The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1912-11-06
JERUSALEM IS
GROWING FAST
Population Increased from
10000 to 10000
IN THE PAST THIRTY YEARS
Plans TO Establish Suburban
Colonies Are Meeting
With Success.
LAND THERE is SELLING HIGH

Jerusalem Is growing rapidly,
and several movements are on foot,
in addition to those begun by
Nathan Strauss, the phifanthropist
of this city, and others for the
amelioration of the living condi-
tons Of the Jews there.
According to O report made to
the Department of Commerce and
Labor the population of Jerusalem,
particularly the Jewish part, has
grown remarkably, and chiefly in
the last 80 years, increasing in that
period from 1900 to not less than
$4,000 out of total population of
between $4,000 and 100000.
THE Jewish quarter within the
walled city," continues the report,
has long been crowded, and the
new arrivals from Russia and Cali
cia, Bokhara and Yemen, Persia
and Morocco spread over the out
skirts of the city, mainly to suburbs
to the northwest, off the Jaffs road.
Sir Moses Montefiore, the Anglo
Jewish philanthropist of the nine
teenth century, did much Tor the
amelioration lof the housing condi-
tions of the Jewish population of
Jerusalem. In his honor testi-
monial fund of about $4,000 was
collected in England, which has
been employed in continuation of
the work he inaugurated.
1.-THE money is used to make ad-
vances to local building societies on
condition of the members of the
societies finding part OF the cost
and submitting their building plans
for approval to representatives of
the committee. The advances are
repayable without interest in 10
years from completion of the
scheme. and the money is then
again advanced for a fresh enter
prise. In this way five suburban
colonies have been ereered, each
containing SO to 20 houses; in the
newest OF them the minimum
amount spent on each dwelling was
$1,000. The construction through
out is neat and substantial, though,
owing to the remarkable rise in the
price OF land near the city, the site
on which the colony is built cost
four times as much per square yard
as that OF the other settlements.
More space has been allowed for
the roads and trees have been
planted along them.
"Other religious denominations
have erected immense buildings
around Jerusalem, such as the
Orthodox Greek converts on the
Jaffa road and the Mount OF Olives.
the Roman Catholic orphanage, and
the German Protestant institutions
by the Damascus Gate and on the
northern heights. But they have
not done anything considerable for
the improvement of housing cor the
good laying out of suburbs. The |
result is that between the abund-
ance of great stone churches and |
institutes there are rows of wretch
ed slums. A few wealthy Bokhara
Jews have built fine mansions, but
there are few rich members among
Jerusalem, and few who can AFFORD |
to build for themselves a decent
house.
THE project has, therefore, been
mooted in England of forming a
small garden suburb outside Jeru-
salem in which the houses could he
let to the better class artisans who
can afford to pay rent of $40 to
$50 a year. The idea of garden
suburbs has achieved striking pop
ularity in England and Germany,
and 1t is recognized as Offering the
lem Of the large Industrial cities of
our time, and at the same time as
fostering the love of the land and
Of nature which the modern concen-
tration of the population in towns
has threatened. At some little dis
.ance from Jerusalem land can still
De purchased fairly cheaply. and. it
s calculated that q substantial lit
lie house with half an acre could be
provided for about $1,000. The ,
garden space could be planted with
igs and olives and garden produce,
or which there is ready market
n the city, and thus the tenant
would be able to make little in :