Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-01-17
LONELY IN BAGDAD.
Full Of Historical Interest, But the
American Consul Prefers Missouri.

Il
American Consul Prefers Missouri.
Marriage cures the wanderlust,"
said United States Consul Frederick
Simpich, who represents the majesty
Of Uncle Sam at Bagdad, Turkey, at
the Southern Hotel, according to the
st. Louis Republic.
Simpich and his wife, the only Amer
leans in that part Of the world, felt so
blue over the idea Of spending another
Christmas 1900 miles from home
that he asked and obtained leave Of
absence to eat Christmas dinner at
New Franklin, Howard county, Mo.
This is the town in which both the
consul and his wife were born, and 1t
seemed fairy spot In their imagina-
tions, while the only thing they ever
saw to remind them Of home was the
Stars and Stripes waving above the
consulate.
"Bagdad is one of the most interest
ing places In all the EARTH" said Mr..
Simpich, "and we found much there
to interest us, but 1t Is good to be
back in Missouri again. My wife and
I were the only Americans in that
part Of Asia, and but for the presence
Of number Of Britishers, few Ger
mans, and fewer French, we would
have felt more homesick than we were.
1T ought to be of interest to Missou-
rians and to all others who would like
to see the Missouri river made naviga-
BILE the year around to know that the
present navigation Of the Tigris, the
historic stream beside which ancient
Babylon stood and where modern Bag
dad stands now. was made possible by
a study Of the boats in use on the riv-
er at st. Louis. A big company form
ed for the purpose Of navigating the
Tigris sent an Englishman on tour to
learn the methods employed on rivers
of other countries.
This man came quietly to st. Louis,
took a trip down the Mississippi, and
made careful study Of boats Of light
draft and heavy tonnage. He reported
to his employers in favor of the Mis-
sissippi boats, and now they are the
sort which carry the travellers to and
from the place we used to read about
when we were children, the home Of
Ali Baba and the host Of characters
interesting to juvenile minds.
"Bulbul, carpets, dates, and wool are
the chief imports from Bagdad to the
United States. The duties Of the con-
sui are not very exacting, and ] have
employed much of my spare time do
ing special newspaper work. Then,
too, we learned polo and tennis, and
got so we could play either in heat
that sent the thermometer up to 12o
degrees. This is the way Old Sol
treats us from May to October, and it
Is some sizzling. st. Louis feels to my
wife and me now like the arctic circle
must feel to the north pole hunters.
Some Of the greatest scholars of the
world have journeyed to Bagdad as the
Mohammedans journeyed to Mecca.
Rawlinson, Laird and George Smith,
learned men, whose labors have en-
lightened the human race, spent years
there, digging for cuneiform charac-
ters, studying Assyriology, reading the
hieroglyphics they found as we read
English, and making all people profit
by their labors.
For % years DR.. Holloway Of Ber-
lin, representative of the German ORR
entail Research society, has been car
rying on the work Rawlinson and his
colleagues began.
"Bagdad Is now a city Of some 2OO,-
900 people Forty thousand Of them
ere Jews. Near the city is the tomb Of
Ezra, shrine of all Hebrews in that
part Of the world. Nearby is Nineveh
with its million historical associations.
At Kirkouk, only three days by ass
from Bagdad, is the tomb of Ananias,
who gave the world an exhibition of
his ability to transform the truth into
its reverse meaning.
Then there are the hanging gar
dens, the ruins of Belshazzar's palace,
and memories of the feast that ended
in death, and the ruins Of Nebuchad-
nezzar's palace, and many other spots
of mighty interest almost too numer-
Gus to mention. We feel that God Is
near in all that section Of the earth"