The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1909-04-29

The Turks embraced Mohammedan-
ism and Mohanmedanism made them
a world power. 1t pressed them for
ward to conquest after conquest.
Under Mohammedan rule Constants
nople became semioriental city.
The Christian churches were trans
formed into mosques, the streets and
buildings took on an appearance of
Asia rather than Europe; the local
as well as the general government
became surcharged with suspicion,
intrigue and despotisni. These con-
ditions have continued with little
change down to the present day But
the desire for change is abroad, as
is evident from tue Young Turk move
ment-unless this movement after all
should prove only an attempt to sub
stitute one despotism for another.
Nothing certain can be said about the
Turks apparent desire for progress.
Mosque a Famous Spot.
Aside from the Sultan's palace and
the other Government buildings, the
most interesting structure in Constan-
inople to the ordinary tourist is the
mosque of st. Sophia. It's interior is
considered one of the finest specimens
of Byzantine architecture. AS the
Christian church Of the divine wis
dom the first stone of the building
was laid in 532 on the site of several
successive churches of the same
name, the first of which was erected
by Constantine, the Great.
Since it's conversion into a mos
que in 1853 st. Sophia's has been
altered in detail and general re-
storation of it was completed in 1S49.
These are between 300 and 500 mos
ques in Constantinople, most of them
retaining the material as well as
occupying the sites of ancient church
es.
Galata and Pera are chiefly inhab-
tied by Christians. Here are the
diplomatic headquarters of foreign
countries and other non-Turkish in
stitutions. The two bridges of boats
between Galata and Stemboul are
crowded with traffic constantly. Sou
tart Is a town of about 10000 people
and contains numerous manufactures,
besides being a large fruit market.
The total poulation of Constantinople
and it's suburbs is considered TO be
about 100000. Nearly Iwo-thirds of
the inhabitants of the city proper
are Mohammedans.
Pera on Summit of Hill.
Pera, that quarter of Constantine
pie in which the constitutional army
yesterday clashed with troops loyal
TO the sultan, crowns the summit OF
a hill on the northern side of the
Golden Horn. The inhabitants OF the
quarter are mainly rench and Greek,
although almost every other nation
atty is to be seen and every tongue
heard on the streets. The principal
thoroughfare is the Grande Rue de
Pera, on which are the residences OF
most of the ambassadors and minis
tiers accredited to the porte, hotels,
theatres, restaurants and the princi-
pal shops. With the exception of this
main avenue, however, the streets OF
the city are narrow and badly paved.
The northern boundary of the Pera
quarter is the only section of Constan
tinople that is not guarded by the
sea or by walls. 1t was from the
north that the investing army came
Friday afternoon.
Constantinople has long been ia
nous as the dirtiest city in Europe.
Systematic cleaning of the streets,
except in European quarters at Pera,
has never been attempted. Dogs are
the only scavengers and are sacred
from molestation, however numerous
or offensive they become.
The fire department is joke to
Europeans, and what are known as
modern improvements are hardly
known anywhere outside the foreign
residence district Most of the
houses are built of wood and are one
story high. -..,-... 80. ..,..a. -..