Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-21
ALONG TIE GOLDEN HORN
ConstantinOple, Too, Has Its Bridge
Crush.
DAILY JAM BECOMES NUISANCE
Patch Structure on which Many
Races Meet--BegERrs, PeddIers,
Priests, POrters, Officials
I'm the Crowd.

Priests, POrters, Officials
I'm the Crowd.
CONSTANTINOPLE Feb. H.-Every yea
or two the European inhabitants of Con-
stantlnople are aroused to a certain amount
Of enthusiasm by the prospect of having
a new bridge to take the place of the
patchwork structure that now serves as
the main connection between STEAMBOAT and
Pera-the Turkish and the European quar-
ters of the city. At the request of the
Ottoman government various engineering
firms throughout Europe have frequently
made proposals. and laid down plans for
this undertaking; but with the Turks Gus
tomary reply that he would look into the
matter the government has carefully dock
eted and pigeonholed each plan without
giving it any further attention.
Under the old regime an American once
offered to build a suspension bridge from
the heights Of STEAMBOAT to those of Pera
in exchange for concessions to lay cleo
trio tramways Throughout the city. But
Abdul Hamid wanted nj such improve
ments. Dynamos sounded to him suspiciously
like dynamite and the entrance OF all ma
chinery into the country was strictly pro-
hibited. The old pontoon bridge was good
enough for his ancestors, and so, cDntin-
ually patched and repatched, it is quite
good enough for the present day Turk,
many thousands Of whom. with their
clothes hanging together In mysterious
manner, resemble externally the ancien;
bridge.
Adventure of a Steamer.
1.-- Il ----...a-- -. a,,-.gzn ~ N
new bridge has again arisen, and a firm
Of engineers recently offered to rebuild
it for $4,000. While this proposal was
under consideration" by the Turkish gov
eminent an English steamer in leaving its
anchorage last month had the effrontery
to carry away a portion of the Stambou
end OF the bridge. And for, this little ex-
hibltion of its prowess its owners had to
pay $4,000, which amount naturally comes
in very handy for some long needed re-
pairs.
For several days after the accident no
attempt was made to construct a tempo
rary passageway, the Turk contenting him
self with exclaiming "Kismet dir" Ct is
fate)! But when the thousands Of bust
ness men, hamals (porters), horsemen,
pack drivers, beggars and carriages that
daily use the bridge were forced to cross
the Golden Horn either in caiques or make
a long detour round the Arab Kapou bridge
further up the stream, which meant a loss
to the government of from $1,000 to $500
a day, the Turk awoke to the fact that
something must be done
And though today carriages are still I'M
able to get across. pedestrians are able
to get to the other side by means of a
triple flight of narrow steps and a pas
sage connecting with the shore. At the
head of these steps you are frequently
obliged to wait from ten to fifteen min
utes while a flock of sheep, bew1ldered and
dazed, is induced to ascend, or while four
hamals, getting their long poles ~entagled,
leisurely proceed to solve the difficulty OF
lifting their heavy burden to the bridge.
About a week after the departure of the
English steamer a huge umbrella twenty
feet in diameter was set up near the former
entrance to the bridge. an here some half
a dozen workmen began repairing opera
tions. But perhaps owing to intense cold
and incessant falls of of snow or to the
fact that there are three days of rest In
every ~week-Friday for the Moslems, Sat
urday for the Jews and Sunday for the
Greeks and Armenians-the progress OF
their work Is very slow.
Crossing the Bridge.
When in its customary everyday working
order It is a source of wonder to many
people how the London bridge of Constan-
tinople las the old pontoon bridge is often
called) manages to keep together its I'M
even planks of ancient timber and how 1t
supports the constant stream of heavy
traffic which abates only at nightfall, for a
hundred thousand fares are taken daily
from carriages, and pedestrians, exclusive
of the soldiers and police, the MANNED, the
lame. the halt and the blind, and all sick
persons, to whom the bridge is free. An
American girl ecently visiting CONSTANT
NOBLE for the first time was amazed at
having her metalik q cent? returned po-
Itely by the collector. who, pointing to the
crutch with which she was walking, In
dicated by his gesticulations that her
wooden leg exempted her from the toll
These collectors, four Of whom stand
at either end of the bridge, are as well
padded as the Paris cocker. The white
cotton nIghtshirt which each man dons
on a fine day makes him easily Distinguish
able from the crowd, but on a wet day
both fez and shirt are hidden by a large
peaked hood and overcoat, such as is
worn by every third nan one meets.
In little wooden sheds at the right and
left Of the bridge entrance sit the change
gtyers, who under the old regime had a
curious system OF making money by
punching holes IN it. which accounts for
the fact that practically all the small
coins in circulation today have holes
in them. Each OF the silver coins which
PASSED through their hands they punched,
and the pieces thus obtained were care
fully and painstakingly collected until
a small fortune was accumulated. AT
the same time the total amount Of daily
tolls, which would have been sufficient
to keep up a first class navy, went with
out question into the pockets Of the old
ministers.
Plaques OF the Passage.
Il is practically impossible TO walk
upon the narrow footway. for when IL
"a not occupied by hamals, who frequently