o0, To the steady Incoming of contributions