Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-21
Copyright. 1907 by Frank G. Carpenter)
ASSTOVT, T-pper Egypt

ASSlOtT, Upper Egypt
A Assiuut. away up the Nile val
~ lev about as far south of the
"a Mediterranean as Washington is
Z y south OF Buffalo, some OF the
most enterpr.sing OF our charitable
Americans have established training col
leg for Young Egyptians which is doing
a wonderful work In the valley OF the
Me, l came here from Cairo to 1t,
winding my way In and out along the
great river The Nile valley Is narrow
above Cairo. Its width is from three to
nine miles, and as the railroad took me
up it l could see everywhere the yellow
sand on both sides. We were at times
far out in the desert, and at times moving
IN and ont of the irrigated lands. We
passed mud villages at every turn of the
car wheels. They border the river and the
larger canals. and the date trees which
hang over them are now loaded with yell
low fruit. Upper Egypt has vast numbers
OF date trees. There are In the whole coun-
try something like SOOO00o OF these palms,
and they bring In, at rough estimate,
81 10 every tree every year.
The Capital of Upper Egypt.
Asaiout is the largest city in Egypt south
Of Cairo 1t is the capital of this part of
the Nile valley and is the chief center of
its commerce and trade Before the rail-
d was built caravans from the Sudan
brought great quantities of merchandise
from Central Africa to this point and
transferred 1t to other caravans bound for
TripOli, Cairo or Suez The railroad now
carries the most of this trade. and the
iron tracks have been extended from here
southwark with but one short break. sup
Piled by steamers on the river, TO the city
of khartoum.
ingly fertile There is not an acre of irri-
gated land in it worth less thar $500 and
most OF IL would bring 500 per acre under
the hammer The whole region is pros
porous and the bcggarS are now compare
lively few.
AssioUt Itself has many new buildings
Not far from the railroad station are brick
houses Of two and three stories which
would be considered fine anywhere. They
ar owned by Copts. who started life poor
and have become millionaires. The most
Of the houses of the city are Egyptian in
character. They are fiat rooted buildings
Of one. two and three stories. facing the
street. Many of them are new and sub
Ftantially built. The bazaars are far better
than when / visited Assiout twenty-five
years ago. and the town. which now has
over J0.O0O people. is double the size 1t
was then.
An American College in Egypt.
But l started out to tell you about this
big American college. 1t is doing much
good for Egypt that IL is commended by
the British government and by every tour
list who learns anything of Egyptian affairs.
II is known the Assiout Training Col
lege. 1t was founded about forty years
ago and its first work done in a don
key stable. II now has seven large two
and three story buildings, which cover two
acres. running around campus shaded by
date palms. and among its professors are
graduates of the best of our colleges, in
Guiding Princeton and Yale. 1t has now
between seven and eight hundred STU
dents. who come from all parts OF
Egypt and even from the Soudan and tne
ether countries of northern .-frica. The
students represent more than 100 towns
throughout the Nile valley. The graduates
scattered all over Egypt. Many OF
them are Influential business men. some are
lawyers. doctors and teachers. and others
are government officials The Graduates of
eminent as clerks. Their trainin1 IS con-
sidered better than that of the government
colleges where religion except the Ko-
ran is taught. and they are found TO be
more trustworthy and of higher moral
character.
Managed by Presbyterians.
This college Is a missionary institution
but II gives a good general education. 1t is
run upon broad lines and has among It's
students COpts. Nohammedans and Chris
tians. 1t IS supported by the United Pres
byterian Church OF the United States. This
ls about the only one Of our Protestant de-
other sects having apparently given up