Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-23
Green Splotch on Desert.

Ashkabad is. splotch Of green upon
the desert-a city of about fifteen thou
sand inha bitants, in addition to a garri-
son of 10000 soldiers living in enormous
white barracks, one-story adobe build
ings. and long rows of tents inclosed by
mud walls, that have been whitewashed.
The town covers very large area, like
all Russian settlements in Turkestan.
The streets are very wide. and every one
who settles here is allowed all the ground
ne wants. for there is plenty of room.
Trans-Caspia is big country and most
of it's surface is unoccupied.
The streets are wide and well shaded
with trees. The railway station is hidden
in grove of locusts and mulberries, and
for wide area around the city are
luxuriant gardens inclosed within mud
walls.
In the center of the town is an obelisk
erected in memory of the artillerymen
who were killed at the massacre of Cock
Tepe and around the pedestal are planted
several guns that were captured from
the Afghans several years ago. The
green domes of two big Russian churches
arise above the greener boughs of the
trees, and the gilt crosses upon their
crests signify much to the people. The
German element, from the Baltic PROV
inces of Russia, have a Lutheran church
of neat design, near the railway station,
but there is no sign of mosque or
synagogue, although the activity OF the
business quarter mas attracted q large
number Of PerSianS and Jews.
Diversion for Military.
There is neat museum, filled with
military mementoes and specimens of
natural history: there is high school for
boys and one for girls, and a military
school in which young TurkoRnans, the
sons Of the chiefs and other men of i'm
M ri cd ed
reerS. There are several newspapers
printed in the Russian language, a thea
ter, subsidized by the municipality for
he diversion OF army officers who are
exiled here; military club, numerous
shops with attractive show windows. and
various other features of a flourishins
Russian city.
This leads me to remark that the gov
eminent of the United States might find
1t profitable to initiate the Russian policy
by furnishing more diversions for the
officers and soldiers it sends to the Philip
pines.
The Russians act on the theory that
contentment is necessary for the proper
performance Of military and civil duty,
and to make their officers contented a
good deal of money is expended for
amusements. There is always race
course, a theater and a club for social
purposes, and the government usually
provides the land and the buildings.
center OF EefL1lc O1SLc1cL.
Ashkabad is an ancient settlement, al
though it never had any particular inn
portance, and it is in the center of very
fertile district and a prosperous popula-
ton. An idea of the financial condition
of the Turkoman may be judged from the
official statistics relating to the Akhal
district, an oasis about 200 miles long and
$50 miles wide. which is we'll watered
from never-falling source of supply in
the mountains of Persia. In this dis
trict, according to the latest returns,
there are about 10000 inhabitants. housed
in villages and in 27,S12 kibitkas, the cir
cular tents or tepees used by the nomadic
portion OF the population. There are in
this district Ill, 600 camels. 1880 horses,
1850, 600 sheep and 10000 other cattle.
The tendency of the population is to set
tie down into fixed places of abode and
increase the area of cultivated land, SO
far as the supply of water will permit.
The government gives every encourage
ment to agriculture.
Ashkabad was selected as the capital Of
Trans-Caspia because of it's highly STRAIT
egical situation, regarding both Khiva
to the north. and Persia to the south.
Fine macadamized roads, twenty-four
feet wide and of easy grades SO that ar
tillery and army wagons can be hauled
over them rapidly. have been constructed
in both directions. That which runs south
ward tn Persia reaches the two great nil