The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-07-15
New Railway Will Pierce
The Jerusalem Country
Capitals of Europe in Near Future Will
be Linked to the Worlds Sacred
Cities--Americans Back of
Project commercial
Rights Granted

JERU SALEM, June 23.-ln the near
future, Americans visiting Europe will
be able to journey from any of its
principal capitals to the chief cities
and ruins of Arabia and Persia by rail.
Jerusalem, the most sacred city in the
world, as well as the Holy City Of
Mecca, will shortly be in direct rail
road communication with Europe.
When the Bagdad project has pro-
crossed another stage or two, railroad
journeys to the Euphrates Valley the
alleged site of the Garden of Eden,
and where stood ancient Nineveh, may
be included in the tourists Eastern
itinerary.
The linking up of these ancient Bib
lical places with Europe will be ac-
compIished by American dollars and
American brains Indeed, what the
Americans are doing in Turkey, and
also i'm the Asiatic dominions of the
Sultan, in the way of transportation
facilities is almost incredible. When
the Turkish Parliament met in No
vember last there were submitted to
81 plans for the construction of no
fewer than 1900 miles of railroad with
mineral and oil rights in Asiatic Tur-
key. The various schemes were pro-
visionally accepted and have been re-
ferred to a parliamentary committee
for final adjustment.
All this is the work of a powerful
American syndicate, at the head OF
which is DR.. Chester. At first Ger
many entered a protest, on the ground
that the proposal involved mining
rights But the Turkish authorities
pointed out that the Americans asked
for no kilometer guarantee and were
entitled to them. The American, rec
ognizing that there is nothing better
for developing a country than rail.
road, is willing to sink capital in the
enterprise and recoup himself on the
result.
That American business methods
are appreciated by the young Turkish
party is evidenced by the fact that
number of American syndicates were
approached recently by the authorities
and asked to submit tenders for sup
plying Constantinople and its suburbs
with an electric street railway service
AT the same time a concession was
granted to an American firm for the
construction and exclusive operation
Of telephones over a greater portion Of
the Turkish capital. An American syn
dictate recently secured a concession
for the exploitation of the minerals in
the Dead Sea basin, $35O,OOO, it is said,
being paid for these rights. 1t is well
known that this region is particularly
rich in bitumen, sulphur, copper, salt,
coal and oil.
The fact is, Turkey and her depend
encies are on the threshold of great
commercial developments and the gov.
eminent has determined to carry the
lines of the Hediaz railroad with all
speed across the 2S5 miles of desert
between Medina and Mecca. Starting
from Damascus, this line now runs al
most due south through wild and ster-
lie country for more than $50 miles to
Medina, the burial place of Moham-
med. 1t is principally used for carry
ing Mohammedan pilgrims. On many
of its most important stations one can
now send kilograms in almost any
European language to all parts of the
world. Tourists visiting Palestine
now make use of this line for reaching
the rock-hewn city of Petra, on the
edge Of the great Arabian desert. 1t
means a saving Of at least twelve days
in the journey from Jerusalem.
This is by no means the only rail-
road in Palestine. The first to be
opened was that which connects the
seaport of Jaffa with Jerusalem, built
by the French, and which will finally
revert to Turkey. The locomotives
used today were constructed by the
French for work at Panama. The dis
lance between Jaffa and Jerusalem by
rail is fifty-hve miles, and the journey
occupies three hours and forty min