El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-10-15
FRNKG
NEW LIGHT ON HOLY PLACES

show that the cave jewellers practiced
cremation. In one of the six other cit
les. higher up. bronze tools were dug
out, and higher still the remains of
the ancient Egyptians. In one of the
caves was found large jars containing
the skeletons of infants who had been
sacrificed as a matter Of worship,
probably during the Canaanite period.
and in another was a cistern, the
mouth of which was guarded by the
skulls of two young girls. and inside
which were fourteen skeletons, one
being that of a girl of sixteen who
had been sawn asunder.
Belonged to Solomon.
The king of Gezer was defeated by
Joshua, and later the city was captured
by a king of Egypt, who was one of
Solomon's three hundred odd fathersin-
law. The story is that Pharaoh gave
Gezer to Solomon as a dowry with his
daughter, and that Solomon rebuilt the
city. At the time of the crusades Rich
ard Occur de Lion and Saladin fought
over il, and it was an important fort
ress at the time of the Maccabees.
The Psychologists of the Palestine
exploration fund have been excavating
here for five years, and they say there
is much yet TO be found. They are
about to publish a book giving full
statement of their work. They have
discovered bronze pots, ivory tables,
statues, jewels and other treasures of
half dozen different periods of histo-
ry. In one of the cities a complete
olive press made of stone was I'M
earthed, and in another an Egyptian
statute about 1000 years old The
statue was that of man with beard
and a wig. Bronze tweezers were
nd oil so11 q
and Roman times. One of the most
interesting discoveries was reservoir
of a capacity of four million gallons,
and another was a palace supposed 70
belong to one of the Maccabees.
New Light on Palestine
This is only one of a number of cit
les which are now being excavated be-
tween Jericho and the Mediterranean
sea, in addition to those which have
lately been dug up east of the Jordan.
The Germans, Russians and Austrians
are excavating in different places, but
the most of the work is that of this ex-
ploration fund. which was founded
more than 45 years ago and is support
ed by voluntary contributions.
The Palestine exploration fund is not
a religious body, but rather a scientific
and historical one. Tt is now spending
>
most Of the sums being collected in
amounts of So or less from English and
Americans all over the world. The as
ISOLATION has made great discoveries at
Jerusalem. 1t has surveyed and map
ped the most of Palestine and has add
ed about $50 Bible sites to those al
ready known During my stay here L
have met its secretary, DR.. Percy D.
Wheeler and have learned much con-
corning it's work.
The Jerusalem Railroad.
But let me tell you something about
the railroad up to Jerusalem. 1t has
been in operation more than Is years,
and its rates are so high that it ought
to pay we'll. The cost of our passage is.
about six cents a mile. Freight rate
on coal is 81 per ton and all express
is proportionately high. The track is a.
garrow gage, and the cars are much
like street cars, with little racks Tor
baggage along each side under the
roof. Each carriage is divided up into
compartments, the sides of which are
walled with windows, so that one can
see out as he goes. The road has no
tunnels and it winds its way in and out
as it rises the hills. There are five
stations between Jaffa and Jerusalem
at which the trains stop, and fairly |
good depots at the terminal points.
The total cost OF the railway was !
81, 100000, or a little less than $4,000 |
per mile. The road was originated by |
an American, a civil engineer named |
Zimpel, who came to Palestine as a |
peddler of a patent medicine which he |
called sunlight pills" He brought |
the scheme before the sultan at Con- !
stantinople. but failed to get the con- !
cession to build it. After his death the |
matter was taken up by the French, |